Successful Launch of "SO25"

Under the motto "One Day. One Region. A Shared Beginning.", the first SO25 – Economic and Location Congress Brandenburg-Southeast Berlin took place on September 30, 2025, at the Holiday Inn Conference Center at Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) in Schönefeld. Around 200 decision-makers from business, politics, science, and administration used the platform for intensive exchange, new collaborations, and strategic debates on the region's future viability. The event was initiated by the districts of Dahme-Spreewald, Oder-Spree, and Teltow-Fläming, as well as the Dahme-Spreewald Economic Development Corporation (WFG Dahme-Spreewald mbH) and IMMOCOM GmbH.

Review & Highlights

The congress set important accents with a diverse program: Discussions included how the region can sharpen its identity, expand cooperation between SMEs, large companies, and research institutions, shape land and real estate policies for the future, and sustainably secure regional value creation. The €500 billion special fund for infrastructure and the opportunities it creates for the region were also a key focus of the exchange.

High-profile speakers from leading institutions enriched the event, including:

• Aletta von Massenbach, Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH
• Marcel Rauer, Tesla Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg
• Dr. Steffen Kammradt, Wirtschaftsförderung Land Brandenburg GmbH
• Dr. David Biere, Wildauer Schmiede- und Kurbelwellentechnik GmbH
• Raúl Comesaña M., BBF Bau GmbH
• Matthias König, Motzener Kunststoff- und Gummiverarbeitung GmbH
• Udo Strenge, Interessenvereinigung Mittelständische Wirtschaft e.V.
• Anja Schuhmann, Jones Lang LaSalle SE
• Prof. Dr. Ulrike Tippe, Technische Hochschule Wildau
• Prof. Dr. Charlotte Köhler, Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt/Oder
• Prof. Dr. Alexander Böker, Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research
• Prof. Dr. Christian Stegmann, DESY / Zeuthen Site
• Futurist Matthias Horx (The Future:Project AG)

They provided insights into regional developments, economic trends, and opportunities for large corporations, SMEs, skilled trades, science, and the real estate sector.

The closing evening reception offered numerous opportunities to exchange ideas, deepen contacts, and develop new concepts for joint projects.

Voices on the Congress

Sven Herzberger, District Administrator of Dahme-Spreewald, expressed his enthusiasm for the response: "The launch of 'SO25' was a complete success. The high level of interest from all sectors shows how strong the desire for networking and joint future development is in our region. Today we saw that Brandenburg-Southeast Berlin has enormous potential thanks to its economic strength and density of innovation."

Marion Schirmer, Managing Director of the Dahme-Spreewald Economic Development Corporation and co-initiator of the event format, added: "We are overwhelmed by the positive momentum that this first congress has generated. The conversations, impulses, and encounters demonstrated that there is a strong need for exchange and cooperation – and that 'SO25' provides exactly the right platform to harness these forces. Particularly impressive was how open and solution-oriented the participants engaged with each other. This shows: our region wants to shape the future – and it has both the competence and the determination to do so. 'SO25' will leverage this momentum to initiate concrete projects and partnerships."

For Prof. Dr. Ulrike Tippe, President of the Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau, the event was also a gain: "Close exchange between science and business is a real driver of innovation for the region. When research results are transferred into practice and companies contribute their input early in development processes, both sides benefit – and this was impressively demonstrated at 'SO25'. As a university of applied sciences, we are committed to further expanding these collaborations to strengthen the Brandenburg-Southeast Berlin economic area together."

Matthias König, Managing Director of Motzener Kunststoff- und Gummiverarbeitung GmbH, also offered praise: "Our collaboration with research institutions in the region – such as the Technical University of Applied Sciences Wildau or the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research – shows how much innovation can be generated when theory and practice go hand in hand. Through joint projects, we can directly bring new materials and processes into industrial application. The SO25 congress brought key players together and impressively demonstrated that this close exchange is the key to sustainable growth and strengthening the Brandenburg-Southeast Berlin economic location."

Significance & Impact

The SO25 congress marks an important step for the Brandenburg-Southeast Berlin region:

• Intensified networking: Decision-makers from business, research, and administration came together to initiate future collaborations.
• Strategic impulses set: Topics such as innovation, skilled workforce development, and sustainable land policy shaped the discussions.
• Regional identity strengthened: The shared goal of positioning the region as a strong economic area was clearly at the center.

The congress was supported by partners such as Wirtschaftsförderung Land Brandenburg GmbH, GASAG Solution Plus GmbH, Goldbeck Ost GmbH, the BBF Group, and TRAINICO GmbH.

Outlook

The organizers announced that the congress will be held regularly in the future. Together, they aim to further deepen dialogue between business, research, politics, and administration and jointly tackle new future topics.

"The success of the first 'SO25' shows us that we are on the right track. We will continue on this path and further develop the platform – with even more space for practice, innovation, and cooperation," concluded Marion Schirmer, Managing Director of the Dahme-Spreewald Economic Development Corporation.


For further information about the growth industries, economic development, business and technology support for companies, investors and scientific institutions in the Airport Region Berlin Brandenburg please contact:

Sandra Koletzki ​​​​​​ | sandra.koletzki(at)airport-region.de

(Source: Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft Dahme-Spreewald mbH, 10|01|2025 | ""Successful Launch of "SO25" - Around 200 decision-makers from business, politics, academia, and administration used the platform for intensive exchange and strategic discussions.")