The GovTech Campus is an interactive platform designed to connect academia, public administration, industry and start-ups. The aim is to build digital skills and scale up digital innovations for public administration through exchange and collaboration. David Steinacker, Head of Ecosystems & Partnerships at GovTech Campus Germany, explains: “GovTech Campus Germany offers the opportunity to bring together innovative companies and organisations from the fields of technology, research, public administration and civil society on neutral ground. It also acts as a digital scaling platform through which relevant digital technologies and solutions for use in government and public administration can be more quickly identified, evaluated, developed and made usable and scalable.” This innovative approach enables new ideas to be developed in an open and creative environment – exactly what the public sector needs in the age of digitalisation.
Materna’s involvement in the GovTech Campus
As a supporting member, Materna not only provides financial support but is also actively involved in various projects and initiatives. Representatives from the business sector bring along a client from the public sector – in Materna’s case, this is the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Justice and Migration. This collaboration makes it possible to test new scenarios and develop solutions directly with all stakeholders. Materna and the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Justice and Migration, for example, are working together on an AI-based judicial assistant for use in social courts.
A core team from Materna is regularly on site, actively taking part in events and networking with other members. David Steinacker explains: “As well as the opportunities for digital exchange, a physical presence on site – whether to work, attend events or simply to interact with other members – is, of course, important for deriving the greatest possible benefit from the campus. Materna recognised this early on and is putting it into practice very effectively.”
The open and creative working atmosphere on campus helps to develop innovative solutions together with clients and partners. Instead of a traditional office environment, there are open-plan spaces specifically designed for workshops and creative exchange. Furthermore, various campus initiatives generate effective impetus, such as fellowships, briefings, case presentations and other formats for exchange and learning. Materna’s core team regularly attends such events and benefits from the diverse expertise that is accessible to all.
Successful collaboration and initial success stories
For example, Materna organises workshops on campus with client representatives as well as staff from Materna and Infora. Mario Radloff, Marketing Manager for the Public Sector at Materna, reports: “The first workshop we organised was a great milestone and was very well received by all participants. Our clients were delighted with the open and creative atmosphere on campus. This venue is ideal, particularly for the public sector, as it provides a neutral and solution-oriented space to come together.”
Further events and formats are planned for the future to deepen dialogue and collaboration. These will focus on various topics relating to the digitalisation of public administration and aim to create real added value for participants.
Why the GovTech Campus is important for businesses
The GovTech Campus provides a platform to actively drive forward the digitalisation of the German public sector. The opportunity to collaborate directly on site with clients and technology partners accelerates the development and implementation of innovative projects.
The Campus offers the opportunity to network with other companies and forge partnerships – from start-ups to large corporations. Discussions often take place in an informal setting, for example over a coffee, lunch or at an event, which frequently leads to new, valuable contacts.
Conclusion and Outlook
The GovTech Campus serves as a central hub for innovation and collaboration, actively shaping the digitalisation of public administration. Events and experiences to date show that the Campus is an excellent environment for creative exchange and the development of new solutions. Materna will continue to make extensive use of this platform in the future to initiate innovative projects and events that further drive forward the digital transformation.
