Dr. Maiser, what was the motivation behind the 'Startup Machine' project?
■ Machine learning, augmented reality, drones and blockchain - these are just some of the trends that are becoming increasingly important for machine and plant manufacturers and that are usually implemented by start-ups. However, start-ups often not only contribute new technologies to trending topics, but also new ways of working that can be very valuable for the entire industry, such as fablabs, co-working spaces or agile teams. Conversely, mechanical and plant engineering is a huge user industry with a very broad range of applications that most start-ups do not perceive as an obvious customer.

Both sides can benefit from each other. However, the multitude of topics and players in the start-up community are difficult to keep track of. Start-up scouting and services are not yet specialized in mechanical engineering. So how do companies find suitable partners, how does cooperation become fruitful and what are the recipes for success from other industries? Our motivation was to answer these questions.

Which services are already available and which will follow?
■ In the past, the VDMA has already offered start-up activities in the individual specialist areas and cross-sectional departments - from Industry 4.0 hackathons with specific specialist references, for example from textile or plastics machine construction, to speed dating with mechanical engineers from the field of electronics and microtechnology, to skunkworks in robotics and automation or start-up working methods with companies from Baden-Württemberg. With VDMA Startup-Machine, we have created a central point of contact for the first time.

However, the Startup-Machine is not only intended to bring together existing activities, but also to serve as an incubator for new ideas. The aim is to use a start-up radar to create a comprehensive overview of the players relevant to the mechanical engineering scene and their products. In addition, new cooperation concepts and other event formats such as digital innovation journeys and hands-on training will bring selected start-ups together with mechanical engineers. We thus offer matchmaking with mechanical engineering relevance.

And how do you want to find the right start-ups or arouse their interest?
■ We have already worked with a whole range of start-ups and generated attention in this way. We also gain access to new companies from the scene through our events and our contacts to the networks of universities and Fraunhofer Institutes, banks and trade fair companies.

However, we have so far lacked comprehensive visibility in the start-up community - for the association and for the mechanical engineering sector as a whole - on a global scale. That is why we are currently exploring a cooperation with an organization that has a large international start-up portfolio. The aim is then to find those start-ups from a large pool that are of interest to our members.

What is the roadmap for the future?
■ The link between VDMA Startup-Machine and the Competence Center Future Business, our think tank for mechanical and plant engineering, ensures a connection to future topics. There, we identify current trends for mechanical engineering and, above all, make complex topics with great potential for change tangible for companies. With VDMA Corporate Foresight, we also take care of strategies on how technology foresight can be implemented in companies and provide answers to uncertainties in times of disruptive change.

We have set up our own task forces for Startup Machine and Future Business, in which participating trade associations, cross-sectional departments and regional associations work together. Through them, we ensure a broad knowledge and communication base and can feed in fresh ideas. The task forces are thus a network of expertise in the various clusters and cross-sectional issues of mechanical engineering and its user industries in the VDMA. With this approach, we can advance the mechanical engineering sector with foresight.