Today, it is the regions that are at the heart of global competition among business locations. The world's conurbations in particular set the points for providing the conditions for people to live in, business to develop, for research and science to flourish together with culture and the environment. Modern business promotion therefore needs a broad approach going way beyond the traditional tasks of advertising for the location and making land available.

Regional business development is mainly the responsibility of a subsidiary of Verband Region Stuttgart. Since 1995, Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH (WRS - Stuttgart Region Business Development Corporation) helps to keep the Stuttgart Region on course as a successful place for business. Together with numerous projects with many German and foreign partners, the key task consists primarily in organising regional cooperation. The regional centres of excellence are a prime example for particularly successful cooperation between local authorities, industry and science. "Pooling forces" as the motto of Verband Region Stuttgart applies in particular also to business development.

Verband Region Stuttgart supports the activities of the WRS through the planning framework conditions provided in the Regional Plan. It has set up a special programme to promote commercial zones crossing several local authorities and to encourage the reutilisation of regionally significant brownfield sites.

Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH (WRS - Stuttgart Region Business Development Corporation)

WRS supports companies in finding suitable commercial properties, while its location marketing activities draw national and international attention to the region's qualities. Its work focuses among others on developing regional networks in different industries. It stands out particularly with its project-oriented approach and the extensive cooperation it cultivates with companies, research institutions, those responsible for business development in the local authorities, chambers and other players.