“Thuringia is characterized by its diverse and at the same time high-performing small and medium-sized enterprises”, said Economics Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee, who opened the event. “We want to put this concentrated innovative power and market strength of the Thuringian economy clearly on display with the new image campaign.” – “We want to show what competencies and potential the Free State has to offer”, added LEG Managing Director Andreas Krey. “The campaign serves location marketing, but should also give companies in the Free State inspiration to become world market and technology leaders in their own sector.”
The kick-off event connected Thuringia's "Hidden Champions“ with politics, business, and young talents, and showcased through best practice examples how to make it to the very top. The keynote was delivered by Prof. Dr. Hermann Simon, a renowned business expert, bestselling author, and the "spiritual father“ and inventor of the "Hidden Champions Initiative“. The research results and campaign goals were presented by Dr. Arnulf Wulff, authorized officer and department head at LEG Thüringen; the department team "Invest in Thüringen“ implemented the campaign. As a special recognition of the companies, the event included the certification of current Thuringian world market and technology leaders – more companies can be added in the coming months and years; applications are possible at any time.
Background
"Hidden Champions – Thuringia's World Market and Technology Leaders“ – under this name, the new campaign was launched in March 2023. The task of LEG Thüringen is, as the economic development agency of the Free State, to promote Thuringia as an investment location, to attract investors to the Free State, and to actively support existing companies in their entrepreneurial activities. The new campaign supports all these goals, as it showcases Thuringia's strengths externally and, at the same time, provides internal impetus for further success stories "made in Thuringia“. In the course of its tasks, LEG knows the companies in the Free State very well, so it was able to thoroughly identify the first 90 Hidden Champions . LEG will present these companies, their products, and services to a broad audience in the future via the new website www.hidden-champions-thuringia.de as well as present them to a broad audience through social media activities. The campaign shows: Thuringia is an attractive location where investments pay off. (hw)
