The German association of communal enterprises (VKU) offers members, digitization experts of the local economy and start-ups immediately the digital service platform KommunalDigital. The platform was launched this week at the VKU Stadtwerkekongress in Cologne. "The start-up landscape is a rapidly changing ecosystem with innovative solutions. The municipal economy is actively looking for new business areas and is positioning itself for the future. KommunalDigital' stands at this groundbreaking intersection and opens up new networking opportunities for both sectors. This is where innovation potential and the opportunities offered by digitalisation are exploited - for modern services of general interest for local customers," says Katherina Reiche, Managing Director of VKU. On KommunalDigital, German municipal companies are to network with start-ups and consulting firms for planned digital projects. In addition, users of the platform will be able to manage their procurement procedures via a multifunctional e-procurement portal, obtain information on digital showcase projects and have access to VKU Consult's consultant database.

In the future, there will also be a wide range of white label solutions. These proven solutions and products can be purchased by municipal utilities and then used under their own brand. The existing white label offerings of Stadtwerke Mall - the joint online marketplace project of Stadtwerke Eutin, Peine, Speyer and Stadtwerke-Kooperation SüdWestStrom - are also to be integrated into the offering.

Search for new business fields

According to the latest VKU survey, 38 percent of member companies are actively searching for new business fields.

More than three quarters, however, do not have their own innovation department. Against this background, the VKU is now bringing its member companies together with founders on KommunalDigital. Because the innovative solutions of the start-ups are often lean and fast to implement and can accelerate thereby the digitization processes of the enterprises substantially.

To the platform: kommunaldigital.de