This major event organised by the German project partners, the Ministry of Economy, Science and Digitalisation Saxony-Anhalt (lead partner) and the Institute for Structural Policy and Economic Development (isw) took place on 26 February 2019 in Halle (Saale). More than 60 participants had the opportunity to get to know to the S3Chem project and to the experiences and lessons learned during the project’s first three years. In addition, the third S3Chem dissemination conference was devoted to the topics of Regional Innovation Strategies for chemistry and bioeconomy as well as to future actions to promote innovation in the chemical and bioeconomy sector.
The event was opened by Thomas Steinmetz (Ministry of Economy, Science and Digitalisation Saxony-Anhalt). In his welcome address, he explained the importance and benefits of international partnerships and projects such as the S3Chem. Afterwards, interesting presentations on Chemistry 4.0 and innovation funding programs in Saxony-Anhalt were given, followed by an introduction of the innovative Fraunhofer Performance Center for Chemistry and Biosystems as an important contact point for networking between business and science of the chemical industry in central Germany.
A special focus was given on the presentation and dissemination of the project’s main findings and lessons learned. For that reason, Andreas Fiedler presented the project, summarized the most important results and highlighted the project as an important cooperation platform for exchanging experiences related to the implementation of innovation policy. In addition, each of the project partners pitched their ideas for the regional action plans. Renatka Krcova (ECRN) highlighted the smart specialization platform for Industrial modernisation for the thematic area on chemicals as a success story. With the help of the S3Platform great potential can be used to connect the platform with the S3Chem project and to make use of the accumulated knowledge and to bring the relevant actors on board.
Besides the lectures, the project organised a networking reception with poster stands and company presentations. Exhibitors have introduced a number of relevant clusters and networks active in innovation and chemistry and informed participants about their activities.
On the second day of the project meeting, a site visit was organised to the ValuePark® in Schkopau. Partners and stakeholders had the opportunity to see the innovative Fraunhofer Pilot Plant Center for Polymer Synthesis and Processing (PAZ), a unique pilot plant center where new polymer materials are developed, manufactured and deployed in collaboration with industrial partners. Moreover, they also met interesting actors such as the Bioeconomy Cluster, which is an important innovation driver for bioeconomy in Central Germany, the Fraunhofer CBP as well as the Innovation- and Technology Center Merseburg (Mitz). During the site visit, several stakeholders took the chance to introduce themselves to the relevant actors and discussed possible match-making options.
