The transformation of the automotive industry poses major challenges, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises in the supplier industry and the automotive trade. In order to support this target group during the transition and provide strategic knowledge for informed decision-making, a state pilot office was set up as part of the Transformationswissen BW project.
The state pilot office is based at e-mobil BW GmbH, the state agency for new mobility solutions and automotive Baden-Württemberg, where it has been established on a permanent basis. Its task is to facilitate access to existing target group-specific support services. To this end, the pilot office is currently working with over 40 partners, whose offerings in the areas of qualification, networking and knowledge transfer are clearly presented on the ‘www.transformationswissen-bw.de’ web platform.
In personal pilot discussions, the pilot office staff address the situation of each company individually, explain relevant developments and trends, and highlight suitable offerings from e-mobil BW GmbH as well as funding opportunities.
Thematic events with regional partners as part of the ‘Automotive in Motion’ series of events and the publication of practical short studies in the ‘Wissen Kompakt’ series also contribute to knowledge building and transfer. In addition, the pilot office supports the regional transformation networks in Baden-Württemberg and creates synergies.
The Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism also supported small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with individual advice through the ‘Transformation of the Automotive Industry’ consulting voucher. From January 2021 to May 2024, around 800 applications were submitted by approximately 500 companies. Over 80% came from companies with fewer than 250 employees, around half from the manufacturing sector and around a quarter from the automotive industry. A new edition of the consulting voucher with a focus on free and open source software will be available until the end of October 2025.
