Networks and cooperation
Festo research partners
The trusting collaboration with strategic partners has a high significance for Festo: By maintaining active network activities and dialogue with partners from business, science and politics, Festo can quickly pick up on impetus from the global research environment.
In targeted research collaborations and joint projects, Festo develops future-oriented technologies together with its partners and thus makes a key contribution to securing its top technological position over the long term.
The dynamic developments in the different areas of technology enable new, future-oriented solution methods. In this respect, complex technological questions require an effective interplay between various specialists beyond professional and organisational boundaries.
Festo practises a research and innovation culture based on partnership. Together with network partners, Festo develops future perspectives and intelligent approaches and thus contributes to securing Germany as a technology location.
Open Innovation
Opening up the innovation process beyond company boundaries (open innovation) expands a company's own technological perspectives. Festo uses research collaboration as well as nationally and internationally funded joint projects for this purpose. By transferring scientific knowledge to industrial applications, Festo manages to bring about landmark innovations.
As a partner in joint projects, besides its technical expertise and project management competence, Festo also contributes its many years of experience in putting together project consortia as well as applying for and administrating funding projects.
Networks
Here is a selection of the regional, national and international networks Festo is involved in:
ARENA 2036 research campus
The ARENA2036 research campus (“Active Research Environment for the Next Generation of Automobiles”) is a new form of cooperation, in which partners from science and business research future topics under one roof together relating to production and lightweight construction on the premises of Stuttgart University The main emphasis of the new research factory is on developing intelligent, multi-material lightweight construction for the automotive production of the future with the focus on Industry 4.0.
innBW
innBW, the innovation alliance of Baden-Württemberg, is an association of 12 non-profit, business-related research institutes, which work in important fields of the future. They are institutionally funded by the state and make a considerable contribution to the transfer of technology. The innovation alliance thus plays a key role for the research and technology policy of the State of Baden-Württemberg. Festo is an innovation partner and on the board of the institutes involved.
microTEC South-West
The cross-sectoral technology cluster in the south-west of Germany was honoured in 2010 as a national cutting-edge cluster. In the field of microsystem technology, it is one of the largest networks in Europe with over 360 partners. Festo is a network partner and represented on the board of the association.
More about microTEC South-West
Fluid engineering in the VDMA
The fluid engineering specialist association in the VDMA supports the interests of 200 German hydraulics, pneumatics and sealing technology manufacturers and thus represents over 85 per cent of the German market. It is also an important platform for the mutual exchange of information. Festo is on the board of the fluid engineering specialist association and is also active in the pre-competitive joint research in the fluid engineering research fund.
European technology platform, ManuFuture
ManuFuture is an important industrial platform for exchanging information about all topics in the field of production and it is used as an instrument of EU innovation policy. The members – companies, associations, research institutes and universities – formulate strategic research agendas for European industry. Festo is represented in the International Support Group (preparation of strategies) and the High Level Group (decision-making body).
All you need to know about ManuFuture
EFFRA – European Factories of the Future Research Association
EFFRA is an industrial association founded by Manufuture and leading industrial associations, which pools private and public resources to back market-oriented projects in the European Union. Festo is respresented on the board and works on the Public Private Partnership Board together with the European commission on the formulation of new funding tenders.
Industry 4.0 platform
In the platform, representatives from politics, associations and trade unions as well as from business and science, together shape the digital structural change in industry. Festo is involved in the platform's steering committee and in working committees.
About the Industry 4.0 platform