Feb 21 2019
Europe’s biggest innovation platform Startup Autobahn is more than just a single success story
Stuttgart, 21 February 2019 – Startup Autobahn was brought to life in summer 2016 by the Founding Partners Daimler, Plug and Play Tech Center, ARENA2036 and the University of Stuttgart. The main goal was to create a global platform to accelerate startups from all over the world by connecting them to key stakeholders from Daimler and by providing tailored mentoring.
However, with more and more industry partners joining and startups successfully graduating from the platform, the focus and purpose of the platform quickly shifted to match the actual demand of startups and corporates: Quick and efficient evaluation and execution of pilot projects, potential cross-partner projects as well as the change of culture within big industry players.
By focusing on these needs and by adjusting the program structure accordingly, Startup Autobahn powered by Plug and Play quickly rose to become the biggest and most successful innovation platform in Europe: Over the past 2.5 years a total of 28 highly involved partners and 132 program startups have joined the platform leading to countless pilot projects from which over 230 got presented on the so called Expo Days. Startup Autobahn is the product of continuous critical reflection and improvements by facilitators, partners, and startups, which has created an innovation platform that best serves everyone’s individual needs. “Startup Autobahn has become a major keystone for us, has been lifting the start-up culture in Baden-Württemberg to a new level. This is very much related to openness and internationality, as it is lived every day at Plug and Play. This generates a true innovation community, which can come up with completely new ideas,” says Winfried Kretschmann, Minister President of the State Baden Württemberg.
Startup Autobahn’s Expo Day on February 21st, 2019 is the biggest gathering for corporate-startup collaboration
More than 1,000 international participants from 41 countries experienced the 5th Expo Day of Startup Autobahn at Wagenhallen in Stuttgart on February 21st, 2019. The day marked the graduation of 34 startups of Startup Autobahn Program 5, which exclusively showcased the results of working on over 50 pilot projects with the platform partners over the last 100 days.
The platform is rapidly growing and expanding the horizon of technologies. On the main stage and the three topic stages Future of Mobility, Production and Enterprise 2.0 were displayed and in the demonstration area, guests could discover topics such as: “What technologies impact the future of autonomous driving?”, “Are humans still at the center of I4.0?”, “Venture Capital: Wasted Money or Game Changer for the Future?” and many more, through pitches, live demos, panels, and talks.
To emphasize the global nature of the event, there were 56 speakers from Europe, China, and Silicon Valley in attendance to share their insights. The event was opened by Winfried Kretschmann, Minister President of the State Baden Württemberg, top speakers like Saeed Amidi, Founder & CEO of Plug and Play Tech Center, Hui Zhang, Managing Director of Nio, Tim Smith, Global Auto & Mobility Director at Ustwo, and Ralf Lamberti, CEO of Daimler Brand & IP Management, and their ideas provided food for thought and gave new
perspectives around the topic of Future of Mobility. Aside from this, attendees were able to connect with leading startups, industry representatives and investors from various business fields. “It is still the well known Expo Day of Startup Autobahn, but this time we asked ourselves – if we push innovation within startups and corporates why shouldn‘t we innovate our very own event as well?“ said Hannah Boomgaarden, Program Manager of Startup Autobahn.
Plug and Play Global Innovation Award granted to Porsche, Wieland and Workerbase
With the Global Innovation Award the Silicon Valley investor and Innovation Platform Plug and Play Tech Center reward outstanding innovative projects of Startup Autobahn partners, which have successfully combined their expertise with startups to meet the digital challenges of the future. As an established Startup Autobahn Anchor Partner Porsche was pleased to receive the Global Innovation Award. In addition to their
prosperous cooperation with Startup Autobahn, their global innovation strategy includes extensive investment activities and a global presence at international technology and innovation conferences. Plug and Play Tech Center further presented the Global Innovation Award to Ecosystem Partner Wieland Ventures for their successful pilot project execution with the startup Workerbase. Their Smart Watch solution was subsequently implemented and has now become an integral part of the production process at a Wieland Group plant.
Seven corporate partners joined Startup Autobahn and 37 startups were accepted into Program 6
Startup Autobahn is honored to welcome seven new industry partners to the platform to work together on the Future of Mobility, Production, and Enterprise 2.0. Samvardhana Motherson and T-Systems joined as new Anchor Partners, and BP, Hyundai, Bleistahl, TÜV Rheinland, Yanfeng Automotive Interiors are now a part of the platform as Ecosystem Partners. For the upcoming Program 6, our Anchor Partner decided to work on new pilot projects with the following 37 startups from 10 countries: 51nodes, Aaron.ai, Alchemy, Blockchain HELIX, Caaresys, Chargery, Cobalt, Cognigy, CurveSYS, Cybellum, CyberX, Dataiku, datanizing, e-laborate, emproof, FairFleet, FDX Fluid Dynamix, Firstbird, Flip, FogHorn, holoride, Indivizo, Ladimo, Legartis, Molekule, MoonVision, neohelden, RealWear, Robonetica, Stark Mobility, Tactile Mobility, Thingsthinking, Trailer Dynamics, Viscopic, Visualix, YPTOKEY und ZeroKey.
In addition, there will be a new key topic for Program 6 – Startup Autobahn will focus on sustainability to
support and emphasize the undeniable need for green innovation.
Find more impressions of our EXPO Day 5