FAB Region The Bergisch City Triangle on the Way to Becoming Germany's First FAB Region A societal shift towards greater sustainability is urgently needed to address the environmental, economic and social threats posed by climate change, biodiversity loss and resource depletion. Cities and regions can decisively drive and enable circular and sustainable transformation, as they are the governance units closest to citizens and other relevant stakeholders. The aim of the project FAB Region Bergisch city-triangle is to contribute to a co-creative and sustainable transformation with the cities of Wuppertal, Remscheid and Solingen using circular economy approaches. This is done by developing a practical regional strategy and building an engaged local community in line with the global Fab City approach that bridges the gap between the local and global levels. The Fab City Network is a platform that brings together 52 cities and regions worldwide, including cities like Hamburg, Barcelona, Paris and Boston. Fab Cities follow an innovative urban model that aims to re-localise production to the city and its bioregional context by empowering communities with the technology to build their own sustainable, innovative, and regenerative urban futures. Together with the Fab Lab Network, an open and creative community of more than 1,500 Fab Labs, the Fab City Network promotes an open and global exchange of knowledge, skills and technology with the aim of bringing production back to the local level, strengthening local economies and supporting environmental and social sustainability. With the FAB Region project, the Bergisch city-triangle is set to join these networks. In Wuppertal, Remscheid and Solingen, this mission is carried out in local innovation centres, where the project brings together civil society actors with business, science and politics: Gut Einern in Wuppertal, the Gründerschmiede in Remscheid and the Gläserne Werkstatt in Solingen. At the local level, the centres act as drivers for the development and implementation of analogue and digital learning formats. Using open-source principles, digital manufacturing technologies and recyclable materials, they enable pilot projects for sustainable, collaborative and community-oriented production in the neighbourhood. The centres are experimental laboratories as well as meeting places for the local community. Beyond the local level, they aim to collaborate with the global Fab Lab network of innovation centres. In line with the Fab City principles of make, learn, share, the project aims to achieve the following objectives for the Bergisch city-triangle over the course of three years: Initiate the FAB Region and establish appropriate working structures to make it a lasting initiative Develop a common vision and strategic action plan Establish a lively regional community and corresponding communication formats and platforms Establish global learning formats and develop region-specific learning formats Interlink existing innovation and production locations through the implementation of co-creative test pilots and joint learning formats Identify relevant metrics and models and record them for individual sectors Scientifically measure the impact of the project Integrate the FAB Region as an active part of the international Fab City community, connect and share knowledge across regions The CSCP will contribute its expertise to the project by driving collaboration and networking activities with relevant organisations and actors at local, national and global levels as well as in communication and community building activities. In addition, the CSCP will contribute to the project work as an ambassador for sustainability and as a co-developer of the region’s strategic action plan as well as of learning and co-creation formats in the innovation centres. The project is part of the EFRE/JTF-Programm Nordrhein-Westfalen 2021-2027 of the NRW Ministry of Economy. It is implemented by the CSCP in collaboration with Gut Einern e.V., SEG Solingen GmbH & Co. KG, Gründerschmiede Remscheid e.V., IAT – Westfälische Hochschule Gelsenkirchen, Bergische Universität Wuppertal, the The Wuppertal Institute . The FAB Region project is led by Bergische Struktur- und Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft GmbH.