Inspired by: New Skills Through Making

European industrial regions are rapidly evolving due to global economic and policy demands. Non-metropolitan areas, in particular, must adapt by fostering “future skills,” such as creativity and collaboration, which are vital for resilience. The x-Inno Radar project addresses the European Skills Agenda 2020 by promoting these soft skills in industrial contexts.

To strengthen our knowledge on soft skills and gather different perspectives and inspirations within and beyond the project, we have developed a format called „Inspired by“.

We warmly invite you to our first open session callled Inspired by: New Skills Through Making. Together with two experts, we will explore how maker spaces can help unlock and apply these crucial skills to fortify industrial regions and communities.

What to expect?

• Showcases by experts
  Johanna Lianne van de Laar (Maker e.V.) and Martin Hollinetz (Otelo eGen) will each present hands-on examples, illustrating how maker spaces facilitate teamwork, intergenerational communication, adaptability and more.
• Interactive discussion
  Join the conversation with your questions and insights. Together, we’ll explore key findings, lessons learned, and region-specific connections.
• Takeaways for industry & beyond
  Discover fresh perspectives on leveraging soft skills across creative industries, maker communities, and beyond.

Who should attend?

• x-Inno Radar partners & associated partners
• Maker spaces & initiatives
• Anyone interested in soft skills & industrial innovation

Why attend?

• Get Inspired by concrete ways to foster new skills through making.
• Connect with peers, makers, and potential collaborators.
• Share & discuss immediate and future project opportunities.

How to attend?

• Register here: Inspired by: New Skills Through Making
• Get the link: After your registration, we will send you the link for participation via email.
• Log in: The session will start on January 22 from 2:00pm until 3:30pm

Who are the speakers?

• Johanna Lianne van de Laar: She is Project Leader for the International Maker Residence Program and International Cooperations at Maker e.V. in Germany. Maker e.V. combines the joint efforts of the Industrial Association Saxony 1828 e. V, Kreatives Chemnitz e. V. and C³ Chemnitzer Event Organisation GmbH to organize the makers united festival as an annual highlight in Chemnitz, centrally and free of charge for a broad audience. The goal is to promote technical creativity and interest across all generations.
• Martin Hollinetz: He is part of the Otelo eGen and founder of the Otelo network – an “open technology laboratory” with local Nodes where people gather to exchange ideas, experiment, and co-create in a welcoming, collaborative environment. These spaces promote openness, knowledge-sharing, and fun for people of all ages and backgrounds, shaping social innovation and regional development. Each new Otelo serves as another node in the growing network.

1 | 2 Martin and Lianne co-creating together at the x-Inno Partnermeeting in Vorchdorf

2 | 2 xInno Radar Partners at the x-Inno Partnermeeting in Vorchdorf

Boosting industrial transition by activating soft innovation skills and stimulating pioneer spirit

Industrial regions in central Europe are amidst a heavy transformation of their economic and social base. It is especially the non-metropolitan regions who must change profoundly in response to global economic trends, political demands, and structural disadvantages. The X-Inno Radar project increases their agility and innovativeness by strengthening soft skills. The partners jointly apply a new place-based approach, which centers around transversal skills, maker skills, and pioneer skills. After regional screenings and a conceptualisation phase, they pilot novel approaches for strengthening and expanding soft skills capacities. Key findings are then transferred to relevant stakeholders throughout Europe.