Digital Hub Logistics contributes to de:hub success story
The success of the Digital Hub Initiative “de:hub digital ecosystems”, to which the Digital Hub Logistics Dortmund also belongs, is remarkable: More than 1,000 networking events have now been organized by the twelve hubs throughout Germany, with more than 40,000 participants taking part at the events.
“The key figures of the hub initiative of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology are really impressive – and of course I am very happy that we in Dortmund can be part of this success story”, said hub manager Maria Beck at the presentation of the figures.
The Berlin-based hub:agency counts more than 500 start-ups in the networks of the twelve hubs. The digital experts in Dortmund are making a significant contribution to this: on the one hand, through the Digital Logistics Award for Founders, which was held for the third time last year, and on the other hand through the start-ups that are members of the hub and work side by side with the so-called „start-ins”. In short, start-ins are digital units of medium-sized companies with a similar structure as start-ups, that work outside the company in a special innovation ecosystem – such as the Digital Hub Logistics.
“Our goal is to support small and medium-sized companies from the region with the spirit and know-how of start-ups,” says Maria Beck. “It’s not for nothing that start-ups are also regarded as digitalization catalysts in logistics. With the services of the hub, medium-sized companies now have the opportunity to catch up and actively shape the digital transformation”.
New innovation partners for medium-sized businesses
The core of the services offered at the Dortmund-based hub is the Start-in Factory, which is not only open to companies from the logistics sector. The unique features of the Start-in Factory are the combination of innovation support by innovation coaches from science and individual innovation modules (“Process”), coworking space (“Place”) and the local network (“Community”). Maria Beck: “In this way, we are making a special contribution to the Hub Initiative’s mission of bringing SMEs together with new innovation partners from research and the start-up scene.
Other hubs of the initiative are also counting on this:
The “partner hub” of the Dortmund company – the Digital Hub Logistics in Hamburg – realized 43 joint projects between start-ups and companies last year alone. At the Digital Product School of the Munich Mobility Hub, various experts work together in small teams and three-month programs.
“In this way, each hub aligns its offerings to take into account the economic structure and needs of the companies in the respective industry or region,” explains Maria Beck. “Our focus is therefore not only on companies from the logistics sector, but also, for example, from the manufacturing industry, which are located within a radius of 30 to 50 kilometres around Dortmund: The geographical proximity allows them to make optimum use of the services offered by our hub”. However, the innovation modules of the Start-in factory are open to companies from all over Germany.
Photo credit: de:hub
