The demands on economic development are increasing, while the financial leeway available to many municipalities is shrinking. Before this turns into a debate focused solely on cost-cutting, Frank Balkenhol proposes a thought experiment: What if we were allowed to redesign economic development from scratch today—starting with a blank sheet of paper?

Following the 2026 municipal elections, new political majorities will face intense pressure to take action: the city centre, growth and transformation, mobility, tight budgets, and an increasingly fragile urban society. Sophie May explains what course local governments can set in their first 100 days—and how the STADTKOMPASS can help.

What does the Bridge of Avignon have to do with municipal financing? A great deal, says Isabell Köster, as she introduces “Urban Funding.” An innovative financing concept for times of tight budgets. Using examples from Innsbruck, Bielefeld, and Münster, the urban development expert demonstrates how Urban Funding works in practice.

"Every city must now follow this path." Bernadette Spinnen and Thorsten Kausch discuss how cities can develop a forward-looking city profile - and turn it into a compass for administration, politics, city marketing and urban society.

Crises, transformation and geopolitics are fundamentally changing the rules of the game for locations. Traditional economic development is reaching its limits with its instruments. How do business development agencies need to position themselves in order to remain capable of acting, relevant and effective? In this article, expert Frank Balkenhol provides solutions and background information.

Children and young people are not onlookers to urban development, but creative makers of the city and its future. Find out more about the opportunities and formats of child and youth participation. Also interviewed: Lena Stelling, expert in political education and managing director of PLING Kollektiv.

Tom Hartung explains the phenomenon of cognitive dissonance as a challenge in people's decision-making - and presents a solution: nudging. City makers can use this method from behavioral psychology to motivate citizens to participate.

Laura Ebeling shows why destination management (DM) is the joint task of place marketing and destination marketing - and gives five concrete recommendations for action for integrated destination management.

Julia Staron is an expert on the night-time economy and a neighborhood manager in Hamburg. In this article, she takes a look at the opportunities and challenges of the night-time economy - and uses examples to show how cities can avoid conflicts and mediate between stakeholder groups