A multitude of active co-operation projects in the IT/telecoms sector crossing company and institution boundaries stimulate innovation, strengthen synergies and create new market potential for businesses based here.

• Due to the significance of information and telecommunications technologies as interface technologies, organisations in the state with competency in this area operate as innovative links to important user sectors and promote cross-technology collaborations.

• 21 active cluster initiatives and sector networks make an important contribution to strengthening the leading position of Baden-Württemberg.

• In Baden-Württemberg three strong core regions in the area of IT/telecoms technologies have developed: Karlsruhe, Stuttgart and Freiburg.

• Within the IT/telecoms industry, the “iRegion” of Karlsruhe enjoys an outstanding reputation. Amongst the five IT regions of Europe identified by EU experts as showing the most promise, Karlsruhe belongs in the top 3. Karlsruhe has also won the “Award of Excellence for Innovative Regions” sponsored by the European Commission for the third time, thereby underlining the strong position of the region‟s companies and research facilities at the cutting edge. In addition to one of the most successful IT networks in Germany, the Cyber-Forum e.V., the IT/internet cluster iRegion Karlsruhe has a multitude of other strong associations and cluster organisations concerned with IT/telecoms technologies.

• The Stuttgart IT region – also an excellent award-winning region – is another top region for businesses in the IT/telecommunications sector with a close-knit research-network and a multitude of large businesses, as well as many medium-sized “hidden champions”.In addition to the network bwcon, which operates across the whole state, and is one of Europe‟s most successful technology networks, other cluster and field of competency organisations link businesses and science in the region and the state, thereby strengthening their technological and competitive competency.

• From their base in Freiburg, three networks specialising in RFID, microsystems technology and media support the IT/telecoms sector in Baden-Württemberg.