TRAILS | TRAILS+
The Approach
The Project "TRAILS+ | Mobile Innovationslabore und -services zum Aufbau und zur Vertiefung von Innovationskapazität im sächsisch‐polnischen Grenzraum" is funded by the European Fonds for Regional Development of the European Union in the Cooperation Program INTERREG Poland-Saxony 2014 – 2020 as follow up project of the very successfull EU-Interreg lighthouse project TRAILS - Traveling Innovation Labs and Services
The global trend of urbanisation affects countrysides across Europe more and more. Many regions suffer from fast shrinking towns as a result of economic emigration. So far, governments encounter this development with only a few measurements. One option is strengthening the innovative capabilities in local SMEs and supporting creative business ideas of young talents to keep both groups in the region. But professional innovation trainings for companies and formats promoting entrepreneurship only take place in big cities. Thus, there is an unsatisfied demand and great potential in rural regions.
How does it work?
The TRAILS+ project has two main phases. Since there are no proofed mobile solutions for innovation labs, in phase A three regular ship containers will be redesigned and modified to fulfil multiple functions. In strong relationship to the container design, custom tailored educational programs for students of vocational schools and innovation services for SME employees are developed. In phase B the containers go on tour for 1,5 years. They are transported to 20 destinations in the rural border region of eastern Saxony (Germany) as well as south-western Poland and stay in every place for two weeks. In this time the TRAILS-Team runs workshops, trainings, and matching-making events with students of vocational schools and SME employees and multipliers building up innovation capabilities and entrepreneurial skills.
TRAILS Imageclip © trailsproject.eu
TRAILS brings established entrepreneurial formats like maker-spaces, start-up weekends, or hackathons on the road to rural regions. For the first time people in towns with high emigration of professionals and young talents get access to newest technologies and learn how to create innovations with economic impact within their nearest environment. Exclusively for this mission designed containers fully equipped with prototyping tools and workshop-supporting technologies bring the necessary setup and space on tour.
Pupils of vocational schools learn how to be innovative and transform project ideas into business models encountering economic standstill in their immediate surrounding. Employees of SMEs train creativity and co-design methods increasing the innovation capabilities of their firms. In sum, TRAILS helps rural regions to cross-connect students with SMEs to retain young talents and equips both groups with innovation methods and entrepreneurial knowledge.
TRAILS an excellent Project!
TRAILS Award Ceremony
The TRAILS project was awarded as the flagship project of the common future concept 2030 for the German-Polish integration area and is thus a shining example of friendship and cooperation across national borders
LATEST UPDATE:
The final publication TRAILS+ Playbook is out and free available. To get free access please download here:
Project Duration TRAILS+:
April 2019 – December 2022 (COMPLETED)
Project Duration TRAILS lighthouse project:
August 2016 - Juli 2018 (finally extended until December 2018)
Cooperation Partners:
Technische Universität Dresden, WISSENSARCHITEKTUR-Laboratory of Knowledge Architecture
Woiwodschaft Niederschlesien, Marschallsamt der Woiwodschaft Niederschlesien Technische Universität Breslau, Institut für Geistes und Sozialwissenschaften
Coordinator:
Florian SÄGEBRECHT
Email:
Tel.: +49 351 463-43068
Project Associates:
Sarah MÜLLER-SÄGEBRECHT
Email:
Tel.: +49 351 463-34740
Further Links:
trailsproject.eu