ECM

The Digital Hub Logistics in Dortmund is one of the world’s leading digital ecosystem dedicated to logistics. It is driving digitization – whether in logistics, production and manufacturing, retail or services. The ecosystem consists of several competence centers, lighthouseprojects and initiatives on basic and applied research, education, SME support and various labs and testbeds and supplements this with the areas of smart talents, capital and start-ups.

It is supported by the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML and the Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering ISST, EffizienzCluster Management GmbH, and Duisburger Hafen AG is driving digitalization in Germany’s logistics sector – including goods, data, transport, corporate, and financial logistics.

It strengthens the organic and dynamic ecosystem of digital logistics in the Ruhr region – consisting of research and education, industry and SMEs, networks and test beds – and complements it with smart talent, capital, and start-ins. Thus the Digital Hub Logistics creates a highly fascinating environment for companies who want to bring high-potential new digital products to market. Based on an initiative of the digital association Bitkom, the Digital Hub Logistics is part of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) Digital Hub Initiative with a total of 12 hubs. A joint umbrella brand (de:hub) and a joint Hub Agency facilitate networking and the exchange of know-how.

Services

The Digital Hub Logistics supports companies at different maturity levels in strengthening their competitiveness and developing new business fields in the context of digitization and Industry 4.0. With a multitude of service modules, the companies are supported int the implementation of digital products, processes, and services. The principles of SME support in the Digital Hub Logistics include simple experimentation with new technologies, promoted cooperation with R&D partners and entry into cooperative research and development with manageable risk. Through consultancy services on the one hand and cooperation with research on the other, SMEs receive suggestions for rethinking their processes, discovering new products and incorporating their developments into their own planning. In cooperation with the SME Enabling Center »Digital in NRW« the Digital Hub prepares the topics of digitization and networking specifically for small and medium-sized enterprises and the German Mittelstand in North Rhine-Westphalia and submits specific offers to them for joint implementation.

The support for companies is comes together in the “Start-in Factory” which accompanies enterprises from the initial idea to the market launch. The portfolio consists of three essential pillars – Place, Community, and Process.

Place: With a Coworking space and neighboring test infrastructure of research facilities digital innovation teams of companies (i.e. start-ins) get the chance to distance themselves from day-the to-day business and have the opportunity to shape and realize big ideas.

Community: Through a wide network of Start-ups, corporates and research facilitates a number of networking events is facilitated to foster the exchange of new ideas and lay the groundwork for cooperation.

Process: The companies’ innovation journey is supported by experienced Innovation Coaches and huge portfolio of innovation workshops covering all topics from ideation, through prototyping to scaling of ideas.

Additional information

The Digital Hub Logistics Dortmund facilitiates a yearly award for innovative, digital logistics solutions. Whether in the manufacturing, retail, automotive, farm & food, mobility or financial sectors, with the Digital Logistics Award the Digital Hub Logistics acknowledges, honours and promotes creative business models for digital working environments in logistics. The competition is open to start-ups, start-up companies and idea generators.