Places of digital change have established themselves in cities as an integral part of urban structures. However, in order to create innovative places such as co-working spaces and digital labs in rural regions as well, the state of Saxony created a suitable opportunity to sustainably strengthen such innovation locations in rural areas with the “Local Innovation Spaces for Digitalization” (LIfD) funding guideline at the beginning of 2024. These LifDs are places where various model projects are set up, operated and further developed into co-working spaces, innovation and solution labs or digital labs. The aim of the funding is to promote the networking of people, projects and organizations in the field of digitalization through a cross-sectoral and overarching approach.
In the course of the first call for funding by the Saxon State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Transport, 51 concept applications were submitted, of which ten projects have been proposed for funding so far. These innovation locations, as well as many other makerspaces, hackspaces and experimental spaces in the state of Saxony, are now also part of a brochure published by the Digital Agency Saxony (DiAS), which deals with the design and concrete implementation possibilities of digital innovation locations. Under the title ” Just do it! – Local innovation spaces for digitalization ” aims to provide suggestions and inspiration, as well as practical tips for designing digital labs. The existing initiatives of the various innovation spaces with their diverse formats, content, target groups and organizational forms are presented and analyzed on the basis of several criteria, such as the ideal location or equipment of the premises. The aim of the brochure is to motivate new offers of innovation spaces in order to expand the existing network in Saxony with additional innovative spaces and ideas and to make the digital transformation accessible to even more potential users through further offers.
New digital tools to promote innovation and infrastructure in Saxony
In addition to the brochure on innovation spaces, there are other exciting projects that are driving digital change in Saxony. These include the Smart Regions Portal Saxony, which supports municipal stakeholders in the development of smart solutions, and the Digital Infrastructure Atlas Saxony, which provides in-depth insights into the state’s digital infrastructure.
The Smart Regions Portal Saxony was created to support municipalities and municipal stakeholders in the development and implementation of smart solutions. It contains several modules that offer practical tools and information. These include a collection of “good examples” that present inspiring projects and solutions from Saxon municipalities and neighboring regions. A potential check enables municipalities to assess their level of digital maturity and provides helpful recommendations on how they can develop further in the areas of administrative digitalization and smart regions. In addition, the funding finder offers a curated overview of relevant funding programs, while the knowledge navigator provides a wide range of resources such as publications, websites and tools. With this portal, Saxony aims to promote digitalization in the municipalities, encourage the exchange of knowledge and highlight concrete options for action.
Digital Infrastructure Atlas Saxony
The Digital Infrastructure Atlas of Saxony provides a modern geoinformation system that offers in-depth insights into the state’s digital infrastructure. Interactive maps can be used to call up information on internet coverage and the subsidized broadband expansion in Saxony. In addition, the atlas contains data on environmental aspects that are important for the development of a resilient broadband network, such as potential threats from forest fires or flooding. Traffic restrictions that could occur during the expansion of the infrastructure are also highlighted. The atlas also integrates information on local innovation spaces, including co-working spaces, digital labs and technology centers. There is also an internal section that provides authorized users with detailed analyses and planning data on expansion projects. With this tool, Saxony is creating a transparent and future-oriented basis for the further development of the state’s digital infrastructure.