The Rhine-Neckar Region is one of Germany’s driving economic forces, with global players such as BASF, SAP, Heidelberger Druckmaschinen or Fuchs Petrolub.

The GDP per inhabitant is EUR 39,139; the Rhine-Neckar region is among the areas with the lowest unemployment in Germany.

The Metropolitan region is a strong economic driver as well as a centre of the European transportation network.

Connection to Frankfurt International Airport takes 31 minutes by ICE train from Mannheim Hbf.

The Mannheim/Ludwigshafen harbor complex has the second-largest railway yard in Germany together with one of the largest inland ports in Europe and is a central hub for the European handling of goods.

The 22 institutes of higher education in the Rhine-Neckar Region [3] come together with a wide range of well-known research institutions such as the European Molecular Biology Laboratory or the German Cancer Research Center to form a creative environment for innovative technologies.

In terms of sports, the Rhine-Neckar region features professional teams like Adler Mannheim (ice hockey), Rhein-Neckar Löwen (handball) and SV Sandhausen and 1899 Hoffenheim (association football).

The SAP Arena built in 2005 serves as the region's most important indoor event venue.