The end result should be the start-up garage of tomorrow: with high-tech equipment and tailored entirely to the needs of young companies.

Developing professional hardware prototypes requires more than can be found in your own garage: special components, expensive machines and, last but not least, the know-how to perfect the product. The start-up landscape has so far lacked an optimized offering for this step between the initial idea and the creation of a prototype that is ready for series production.

This is where the research project comes in: The aim is to develop a flexible, cost-effective laboratory environment that takes into account as many of these problems as possible and anticipates solutions. Frequently occurring needs in product development are addressed in a standardized form. This also involves determining what a division of the value chain might look like. Modularization can ensure that the company's central know-how remains in place even in complex technology chains.

In order to identify problems and needs, start-ups and SMEs are invited to test the implementation of their new product developments within the platform, as it is well known that the best way to learn is from real cases. As very different projects are to be expected, several laboratories will be set up that can be flexibly equipped.

At the same time, Fraunhofer IZM scientists will anonymously monitor the relevant steps and iteration cycles from a technological perspective and from the point of view of production requirements. The resulting findings will also be transferred to the institute's existing high-tech labs in order to open them up to start-ups.

"Our vision is to be able to offer comprehensive development expertise, from high-tech and time-efficient standard solutions for specific problems to know-how transfer concepts," says Ulf Oestermann, project manager, summarizing the idea. He has start-up experience himself and is certain that new, standardizable approaches are urgently needed in hardware development.

Ultimately, the "start-up garage of tomorrow" should be able to be set up by future project partners at any location and give the hardware start-up scene a new boost.

The 'Start-a-Factory' project was made possible by funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the State of Berlin and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).