Simple answer - no.
collaboration opportunities for industrial high-tech startups
Apply NowWatch VideoThe family-owned Hirschvogel Automotive Group, headquartered in Denklingen nearby Munich, Germany, is among the world’s largest automotive suppliers in the area of sophisticated functional components. Our customers include all renowned automotive manufacturers and suppliers worldwide. The consolidated sales of the Group with plants in Germany, USA, China, India, Poland, and Mexico exceeded one billion euros in 2016. The number of employees was about 5,000. These figures speak for themselves – and for the Hirschvogel Automotive Group. Ceravis is the strategic investment arm of the same group of shareholders who also own the Hirschvogel Automotive Group. Ceravis not only invests in cutting-edge technologies, more specifically industrial technologies, but also develops new business models by setting up and offering startup incubation and acceleration programs.
HAWE Hydraulik SE is a responsible development partner with application expertise and expe-rience in more than 70 branches of mechanical engineering. The product range includes hydraulicpower units, fi xed and variable displacement pumps, valves, sensors and accessories. Electroniccomponents that are exactly attuned to the hydraulic components provide an easy initial operati-on, precise control and condition monitoring. The intelligent system solutions reduce energy con-sumption and operating costs. Compact drives save space and allow an innovative machine design.Around 2470 employees in 16 countries and sales partners in over 40 countries provide lo-cal, professional and personal support to customers worldwide.
HOERBIGER is active throughout the world as a leading player in the fi elds of compressiontechnology, drive technology and hydraulics. The HOERBIGER brand is synonymous with com-ponents and services providing high customer value in compressors, industrial engines andturbines, automotive drivetrains, and multifaceted mechanical engineering applications. HO-ERBIGER industrial safety and explosion mitigation solutions save lives and equipment. Ourcorporate values – Pioneering Spirit, Courage, Fairness and Closeness – are the direct result ofour heritage. The combination of our values is unique. Pioneering Spirit and Courage shape theHOERBIGER culture of innovation – Fairness and Closeness defi ne our conduct toward sup-pliers and customers as well as among each other. We set Standards.
The Max Aicher Foundation covers a wide spectrum of industrial and commercial activities, butis best known as a leading steel company and supplier to the automotive and building industries.The qualifi cations and commitment of our staff is the basis for our success. Our specifi c areas ofexpertise include: Steel and steel production, environment & recycling, real estate properties &projects, building & construction, leisure & tourism. Each of our companies enjoys a high degreeof autonomy which enables them to react rapidly to changing market and technical require-ments, thereby ensuring our sustainable success. As a family owned company, we stand for sus-tainability and stability whilst simultaneously embracing strategic developments for the future.
We are a consortium of four family-owned companies.
Together we master the entire value chain from the production of raw material up to the manufacturing of ready-to-install systems and components. Through diverse processes. In large-scale. With highest quality standards.
With joint forces we established FASTTRACK in 2017 to live up to our ambitious standards of continuous innovation. We don’t perceive new technology as a threat, but rather want to get involved first hand. Open innovation in a very practical process. Digitalization to us is not an end in itself, but rather a means to an end. We want to offer you access to what makes us successful.
The Program
Submit your application by entering your
details in the application form on this website.
All partners will evaluate and propose collaboration opportunities with your startup. You will be notified within a week after Pitch Day.
Welcome to Landsberg am Lech! Here you will have the chance to persuade executives from all partners in person, why they should work together with you.
All partners will evaluate and propose collaboration opportunities with your startup. You will be notified within a week after Pitch Day.
Welcome to Landsberg am Lech! Here you will have the chance to persuade executives from all partners in person, why they should work together with you.
All partners will evaluate and propose collaboration opportunities with your startup. You will be notified within a week after Pitch Day.
Welcome to Landsberg am Lech! Here you will have the chance to persuade executives from all partners in person, why they should work together with you.
Seed, start-up or growth-stage – it’s not our main criteria. More importantly we want to be sure that you are mature enough to collaborate with family-owned automotive players and precise manufacturing companies.
We open up our production lines for you to do surgery on the open heart: real data, real people, real processes – all highly automated with short cycle times, vibrations, noise, dust and heat.
Based on your offer and your need, the most suitable project department will be determined.
Amongst others, the 20+ FASTTRACK pilot projects up to this point took place in:
Quality Management/End of Line, Intralogistics, Engineering, Product Development, Training Center, Shop Floor and more
"The partners give you a lot of knowledge and how you can improve your company for the future."
"The best event of the year (Pitch Day Batch 3). Most impressive was the invovlement of all participants from management and technical leaders to the last students, all on the same eye-level, and eager for automation, innovation, technology and to remain leading suppliers in a demanding automotive market."
"The gratest value: you get the possibility to test your idea or your product in a real industrial environment with great partners."
"FASTTRACK as a platform enables two complementary perspectives to connect: product & production. Our framework allows for innovation projects to support any contrary strategic initiatives: from initiatives for process efficiency to business diversification."
STEP 1
Please use our application form to apply for the FASTTRACK program. We ask you to submit your contact details and a detailed description of your technology or solution. Please also specify how you perceive cooperation or synergies with one or more of the FASTTRACK partners. Please note that the information you submit in your initial application will be shared with the FASTTRACK steering committee and will be used for further evaluation within the FASTTRACK program.
The application window for the next program will open in 2022
STEP 2
Our partners business units and a steering committee consisting of representatives of FASTTRACK will select the most interesting startups. You will receive feedback, whether your company will be invited to the Pitch Day in Landsberg am Lech, Germany.
STEP 3
Following the Pitch Day, the selected finalists will commence technology projects or business case studies together with and supported by our partners. During this time, the selected startups will be professionally coached and given the opportunity to expand their knowledge in an on-site coaching session.
Hands-on and straight-forward – that’s how our partners determined in a typical family-business manner, which startups would be selected into Batch 2.
The startups in Batch 2 got to choose from a list of 25 pre-selected topics. These topics were collected throughout the years, based on our experiences with B2B high-tech startups. We identified clear needs and challenges, which every aspiring company will face and eventually will have to master on its way to sustainable success.
Editor in Chief Axel Höpner covered a story how family-owned companies and SMEs collaborate with startups.
Simple answer - no.
No, but if you wish the possibility exists to occupy office space or premises at the partner. The miminum requirement is however,that you attend the compulsory events and that you are onsite as often as your project requires to ensure its success.
Initially, the project is jointly defined between yourself and the selected partner. A project plan with milestones and desireddeliverables is then agreed upon. A responsible person from your side and the partner will be defined. In addition to this,a mentor from the operative unit, in which the project will take place, will be assigned to you to facilitate the contactbetween you and the other specialists in the business unit to aid in the successful execution of the project.
Everything is possible, but there are no commitments. Our partners are essentially results orientated and future opportunities would depend mainly on the outcome of the project work. Possible cooperation is very variable and can take form of anythingbetween future supplier/customer relationships, production partner, and could even go as far as the partner purchasing equity in your company.The form and extent of any future cooperation will depend on the results of the project and on mutual interests and requirements.
The events take place at the Hirschvogel Ventures headquarter, the home base of the FASTTRACK program, in Landsberg am Lech approximately 45km south-west of Munich.