Karres Development Advisory
▼Market Entry Services▼Area Marketing and City Strategy
Six tips for your ecosystems and focal sectors
Regional economic policy is often driven by buzzwords like ‘impact’ and ‘innovation districts’, lacking clear action plans. Ecosystems are now the latest trend, seen as tools for economic growth and strategic focus. Regions aim to adapt this model, like Brainport Eindhoven, aligning it with their local goals and broad prosperity ambitions.
Ecosystems matter
Ecosystems go beyond traditional clusters by integrating businesses, knowledge institutions, capital, leadership, networks, and innovation. These interconnected elements rely on each other to thrive, often driven by key actors like universities. Strong ecosystems, seen in regions like Delft and Amsterdam, boost local economies and support societal transitions and broad prosperity.
Watch beyond borders
Ecosystems, like businesses, ignore administrative borders. Looking beyond municipal or regional lines strengthens your approach and narrative, making you more credible. Collaboration is key—it's about give and take. While teamwork drives progress, ego-driven behavior still exists. In small countries like the Netherlands, broader cooperation is essential for impactful ecosystems.
Visibility
Ecosystems must be visible and tangible to attract businesses, researchers, and talent. Physical hubs like campuses or science parks help, but they must be open, active, and well-branded. Visibility matters—dull, inaccessible sites deter engagement. Strong examples include Leiden Bioscience Park and High Tech Campus Eindhoven, unlike many uninspiring locations.
Cooperation and connection
Ecosystems thrive on collaboration, which relies on personal connections. Participants often don't know their neighbors or key innovation players. Facilitating informal and formal meetings—ideally at ecosystem hubs like campuses—is crucial. This requires active effort and coordination. Hence, the important role of community managers in fostering engagement and interaction.
Common goals
Ecosystems involve many stakeholders, each wanting influence, making goal-setting and strategy complex. Aligning interests and creating focus takes time. A clear, shared mission is essential, even if not everyone joins immediately. A committed “coalition of the willing” should lead. Ecosystems can also form beyond traditional triple-helix models, around major companies.
Patience and persistence
Building strong ecosystems takes time, persistence, and a long-term vision beyond political terms. Companies must see the value of collaboration. Don’t fixate on rankings or emulate others—focus on local strengths and tell your own story. Celebrate small wins, stay committed, and keep steadily building toward lasting ecosystem success.
Marcel Karres as a Germany expert already worked together with ARCUSplus. But now he also supports the agency in a broader sense, capitalizing his broad experience in the field of internationalization, business acquisition and location- and site selection fits perfectly with the questions of ARCUSplus clients.
Attracting foreign direct investment has changed significantly in recent years, Marcel says. "The time of ‘jobs, jobs and more jobs’ is behind us. Knowledge development and new technologies are now in focus. The economic tide can always turn quickly though. Jobs therefore remain important, a pragmatic approach can help: “I look forward to further shaping ‘new’ acquisition policies of cities and regions together with ARCUSplus, for example with a hands-on strategies for ecosystem development.”
For further information click here
If real estate is your business, the Ruhr Metropolis in Germany is the place to be!
Germany’s biggest ‘city of cities’, with over 5 million inhabitants, lies just around the corner and offers unique development and investment opportunities in this world of low interest rates and overheated A-locations. Get acquainted with the area and its current and future urban projects.
On behalf of its German partner Business Metropole Ruhr GmbH, Karres-ARCUSplus would herewith like to bring this event to your attention. Are you anxious to learn about the details? Then join this free webinar on Friday January 22, 2021, starting at 10:00. Hear all about the Ruhr’s most striking urban development projects, the experience of Dutch professionals and also meet the decision makers behind the scenes.
The following information will be provided:
- A clear insight in the development plans and investment opportunities in the area
- Relevant time schedules and framing conditions linked to these developments
- How exactly can you get involved?
"The Ruhr Area exists of a great diversity of markets, which can be served by different real estate products. The Dutch can "conquer"the Ruhr area with creative food for thoughts!"
Mr. Han Joosten, BPD Duitsland
Webinar program:
- Opening – welcome by Rasmus C. Beck, CEO of Business Metropole Ruhr GmbH
- Attractiveness of the Metropole Ruhr for Benelux real estate professionals Keynote address by Han Joosten, Head of Site Development & Research, Bouwfonds Property Development (BPD)
- Profiles of urban development projects – presentations by city authorities:
- Mark 51°7, City of Bochum: Industry-, technology- and knowledge-campus for modern urban working
- Forell Quarter, City of Herne: Urban location for technology and services between Castle and waterfront
- gate.ruhr, City of Marl: Large plots of industrial land with excellent connection via rail, canal and motorway, adjacent to the well established Marl Chemical Park
- Neue Zeche Westerholt, Cities of Gelsenkirchen and Herten: Conversion of a former coal mine into an innovative urban quarter with historic charme for housing, services and light industry
- Speed dating on the platform Matchmaker.Ruhr
The webinar will be broadcasted live (in English) on the digital innovation platform Matchmaker.Ruhr.
A completed user's profile will allow you to directly contact the decision makers behind the four development projects to request personal 15-minute one-on-one video chats (speed dating).
For further information click here
January 2021
For more information, please contact:
Your FDI marketing strategy: Getting the right mix
In a session on 29 March 2018 in Maastricht I have looked into developing a marketing plan, focusing on strategy, tools and budgeting tips for FDI marketing professionals. The session will covered components found in an economic development annual marketing plan and present perspectives on marketing’s role in FDI, including insights in social media and communications.
Ambitious FDI marketing professionals joined this presentation at the International Conference on Foreign Direct Investment, Extra Energy for Economic Expansion, at MECC Maastricht – The Netherlands.
April 2018
Dick de Jong en Marcel Karres: joint force for the marketing of city and region
Germany Land of Ideas, Brainport, Health Valley, Holland City. countries, regions and cities position themselves.
How to do that with focus and successfully? A theme is often chosen, deep understanding from a marketing perspective is not always present. External developments and changing competition require self-awareness about the own strengths and demand for effective cooperation. Dick and Marcel support successful activities with an eye for the market, identity and brand of the city and region.
An analysis is made with the Brandaris Brandbuilding model which we position in an external environment of drivers of companies, visitors and residents at different levels: locally, regionally, (inter) nationally. Analysis, feasible marketing plan and concrete support contribute to the attractiveness of city and region.
Dick de Jong (+31651703076) has experience with the marketing of among others, Leidsche Rijn, Utrecht, Rotterdam, Enka, Food Valley, Achterhoek, Leeuwarden
Marcel Karres (+31630082209) has international experience with competitiveness, investment promotion and location and site selection among including Korea, Germany, Delft, Province of Gelderland, Port of Amsterdam
February 2018
