The role of business development corporations in shaping structural change is currently more significant than ever. Digital transformation is scarcely as evident in any other area of society as it is in the economy. Industrial firms are increasingly rising to innovative challenges, whilst the share of the digital economy, knowledge-intensive services and new technologies is growing across all sectors and regions.

The role of modern business development corporation is to create the best possible conditions for this transformation: from designing sustainable and smart commercial spaces, to supporting innovation projects involving industry and universities, to helping existing businesses and start-ups become future-proof, and addressing issues relating to the recruitment and retention of skilled workers.

The VdW.SH was founded in February 2023 by local business development corporations in Schleswig-Holstein. The association acts as a representative body vis-à-vis the state, the federal government, the EU, and other institutions and associations; it serves as a platform for the exchange of experiences and professional development; and it acts as a unified voice for communication and raising awareness of shared economic issues.