17. January 2019
With agile innovation processes to initial ideas, prototypes and series production
The Innovation Factory on RWTH Aachen Campus allows companies to realize innovations quickly and cost-effectively in a single location – on their own or as part of a consortium. The innovation process is based on five phases: Ideation, Customer Focusing, Development, Prototyping and Industrialization. The RWTH Aachen Campus ecosystem, where academia and industry work together closely, offers the necessary infrastructure. Innovation Factory experts configure the individually required competences for a target-oriented company project team. Projects can be joined at any time and during any phase. 

Developer teams in the Innovation Factory generate creative ideas outside the constraints of their company hierarchies and day-to-day business concerns. Coaches and moderators offer hands-on support with a variety of methods. The developers take on the point of view of the customer right from the start. They prioritize individual core functions of their product idea, build on trial and error methods and gain initial insights with the help of digital tools like software simulations, augmented and virtual reality. Function and design prototypes are essential for the further development of product ideas and for initial customer feedback. All relevant machinery, technologies and test processes are available on campus. The project teams also have access to machine park experts and factory planning professionals working with the Lean Production method in order to facilitate the jump from prototype to series production. 

“Anyone can take this alternative route to innovation. The Innovation Factory is based on the ecosystem RWTH Aachen Campus. It offers absolutely everything companies will need for successful innovations”, explains Prof. Dr. Günther Schuh, initiator of the Innovation Factory. Currently, there are more than 360 companies, 260 institutes of RWTH Aachen and numerous research institutions from outside the university active on RWTH Aachen Campus. The success of the Innovation Factory has already become apparent in the development of initial lighthouse projects: the affordable e.GO Life electric car, the e.GO Mover, an electric minibus with autonomous mobility concept and the Silent Air Taxi, a small electro-hybrid airplane. 

The core team at the Innovation Factory consists of Günther Schuh and four technology and innovation management experts: Dr. Michael Riesener (Executive Senior Engineer, Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University), Toni Drescher (Managing Director, INC Invention Center), Dr. Christian Dölle (Senior Engineer, Department Head Innovation Management, Laboratory for Machine Tools and Production Engineering (WZL) of RWTH Aachen University) and Dr. Casimir Ortlieb (CEO, e.GO Digital GmbH).

Further information: www.rwth-if.com 

Innovation Factory | RWTH Aachen Campus

Campus GmbH/Moll

Caption: The Innovation Factory has access to all relevant machines, technologies and test processes for product development on RWTH Aachen Campus. 

Campus GmbH/Moll

Campus GmbH/Moll

Campus GmbH/Moll

Caption: The Innovation Factory bases its work on the five stages of the innovation process. Digital tools are used for initial insights during the development stage (image on the left). Prototypes help making initial ideas reality (middle: Rolling chassis of an electric car; right: Artificial heart).

Personal contact for companies

Press contact

Dr.-Ing. Michael Riesener
Executive Board Member
Innovation Factory | RWTH Aachen Campus
E-Mail: info-campus@rwth-aachen.de
Phone: +49 241 80-27374
Sonja Wiesner
Head of Marketing & Public Relations
Innovation Factory | RWTH Aachen Campus
E-Mail: sonja.wiesner@rwth-aachen.de
Phone:+49 241 80-25794