Services

The Steinbeis-Europa-Zentrum (SEZ) was founded in 1990 under an initiative spearheaded by the Commissioner for Europe at Baden-Württemberg’s Ministry of Economic Affairs. The SEZ’s aim is to provide support to companies, universities and research institutions in Baden-Württemberg with any issues relating to European research programs and technology collaboration. The SEZ has offices in Stuttgart and Karlsruhe and helps organizations submit applications and implement cross-border projects, find partners, manage projects, transfer technology know-how and skills, and develop regional innovation strategies.

The SEZ works on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), providing a regional port of call for small and medium-sized enterprises in Baden-Württemberg. It also works on behalf of the Ministry of Science, Research and the Arts, acting as an EU advice center for universities in the state of Baden-Württemberg.

The SEZ has been a partner in the European commission-backed Enterprise Europe Network since 2008, alongside around 600 partners in over 40 countries. The aim of the network is to provide support to companies on all issues relating to Europe, innovation, research and technology transfer, and to promote the use of the findings of European research. The SEZ acts as a partner in the Baden-Württemberg consortium in collaboration with skills trade representative Handwerk International, the Ministry of Economics and seven chambers of industry and commerce. Between 1993 and 2008 the SEZ acted as a partner in the previous network of innovation relay centers, under the name Innovation Relay Centre Stuttgart - Erfurt - Zurich.

Key Areas

• Information on European Union research and technology programs
• Advice on submitting applications and financing projects
• Analysis of companies’ research potential
• Support with searches for collaboration partners for training in consortia
• Project management
• Support with the use and application of research results and transnational technology transfer
• Running of conferences, information days and workshops