MakerSpace from UnternehmerTUM uses new 3D printer on loan for pioneering prototypes
Promoting inspiration from start-ups in high-tech workshop
Promotion of innovations based on the core business areas of "Paper" and "Renewable Energy"
The Koehler Group has been promoting start-ups for several years. Only recently, a strategic cooperation was announced with UnternehmerTUM, the leading centre for start-ups and innovation in Europe founded by Susanne Klatten in 2002. As part of the start-up collaboration, Koehler Invest is now providing UnternehmerTUM's MakerSpace with a BigRep PRO 3D printer for one year. BigRep is one of the world's leading companies in large-scale 3D printing for accelerating innovation processes and making manufacturing processes more flexible and digital.
Inspiring the next generation of inventors and start-ups
The Koehler Group has bundled its start-up activities under Koehler Invest GmbH, for which Philipp Prechtl has been Managing Director since 1 November. The focus is on innovations from the Koehler Group's core business areas in order to drive forward future technologies and strengthen entrepreneurship in Germany.
UnternehmerTUM's MakerSpace is a high-tech workshop with locations in Garching and Munich and promotes students and professionals, start-ups and also self-employed people through innovative manufacturing technologies. The BigRep PRO 3D printer will be located in Munich's Urban Colab, following the BigRep ONE, which is located on UnternehmerTUM's campus in Garching. Kai Furler, CEO of the Koehler Group, emphasises: "With the new strategic partnership with UnternehmerTUM, we want to support and promote forward-looking innovations, especially for our core business areas of paper and renewable energy. BigRep's large-scale 3D printer will provide meaningful support to start-ups for new product innovations."
Production of prototypes and small series made possible
The Koehler Group has purchased the BigRep PRO and is making it available to the Makerspace free of charge for a period of one year. The system, which was developed for industrial applications, enables the production of prototypes as well as larger batches of components, giving inventors and developers the opportunity to develop technologies faster and bring them to market. Previous spin-offs of the MakerSpace include, for example, "Curfboard" with their surf skateboards, vertical farming by "Agrilution" and unmanned aerial vehicles by "HORYZN". With the BigRep PRO, start-ups have the opportunity to break new ground and find answers to today's most urgent questions. Dr. Sven Thate, Managing Director of BigRep, says: "Product and development cycles are becoming shorter and shorter. At the same time, products are being continuously improved in an increasingly agile manner through rapid iterations and brought to market maturity. Our large-format additive manufacturing solutions offer the flexibility to print both prototypes, moulds, e.g. for the production of carbon fibre-reinforced components, but also production aids and small series for market launch." The BigRep PRO offers a wide range of automated functions for the simple, fast and high-quality production of large plastic components, both with bio-based and fibre-reinforced materials.
Start-ups and inventors are provided with a professional infrastructure in the MakerSpace to turn their own ideas into prototypes in the shortest possible time. Florian Küster, Managing Director of UnternehmerTUM's MakerSpace GmbH, says: "The equipment saves the teams time and costs in development, which reduces the risk for young start-ups. Koehler has been a successful supporter of our innovation ecosystem and with the BigRep PRO, we are particularly pleased to have the latest addition for large-format 3D printing in our machine park."
On 16 December, the 3D printer was officially handed over to the MakerSpace for a year in the presence of representatives from all parties involved.
www.koehler.com
