Innovation in action: Behind every hub lies concentrated expertise and creativity. The best cases from the de:hub initiative tell stories of pilot projects, new technologies and collaborations that are having a real impact.
Wandelbolts
Wandelbots and VW connected through the Smart Systems Hub Dresden and started their collaboration in 2018 with a project dedicated to human-robot cooperation. To date, Wandelbots has raised more than 30 million euros in funding and is now also working with Microsoft and Siemens.
Volucap
Located at the MediaTech Hub Potsdam, Volucap is the first and only volumetric studio on the European mainland. In the studio, the 3D scanning of objects and even actors is made possible, with highly realistic results. This technology paves the way for virtual reality productions such as films or games, but can also be used in the healthcare and automotive industries. Volucap was founded in cooperation with Potsdam-based companies such as UFA and Fraunhofer HHI. © Stefan Kny
Nect
Nect is an InsurTech Hub Munich Accelerator alumnus and part of the InsurTech Hub Cologne. The start-up provides AI technology for video identification. During their participation in the Accelerator Program of the InsurTech Hub Munich, they generated a lot of interest without even having a finished product yet. Nect now has over 25 business customers, including ADAC, R+V Versicherung and Telekom.
doks.innovation
Recovering supposedly lost goods, carrying out stocktaking and inventory with minimal effort, and thereby saving time and money—this is what the startup doks.innovation makes possible. To achieve this, drones scan barcodes located on the goods and on the shelves. The startup works, among others, with the logistics service provider GROUP7, one of the fastest-growing logistics companies in Europe.
apic.ai
The Karlsruhe-based startup apic.ai has set itself the goal of preserving biodiversity.
Using AI, the company collects data that can be used to investigate the causes of insect decline. Eurofins is a global market leader in ecotoxicological services. In its search for a precise tool to measure bee losses, Eurofins came across apic.ai. Since then, the two companies have already conducted several pilot projects with honeybees and bumblebees. The connection was established through CyberLab, part of the de:hub Karlsruhe.
Living brain
Around 4.5 million people in Germany suffer from cognitive impairments caused by neurological conditions. They often have to relearn even the most basic everyday activities in order to live independently again.
The startup Living Brain aims to support these people by using gamified VR technology to complement therapy. Patients are able to practice everyday tasks such as shopping in a virtual supermarket or doing gardening work. To validate this new form of therapy in clinical practice, Living Brain conducted a study in cooperation with Asklepios Kliniken.
DearEmployee
The health startup DearEmployee is cooperating with Hallesche Krankenversicherung to support companies in creating a healthy and attractive working environment.
The goal is, on the one hand, to reduce burnout risk and healthcare costs, and on the other, to increase employee motivation and employer attractiveness by designing healthy and motivating working conditions. The two companies first met during a pitch as part of the InsurLab Germany Accelerator Program.
inContAlert
inContAlert enables people with incontinence and bladder dysfunctions to live a self-determined life. The startup has developed a sensor that conveniently displays the current bladder filling level to patients on their smartphone. This helps prevent uncontrolled urine leakage and potential kidney damage. The sensor works through a sophisticated combination of infrared spectroscopy and machine-learning algorithms. The startup won the Pitch Night 2022.