Innovations that make a difference: Once more, in 2023, IPG Automotive receives the TOP 100 seal for particularly innovative SMEs.
After ranking in second place at the TOP 100 innovation competition in 2022, the specialist for virtual test driving has now been awarded the TOP 100 seal again. The company is therefore, in its second participation in the competition, repeatedly part of the top innovators in the SME sector.
Founded in 1984 as a project spin-off from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), the medium-sized IT company develops simulation and test solutions for virtual test driving that are applied internationally in the vehicle development process. Virtual prototypes enable to adopt the Automotive Systems Engineering approach while new vehicle components and functions are developed, tested and validated.
“Since the foundation of our company it has been our goal to develop innovative solutions that shape the mobility and vehicle development of the future”, states President and CEO Steffen Schmidt, outlining the guiding principle of now more than 400 employees. “To drive and cover current trends in the development process, we are thus continuously improving our solution portfolio. Currently, we are putting a strong focus on the democratization of vehicle development for example, which allows no-experts to use simulation as well.”
The repeated distinction rejoices the CEO of the company: “To be part of the TOP 100 again shows that our company is future oriented. By constantly driving innovations, we are perfectly prepared for future challenges. Whether in the field of vehicle development or in the optimization of internal processes – we try to consciously shape the future in an innovative way.”
TOP 100: The competition
At the core of the innovation competition TOP 100 stands a scientific assessment that examines innovation indicators from five categories: Innovation-friendly senior management, climate of innovation, innovative processes and organization, outward looking and open innovation as well as successful innovations. In principle, the key question of the competition is whether a company’s innovations are simply a product of chance, or if they are planned systematically and therefore reproducible in the future. The competition puts a special emphasis on where and how new products and updates establish on the market.
The seal of approval is attributed at three different size categories: up to 50, 51 to 200 and more than 200 employees. In 2023, the 30. anniversary of the innovation competition, a total of 550 SMEs applied. 300 of them have been successful and now bear the TOP 100 seal.
During the awards ceremony in Augsburg at the German SME Summit on June 23, mentor Ranga Yogeshwar will congratulate the top innovators of 2023.
