Mobility and Industry 4.0: ZF Friedrichshafen AG becomes new partner of STARTUP AUTOBAHN platform

• ZF Friedrichshafen AG is new partner of the growing network platform STARTUP AUTOBAHN
• 13 start-ups of the innovation platform for mobility present first ideas at EXPO Day in Stuttgart

Friedrichshafen/Stuttgart, 15-Feb-2017 — /EuropaWire/ — STARTUP AUTOBAHN was founded in May 2016 as an open innovation and cooperation platform for start-ups and existing companies from the fields of Mobility and Industry 4.0. It addresses both international and local start-ups and partner companies. The founding members of the initiative alongside Daimler AG are the US partner Plug & Play Tech Center in its role as start-up accelerator and investor, the University of Stuttgart plus the research factory ARENA2036. At the EXPO Day in Stuttgart STARTUP AUTOBAHN presents its new partners of the growing network platform.

The founding members are therefore delighted to welcome new partners. Beside ZF have also come Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), BASF, Porsche and Maruta as other partners. A common characteristic of all the sponsors is their aim to anchor the pioneering and founding spirit even more strongly in the industrial region of Stuttgart and the local start-up scene. “The partnership with STARTUP AUTOBAHN is an important complement to our digital strategy”, says Mamatha Chamarthi, Chief Digital Officer (CDO), ZF Friedrichshafen AG. “With this cooperation, ZF gets closer to young and innovative enterprises from the fields of Mobility and Industry 4.0.”

EXPO Day in Stuttgart

Started in May 2016, the innovation and cooperation platform between established companies and start-ups has successfully completed the first programme with the EXPO Day at ARENA2036 on the campus of the University of Stuttgart. A big day for the 13 start-ups Otonomo, Noveto, blickshift, Gauzy, n-join, TruckPad, Free2Move (formerly CarJump), Evopark, Vayyar, Hopon, Argus, 4tiitoo and Canatu: On 9 February, the entrepreneurs presented their innovative ideas centred on the key topics Mobility and Industry 4.0 in front of some 1000 people who listened with great interest. By taking part in the first three-month STARTUP AUTOBAHN programme, as part of pilot projects with Daimler AG, special coaching sessions or with support from mentors the selected start-ups were able to considerably advance their companies.

SOURCE: ZF Friedrichshafen AG

Press contact

Thomas Wenzel
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thomas.wenzel@zf.com

Corina Tews
Technology and Product Communications
Phone: +49 7541 77-8238
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