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Engineering the Future

Engineering the Future

Industry and manufacturing are key drivers of the global transformation — but they are also responsible for massive material and energy use. We enable the shift toward circular, data-driven, and sustainable production systems.

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Industry Challenges

Real-World Industrial Challenges

We give startups the opportunity to apply for real industrial challenges defined by our partners — creating a direct path from solution development to validation, pilot projects and potential venture-client relationships.

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Industry Challenges

Operating Support and Onboarding

We are seeking solutions that make operating knowledge available at the machine right where it is needed: when training new employees and during commissioning by customers.

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We connect technology, materials, and industry for sustainable progress.

Corporate PARTNERS

Key Partner Hubs

Our industry hubs provide access to real production environments, technical infrastructure and expert teams — enabling startups to validate solutions, work on concrete industry challenges and explore pilot projects, venture-clienting and long-term collaboration.

Further partners involved in the program
Weimer Gruppe
Heyligenstaedt Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH
Buderus Edelstahl
Dockweiler Chemicals GmbH
Johannes Hübner Fabrik elektrischer Maschinen GmbH
SW-MOTECH GmbH & Co. KG

Meet our Mentors

Industry experts, researchers and founders who help shape and guide our innovation processes.

Tobias Weber
Tobias Weber

CEO

Weber Foods Technology

Gunter Schneider
Gunter Schneider

CEO & Founder

Schneider GmbH & Co. KG.

Jovana Walter
Jovana Walter

Managing Partner

Futury Capital

Noel Zeh
Noel Zeh

VC Investor

Wunderland Capital

Jörg Koch
Jörg Koch

CEO

DockChemicals

Rica Holzmann
Rica Holzmann

CEO soffico GmbH

Board member (VDMA Bayern) & Advisor (Centre of Future Production)

Christian Kirchhübel
Christian Kirchhübel

CEO

OCULUS Optikgeräte GmbH

Michael Brandt
Michael Brandt

Geschäftsführender Director Technik

Weber Food Technology

Dirk Rudolf
Dirk Rudolf

VC Investor

Wunderland Capital

Karim Menn
Karim Menn

VC Investor

Wunderland Capital

Christoph Heuser
Christoph Heuser

Leitung Produktionsplanung und -steuerung, Prozessmanagement

OCULUS Optikgeräte GmbH

APPLICATION

Apply now

Apply now as an industry solution / team. Application deadline: August 25, 2026.