Germany - Regional Innovation Strategy for North Rhine-Westphalia 2021-2027

Through the Regional Innovation Strategy for North Rhine-Westphalia 2021–2027, the State Government has established a common framework for research and innovation support across the Land and its regions. The Strategy replaces the 2014–2020 Innovation Strategy and responds to new technological, economic, political and societal developments.

Harnessing the potential of science, business and civil society

The Strategy’s vision is “From Strong Innovator to Innovation Leader”. North Rhine-Westphalia and its regions are among the European Union’s strong innovators and aim to further strengthen this position. To achieve this, the potential of science, business and civil society is to be harnessed more effectively, investment in research and development supported, and innovations brought into practical application more rapidly.

The Strategy adopts a broad understanding of innovation, encompassing technological, non-technological and social innovation. Its guiding principles are smart specialisation and a consistent focus on the future. It does not prescribe specific technologies as the means of achieving its objectives.

Seven fields of innovation and four cross-cutting themes

The Strategy focuses on seven fields of innovation:

• Innovative materials and smart manufacturing
• Connected mobility and logistics
• Environmental economy and circular economy
• Energy and innovative construction
• Innovative medicine, health and life sciences
• Culture, media and creative industries, and innovative services
• Key technologies of the future and ICT

The cross-cutting themes of digitalisation; sustainability, including climate action and resource efficiency; resilience, including climate resilience; and innovative business models are to be taken into account across all fields of innovation.

Strategic approach and fields of action

The Strategy’s underlying principles include fostering creativity and future skills, supporting both cutting-edge and broad-based innovation, strengthening cooperation across institutional and disciplinary boundaries, and adopting a systemic approach to innovation support. Lifelong learning and digital skills are explicitly recognised as prerequisites for innovation and for ensuring an adequate supply of skilled workers.

For implementation, the Strategy identifies six fields of action: fostering innovation; strengthening networks and cooperation; supporting start-ups and access to finance; engaging the demand side; further developing the regulatory framework; and securing a skilled workforce.

The strategy identifies six areas of action forimplementation: 

• Fosterin innovation

• Strengthen networks and cooperation

• Support start-up and access to finance

• Integrate the demand side

• Develop the regulatory framework 

• securing skilled workforce

Why is it called "Regional Innovation Strategy"?

The term “regional” does not refer to a single sub-region within North Rhine-Westphalia. The Strategy covers the entire Land and its diverse regions. It takes account of their respective strengths, development potential and strategic processes, for example in the Rhine area (Rheinisches Revier) and the Ruhr metropolitan region. Regional funding measures are intended to build on these differing conditions and support smart specialisation.

The designation also reflects the European approach to regional innovation and structural policy. The Strategy explicitly takes account of the requirements and measures of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Financing and implementation

The document does not specify a separate overall budget for the Innovation Strategy. Instead, the Strategy brings together various funding instruments of the federal state as well as funding from the Federal Government and the European Union within a common framework. The ERDF plays a particularly important role. Synergies with other European programmes are also to be utilised, while universities and research institutions are to be supported through a co-financing strategy. The objective is to create a leverage effect, whereby funding from North Rhine-Westphalia helps to mobilise additional resources from the Federal Government, the EU, foundations or businesses.

Implementation is supported by a governance structure and an interministerial working group. Regular monitoring and evaluation are intended to assess whether the fields of innovation, instruments and objectives need to be adjusted. The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphaliahas lead responsibility. The Strategy is therefore conceived as a living and adaptive document.

Findings of the interim evaluation, December 2025

Overall, the interim evaluation of the Regional Innovation Strategy North Rhine-Westphalia (RIS3 NRW) 2021-2027 confirms the sustainability of the basic strategic orientation. 

Since 2021, approximately €2.6 billion has been invested in RIS3-related activities, around €1.2 billion of this in 2024 alone. Funding from North Rhine-Westphalia accounts for the largest share, followed by EU and federal funding. The evaluation takes an overall positive view of the existing fields of action and the mix of instruments, while also identifying areas for further development. Funding procedures should be simplified and better coordinated, existing approaches developed further at strategic level, and clearer priorities established among the fields of innovation.

The findings provide a basis for shaping the Regional Innovation Strategy 2028–2034.