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3 Cooperation with other multipliers
There is a wide range of publicly funded information and advisory services in NRW. These cover important aspects of transformation investments, such as energy and material efficiency, the environmental economy, climate adaptation as well as funding and innovation advice - be it general or specialized, for example on digitalization and artificial intelligence.
Fin.Connect.NRW pursues the goal of networking existing offers and making the best possible use of them. We are therefore happy to highlight good examples of transformation from companies and services, in particular
- Efficienzagentur NRW: The Efficiency Agency, partner of Fin.Connect.NRW, uses numerous practical examples to show how subsidies from state or federal programs and loans from house banks can be used successfully. It also offers a free initial consultation.
- Kompetenznetzwerk Umweltwirtschaft: The KNUW promotes environmental innovations through targeted industry profiling and intensive networking. Similar to Fin.Connect.NRW, it focuses on events, publications and active exchange within networks.
- Netzwerk Klimaanpassung & Unternehmen NRW: The network helps companies to develop specific skills for adapting to climate change and establishes links to taxonomy and sustainability reporting.
- NRW.Energy4Climate (E4C): EE4C acts as a think tank and advisory platform for various target groups such as state politicians, companies and local authorities. Together with Fin.Connect.NRW, industry-specific knowledge, solutions and funding programs are prepared and communicated.
- NRW.BANK: The state's development bank is a prominent partner of Fin.Connect.NRW . It provides various financing instruments for companies and thus facilitates the overall financing of investments together with the companies' principal banks. NRW.BANK offers direct funding, for example for sustainable and/or digital business models, processes and products.
NRW.BANK: The state's development bank is an outstanding partner of Fin.Connect.NRW. It provides various financing instruments for companies and, together with the companies' principal banks, facilitates the overall financing of investments.
NRW.BANK offers direct support for SMEs - for example in the form of low-interest loans or mezzanine capital - for sustainable and digital business models, processes and products. From 19 May 2025, a large number of the existing funding lines will be merged into the NRW.BANK Invest Zukunft program, simplified and offered at more favourable financing conditions.
4 Best Practices
In our interview and blog series, we present small and medium-sized companies from NRW that have already successfully integrated sustainability into their business model. At the same time, the founders report on the challenges posed by bureaucracy and financing conditions - and highlight the opportunities offered by an early switch to climate-friendly processes.
- “We've turned the store inside out” - Interview with Bochum-based print service provider Niggemeyer Pro Imaging
- Building climate-friendly data centers: Prior1 GmbH is working on it
- “When it comes to sustainability, bureaucracy sometimes puts the brakes on” - Interview with the founder of the European Anatomy Campus in Mülheim
- “We look at every investment: Could it also be sustainable?” Danny Meurs on the transformation of the hotel Der Brabander
- From the tree to the mailbox: Gundula Ullah on the FUNKE Media Group's sustainability strategy
- New TRICOR site for swelling board in Goch
- Flame cutting for steel construction: Breuer metalworking wants to make it climate-neutral
Events on the topic
NRW.BANK.seminar - Biodiversity in the company: Knowing the legal requirements (CSRD, CSDDD, EUDR) & implementing measures
NRW.BANK.seminar: Climate protection in SMEs - from strategy to implementation
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Workshop: Implementing sustainability requirements in practice – with breakout sessions for companies
Digital information event – Second round of “Circular Production NRW”
Presentation new IW Study - EU Climate Policy: What does it mean for EU Aviation Competitiveness?
Studies on the topic
Venture capital as a driver of transformation in Germany and North Rhine-Westphalia
1. Background The transformation of the German economy is a major challenge. In North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) alone, annual investments of around €100 billion are needed to successfully achieve digitalization and climate neutrality (cf. Demary et al., 2024). In addition to pure investment, however,…
Textile wholesaler L-SHOP-TEAM on the transformation: “The challenge is not to be deterred”
Flame cutting for steel construction: Breuer metalworking wants to make it climate-neutral
From the tree to the mailbox: Gundula Ullah on the FUNKE Media Group's sustainability strategy
The FUNKE media group has just won the German Sustainability Award. What adjustments is the company making in terms of ESG? And how is it financing its transformation? Questions for Head of Sustainability Gundula Ullah.
“We look at every investment: Could it also be sustainable?” Danny Meurs on the transformation of the hotel Der Brabander
Hotel Der Brabander in Winterberg attaches great importance to saving energy. This is why the Dutch-German family business has invested in many areas. In this interview, Management Director Danny Meurs explains how the sustainable transformation is being achieved step by step.