Wirtschaftsförderungs und Entwicklungsgesellschaft Steinfurt mbH

The economic development and development company Steinfurt mbH (WESt) is a 100% subsidiary of the County of Steinfurt (Kreis Steinfurt), North-Rhine Westphalia. We ensure that companies, regardless of size and industry, find optimal conditions in our district. Our four strategic fields are the preservation and improvement of the attractiveness of the county for business, support of founders and entrepreneurs, digitalization and securing skilled workers.

As the local business partner for Germany, WESt will play a big role in finding suitable best practice cases as well as potential SMEs for the ‘SME goes Digital Challenge’ for the analysis in WP3. WESt will support during the conceptualization of the boot camps and summer school and challenge in WP4 and WP5 bringing in their business expertise. WESt will support the recruiting of SMEs to participate in the piloting of the boot camps and challenge, as well as companies for a local factory tour, which will then take place in WP6. Throughout the project, WESt will actively participate in promoting it to their well-established local network (WP8) and provide feedback towards a high level of sustainability of the final results.

MEET THE TEAM

Christian Holterhues, CEO

Project Partner – The voice of industry

Christian is an economic geographer and experienced economic promoter. He has 15 years of professional experience focused on innovative ecosystems.

“For me, supporting the food and beverage industry, and especially small and medium-sized companies, with connectable, tailor-made offers for digital transformation would the greatest added value of the project.”

Sonja Raiber - Deputy Managing Director

Project Partner – The voice of industry

Researcher role in DIGIFABS

Sonja is a Certified innovation coach with project extensive project management experience. She is active in local SME networks.

“My biggest interest is that the deliverables of the project are suitable for our daily work with SMEs and complement our existing services for the local economy.”