it’s OWL relies on new expertise: Cluster Board strengthened with leading personalities

Seven new members were appointed to the Cluster Board at this year’s general meeting. A total of 19 individuals now represent the interests of companies, universities and other partners of it’s OWL on the Cluster Board. Their aim is to make OstWestfalenLippe a model region for sustainable value creation with it’s OWL as a ‘competence network for Industry.Zero’.

The decision to expand the Cluster Board strengthens the strategic orientation of it’s OWL. As the leading-edge cluster relies on both renowned experts from science and leading personalities from the East Westphalian economy.

These are the new Clusterboard members

  • Prof. Dr. Angelika Epple (Bielefeld University)
  • Dr. Ursula Frank (Beckhoff Automation)
  • Norbert Gemmeke (Harting)
  • Stefan Melchior (Benteler Business Services)
  • Christoph Plass (Unity)
  • Stefan Remmert (owl maschinenbau e.V.)
  • Thomas Spiering (CLAAS)

The Cluster Board, which acts as a strategic body, represents the interests of companies, universities and other partners in the it’s OWL competence network. All partners in it’s OWL work together to set standards for a sustainable and intelligent industry in OstWestfalenLippe. Companies work together with universities and research institutes in it’s OWL projects to develop new technologies and applications. Transfer partners support the dissemination of the developed technologies and methods within the OstWestfalenLippe region and supporting members, mostly small and medium-sized companies, benefit from the innovations of it’s OWL through transfer offers.

Günter Korder, Managing Director of it’s OWL, presents the agenda for the members’ meeting as a guest at Miele in Bielefeld. Photo: it’s OWL

Developing it’s OWL together

“Together, we now need to roll up our sleeves and develop the cluster further,” says Günter Korder, Managing Director of it’s OWL. Since 2023, it’s OWL has been pursuing a dual strategy for sustainable value creation through intelligent technical systems with ‘Industrie.Zero’. In addition to the expansion of the Cluster Board and a discussion on the further development of it’s OWL’s project portfolio and offerings, the focus of the members’ meeting was on exchanging ideas with the region’s entrepreneurs and research partners.

Association and GmbH: How it’s OWL is structured

it’s OWL Clustermanagement GmbH manages the implementation of the projects, the further development of the strategy, the networking of the cluster partners and the marketing for it’s OWL. Founded in 2012, it’s OWL e. V. comprises over 220 members and is the sole shareholder of the GmbH. Companies, universities and other partners pool their interests in the association. The association’s board is the cluster board, which is also the supervisory body for the cluster management. In addition, internationally renowned scientists support the Cluster Board and the management in the form of the it’s OWL Advisory Board.

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