Co-Creation ApproachInitiating social innovation

Diverse teams developed solutions in co-creation and challenge events

Social innovations in the three thematic areas of living conditions in rural areas, AAL - Ambient Assisted Living and sustainable production, were the focus of the project "Technological innovations to meet social challenges: Social Innovation Challenge Baden-Württemberg". Built on the results of the study "New Technologies and Social Innovations, European Research Study on Public and Private Initiatives", the project was carried out in cooperation with the Center for Social Investment and Innovation at the University of Heidelberg on behalf of the Ministry of Economics, Labor and Tourism Baden-Württemberg.

Steinbeis Europa Zentrum identified needs and potential in the field of social innovation in Baden-Württemberg and connected innovators at different event formats such as challenge events and co-creation workshops. Eleven approaches to solutions were discussed and pilot projects were designed that will be further supported in the future.

Heterogeneity, design thinking and collaborative processes are key factors for social innovation and foundations for the different perspectives and competencies to be incorporated into the development of solutions. To support these key factors, Steinbeis Europa Zentrum facilitated an interdisciplinary cross-cultural collaboration between stakeholders from both private sector and socially oriented organizations, as well as universities and colleges. This co-creation inspired approach had the effect that the development of innovation exceeded the limits of individual organizations or companies and thus the concept of Open Social Innovation could be applied. Stakeholders from diverse backgrounds were able to learn about specialized topics during the Challenge Events and connect with stakeholders they would not have encountered in any other context.

A guide for the facilitation of heterogeneous teams was developed. It introduces a selection of innovation management tools specifically designed to support the development of social innovations.

In the field of Ambient Assisted Living (AAL), participants worked together on a solution for nationwide digital care provision and identified the further steps for its implementation. Among others, the company FLiXWORKER GmbH and the association Caritasverband der Diözese Rottenburg-Stuttgart e.V. are participating in this project.

Link to the guide Innovation management for social innovations - A guide to the development of social innovations: Social_Innovation_Challenge_Toolkit_Leitfaden_final.pdf (steinbeis-europa.de)