A strong cooperation
Team and Network
We're the Smart Systems Hub
A colorful mix of creative thinkers, responsible idealists and visionary pragmatists. Mutual respect and an unconditionally positive attitude within the team and towards partners are the basis of our cooperation.
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We are courageous when it comes to content-related approaches and working methods. We deliberately leave well-trodden paths, think outside the box and find completely new ways of doing things.
We are
PRAGMATIC
For us, this means working in a goal- and solution-oriented manner, tackling things and not getting lost in “we should, could and should”.
We are
INNOVATIVE
From the integration of visionary technologies and forward-looking methodological approaches to our location concept itself - the topic of innovation can be found in all areas of our work.
Michael Kaiser
CEO
After studying industrial engineering, Michael Kaiser started his career as a product and quality engineer at NXP Semiconductors Germany in 2005. In 2009, he moved to Hong Kong as Innovation Manager with a stronger focus on backend manufacturing and packaging.
3 years later, Michael Kaiser took on the role of Industry Manager Microelectronics/ICT for the state capital Dresden in Europe's largest cluster for microelectronics/ICT. At the same time, he worked at Silicon Saxony Management GmbH as project manager for the development of the Silicon Europe Initiative.
At the end of 2016, he moved to Berlin to join SEMI - the global semiconductor industry association - where he was responsible for business development in Europe.
In November 2018, Michael Kaiser was appointed Managing Director of Smart Systems Hub GmbH in Dresden. The Smart Systems Hub is part of the Digital Hub Initiative Germany.
Eric Heidel
Business Development & Sales
We are
TRANSPARENT
Our projects are united by a co-innovative approach. We bring together experts from different sectors and areas of expertise to find the best solution together and learn from each other.
Hans Klingstedt
Business Development & Co-Innovation
In his previous career, Hans Klingstedt initially supported projects in supply chain and supplier management in the automotive industry. Challenges in variant diversity and early supplier integration played a key role here. He was able to apply this experience in various software implementations for SAP, PLM and database systems in different functions and help shape the digital transformation at a leading automotive supplier.
He has increasingly devoted himself to innovation management and has been supporting co-innovation formats and digitalization consulting projects in the Smart Systems Hub since the beginning of 2020. In doing so, he orchestrates the collaboration between different project partners and cross-sector technology experts (industry, SMEs, start-ups). With his in-depth methodological knowledge, he enables medium-sized companies in particular to apply IoT technologies and smart systems, which leads to measurable improvements in processes and the development of their own digital business models.
Markus Reisch
Director Cloud & Technology Architecture / Manufacturing-X Expert
As a technology architect at the Smart Systems Hub, Markus Reisch is responsible for developing innovative digitalization solutions that include hardware, software, connectivity and integration components. He manages 3-day innovation sprints such as the Thin[gk]athon as well as industrial projects lasting several months. For the system solutions, the appropriate tools are always used co-innovatively with partners (cloud technologies, machine learning & AI...).
Markus Reisch is currently driving the development of the innovation testbed at the Smart Systems Hub. This involves creating reference implementations and onboarding structures for decentralized data exchange in the industry.
He can draw on many years of experience in the fields of information technology, software development and customer service, with a focus on digitalization and innovative software solutions.
Danny Städter
Business Development & Co-Innovation
As Senior Project Manager Business Development & Co-Innovation at the Smart Systems Hub, Danny Städter is responsible for the project implementation of our Digital Product Factory and supports the Thin[gk]athon and Thin[gk]light formats.
His many years of experience in innovation management, strategy development and workshop organization with a focus on digitalization and innovative solutions help him in this role.
Max Lehnert
Design Thinking Spezialist und Co-Innovation Manager
Max Lehnert began his academic career with a degree in electrical engineering at TU Dresden in 2008. From 2011, he studied at Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg and graduated with a B.Sc. in electrical engineering in 2014. In the same year, he worked as a project engineer at Lehnert Regelungstechnik GmbH in Magdeburg. From 2016 to 2019, he then worked as a project manager and design thinking coach at the Dr Farassat Foundation in Veitshöchheim.
Since 2019 he has been working part-time as a Senior Design Thinking Coach at the Centre for Digital Innovations Würzburg. He works at the Smart Systems Hub as a Design Thinking Specialist and Co-Innovation Manager.
Marina Chkolnikov
Project Manager Co-Innovation & Agile Coach
Marina Chkolnikov studied biochemistry (M.Sc.) and general management (M.A.) and gained experience in business development at research institutes, among other things. She then worked in the areas of processes, project management and HR in a startup accelerator.
Marina has been a Project Manager and Agile Coach at Smart Systems Hub since 2023. Among other things, she manages co-innovation projects in the “Digital Product Factory (DPF)” format. She is also particularly interested in the topic of organizational development and how to create suitable environments for innovation.
Candy Kaiser
Creative Strategy & Workflow
Shubham Thakkar
Machine Learning & AI Development
Shubham Thakkar completed his bachelor's degree in automotive engineering in Gujarat, India, from 2013 to 2017. He did his International Graduate Master's degree in Mechatronics (M.Sc.) in Germany at the University of Siegen, which he completed in 2022. He wrote his master's thesis at BSH Hausgeräte GmbH in Regensburg on the derivation of user profiles in household appliances. He gained practical experience during an internship at NODE 4.0 in Siegen and as a working student in embedded system engineering at Guardian Technologies GmbH in Lindau.
He has been working as an AI developer at the Smart Systems Hub in Dresden since May 2021.
Chiara Baldauf
Community Management
Anastasiia Grigoreva
Marketing & Partner Management
Luisa Göhler
Digital Marketing
Luisa Göhler has been working in the media and marketing industry for over 6 years and has extensive experience in digital marketing, content management and search engine optimization. In her role as Digital Marketing Manager at Smart Systems Hub, she relies on her extensive expertise to develop and implement effective SEO strategies, data-based newsletter campaigns and optimized content processes. Previously, she held various positions in the media and e-commerce sector, where she acquired a wide range of skills in customer communication, content creation and project management.
Philipp Hasenpusch
Communication & Events
Philipp Hasenpusch has been working in event management for 12 years. His experience includes
Program planning, event coordination & stage management at various cultural festivals (500 to 10,000 visitors, e.g. DAVE (Dresden Audio Visual Experience))
from 2011 - 2018 part of the program management team (event, program & budget planning), operational implementation as event coordinator (personnel support, artist care, lighting and sound technology) and event marketing in two Dresden clubs and live music venues
Philipp Hasenpusch has been Event Manager at Smart Systems Hub since 2021 and contributes his expertise in the event sector.
Hanna Hübner
Design & Communication
Sandy Kratochwil
Controlling & HR
Franziska Wulst
Controlling & HR
Wilhelm Badack
Working Student · Communication
We Build Future - together with you
As one of Europe's largest innovation centers for complex system solutions in industrial automation, we support companies and organizations in innovation processes and the implementation of new technologies. Supported by a strong network of over 700 partners, we develop solutions in co-innovative projects that are tailored to the individual needs of our customers. With the help of agile and creative concepts, we ensure a successful innovation process and share this methodological knowledge to support our partners in their projects in the long term.
PARTNERS
We offer access to talents and technologies from small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups, industry and research. In doing so, we create a legal and organizational framework that enables smooth and efficient collaboration.
Methodik
We rely on an efficient and focused innovation process that is implemented in agile project teams. Our methodical and targeted approach ensures that ideas are developed in a structured manner and implemented in a goal-oriented manner.
Technical Infrastructure
We provide an efficient technical infrastructure that enables new ideas to be tested quickly. By using proven reference solutions, we ensure that innovations can be tested and further developed quickly.
Dresden is our home.
Dresden is our main location - right in the heart of Silicon Saxony. The industrial landscape here is characterized by strong SMEs, innovative corporates and up-and-coming start-ups in the tech sector. We unite them in our network and bring them together with regional, national and international partners in our co-innovation projects and formats.
Why Dresden?
3000
Software companies
300+
Logistics & service companies for production
350
Micro-nanoelectronics production companies
30
New High-Tech-Startups per Year
350
Research and development institutes
400
Information & Communication Technology Service and Sales
The hub as part of the big picture
Digitalisation “Made in Germany”
On the initiative of the digital association Bitkom, the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK) has designated 12 locations of excellence throughout Germany as Digital Innovation Hubs. They form a strong network that enables the exchange of technological and economic expertise, programs and ideas. Start-ups, companies and research come together at each digital hub to jointly find answers to the challenges and opportunities of digitalization. In innovation programs, accelerators and incubators, new solutions are developed for industry-relevant fields - from artificial intelligence to mobility and smart infrastructure.
Unsere strategischen Partner
Key Partner
Unsere Gesellschafter
Hightech Startbahn
Every high-tech company needs three things to be successful: customers, talent and capital. The HighTech Startbahn supports young deep-tech companies in business development and expansion and helps them to master the venture capital journey.
5G Lab TU Dresden
For 5G Lab Germany, 5G Lab GmbH pursues the transfer of knowledge and technology in the field of 5G from science to industry. The 5G Lab Germany at TU Dresden is an interdisciplinary team with over 600 scientists from 23 research areas at TUD, which is jointly coordinated by Prof. Gerhard Fettweis and Prof. Frank Fitzek, with the aim of providing key technologies for the development of the 5G mobile communications standard.
In particular, the topics of hardware, wireless radio, networks, mobile edge cloud and tactile Internet applications are combined and driven forward by means of holistic 5G research, which is unique worldwide. The 5G Lab GmbH organizes the largest annual IEEE 5G Summit and is actively involved in the Smart Systems Hub Dresden.
Silicon Saxony e.V.
With more than 500 members, Silicon Saxony is Saxony's largest high-tech network and one of the largest microelectronics and IT clusters in Germany and Europe. As a self-financed association, Silicon Saxony has been connecting manufacturers, suppliers, service providers, colleges/universities, research institutes, public institutions and industry-relevant start-ups in Saxony and beyond since its foundation in 2000.
Unser Angebot
We are a hub that brings together the various players in the world of industrial automation. We do this as simply and straightforwardly as possible with our co-innovation projects. To this end, we have various formats that give the participants space but also a framework for finding ideas and solutions.
MichaelKaiser
CEO
EricHeidel
Business Development & Sales
Let's get to know each other
Every relationship starts with getting to know each other. This is particularly important to us, because we don't want to shape the future for you, but together with you.