Stuttgart city district
Right in the middle and fully involved: Stuttgart is the center of one of the most innovative and economically strongest metropolitan regions and is home to over 30.000 companies from pioneering industries. A good infrastructure contributes to the economic success of the state capital.
The state capital of Baden-Württemberg is one of Europe's leading high-tech locations and creative locations with internationally known large companies, many successful small and medium-sized businesses and a lively start-up culture. This makes Stuttgart a hot spot for innovations in the automotive cluster, in electronics and information technology and in mechanical engineering. It is precisely the close integration of large and smaller companies that characterizes Stuttgart's innovative strength.
Stuttgart is one of the two most important financial centers in Germany, Europe's third largest IT location and one of the largest export conurbations for services in Germany. The companies benefit from the excellent range of very well qualified specialists and managers, from a world-class research landscape and a modern infrastructure. Stuttgart is also in the top league when it comes to digitalization: the state capital was awarded the Smart City Award by the digital association Bitkom in 2019 and took third place in Germany.
There are around 30.000 companies in Stuttgart. The state capital's gross value added is around 46,452 billion euros (as of 2016). This means that Stuttgart generates around eleven percent of the added value of the state of Baden-Württemberg. The manufacturing sector contributes the majority (34 percent), followed by financial, insurance and business service providers (30 percent). In Stuttgart, an above-average number of people work in the knowledge-intensive service sector. This makes Stuttgart particularly innovative.
figures, data, facts
• Population: 630.305
• Area: 207 km²
• Population density: 3040 inhabitants per km²
• 30.000 companies
• 11% of the value added in the state of Baden-Württemberg is generated in Stuttgart
• Gross value added: 46 billion euros
• 7 public universities and dozens of other important research institutions
Stuttgart is the research and development center of Baden-Württemberg and occupies a leading position within Europe. 45 percent of Baden‐Württemberg's research and development capacities are concentrated in the state capital. The city of Stuttgart has one of the highest density of scientific, academic and research institutions in Germany. With more than 20 recognized universities, Stuttgart has a wide range of study programs for its more than 62.000 students. In addition to the universities, there are other important research institutions such as the institutes of the Helmholtz Association, the Max Planck Society and the Fraunhofer Society. The scientific institutions are also an important link between science, society and business. This makes Stuttgart one of the most innovative high-tech regions in Germany. This is also noticeable on the labor market: the universities in Stuttgart are the fourth largest employer after the Mercedes Benz Group, the state and city administration.
The focal points of the research landscape reflect the economic strengths. These primarily include the areas of mobility and automobiles, mechanical engineering, laser technology, the development of new materials, environmental and energy technology, IT and communication technologies and software development. The state capital is also home to the Institute for Space Systems at the University of Stuttgart, the largest university institute in Germany focused on space technology. Every day, 13 million euros are invested in research and development in the Stuttgart region. This puts Stuttgart at the forefront nationwide. This is paying off: over 3.600 patents are registered in the state capital every year.
And what about the quality of life? The state capital also has a lot to offer here. Stuttgart is a green city with forests, agriculture and viticulture and an almost Mediterranean flair. Stuttgart is the cultural metropolis of Germany and offers a wide range of leisure activities. In addition, Stuttgart is a cosmopolitan city of integration with people from 172 nations.
Source: State capital Stuttgart / www.stuttgart.de