About the Institute
INER is an independent economic research institute and strategic think tank based in Hamburg and affiliated with Northern Business School.
Founded in 2019, the institute analyzes the economic, technological, legal and geopolitical forces shaping Northern Europe’s strategic future.
The Institute of Northern-European Economic Research was established to provide rigorous, value-neutral and strategically relevant analysis on the long-term transformation of Northern Europe’s economic environment.
Our work focuses on competitiveness, industrial transformation, artificial intelligence, maritime affairs, foreign trade, logistics, security, defence economics and European economic law. INER connects academic discipline with policy relevance.
We produce research, strategic analysis and institutional dialogue for decision-makers who must understand structural change before it becomes political, economic or corporate necessity.
An Independent Think Tank for Northern Europe’s Economic Future
INER operates at the intersection of economic research, strategic policy analysis and institutional dialogue. The institute examines how technological disruption, industrial transformation, legal integration, geopolitical competition and infrastructure development reshape the foundations of competitiveness in Northern Europe.
Our analytical perspective is deliberately interdisciplinary. Economic developments cannot be understood in isolation from political institutions, technological capabilities, legal frameworks, maritime connectivity, trade exposure, energy systems and security considerations. INER therefore brings together these dimensions in order to provide a more complete understanding of the forces shaping economic resilience and strategic capacity.
Based in Hamburg and affiliated with Northern Business School, INER is positioned within one of Northern Europe’s most significant economic, maritime and academic environments. From this institutional setting, the institute contributes to research, public debate and strategic decision-making at the regional, national, European and transatlantic level.