Webinar Insights: VDMA and prototype.club answer your questions

The great interest in this concept was reflected in numerous questions, which we would like to answer again in detail afterwards.

Are innovation challenges only relevant for certain industries?

Answer from VDMA – Max Stein, Juliane Salten: In our experience, the „innovation challenge“ method is not limited to a specific industry or niche. With the prototype.club, we in the VDMA Startup Machine have found that these challenges are applicable and effective across all industries, just like the fields of activity of our member companies. They show great interest in innovative startup solutions, which makes it clear that a new format is needed to meet the growing demand for fresh ideas and solutions.

Response from prototype.club – Christian Schweizer: Prototype.club is like a Swiss army knife for innovation — versatile and always useful. Our method works excellently in areas such as digitalization, engineering and manufacturing, but also in business models and hardware. So far, we have not found an area in which our approach does not work. It is fascinating to see how our tools can be used in such different fields.

What interest do startups have in participating?

Answer from VDMA – Max Stein, Juliane Salten: We are experiencing a large influx and interest in the association in order to get in touch with member companies and decision-makers. Startups pursue several goals with their participation in challenges. On the one hand, they want to present their innovative solutions and ideas to a broad public and thereby gain media attention. On the other hand, they are specifically looking for opportunities to network and cooperate with established companies in order to accelerate their business development, and we in the VDMA offer a large pool of contacts with internal and external experts.

Answer from prototype.club – Christian Schweizer: We look for startups via various expert networks and focus on a targeted approach instead of mass communication. This allows us to identify specific and suitable startups for their projects and establish active, direct communication, which in turn promotes interest in the challenge.

How does the call for a challenge work and is the company involved in the selection process?

Answer from prototype.club – Christian Schweizer: We take care of the pre-selection. Companies can enter the process flexibly, either closely accompanying the scouting from the outset or participating at a later stage. Both approaches have proven successful and are adapted to the company’s resources. In addition, the challenge can be carried out anonymously if desired, which offers additional security and flexibility. This flexible and tried-and-tested approach ensures that the company’s needs are optimally taken into account.

What are the success factors and how does integration into the company work after the competition?

Answer from prototype.club – Christian Schweizer: Successful collaborations are based on clear expectations and well-formulated challenges. A common obstacle is communication – if implementation takes too long, you often lose momentum. That’s why clearly defined offers and the right questions are crucial: What do you need? What have you already tried? Successful integration requires careful planning and support right from the start.

Answer from the VDMA – Max Stein, Juliane Salten: We see great potential in startup collaborations for our member companies, but also for the VDMA and Startup-Machine. It requires flexibility, openness and rehearsing how to deal with mistakes, which can also make a decisive contribution to success. With prototype.club, we have a strong partner at our side who reliably supports our member companies from the initial idea through to implementation. And innovation challenges can unleash great potential and reveal new opportunities, especially for smaller companies. The prototypes are tested, provided with the necessary resources and then implemented within the respective project framework.

How do I create a good transition to implementation in the company?

Answer from VDMA – Max Stein, Juliane Salten: For us as VDMA Startup-Machine, the focus is on supporting our member companies in their business field and therefore, in this reorientation, we rely on the initiation of startup cooperations that are characterized by low risk and a short tome-to-market; accompanied by a clear focus and responsibilities. At the same time, our studies have shown that the more often cooperation takes place, the greater the satisfaction. Gathering continuous experience and developing new practices are therefore crucial for implementation.

Answer from prototype.club – Christian Schweizer: There is no universal key to implementation. A low-threshold entry without major risk or investment is often the best start and this is exactly where we support the process with prototype.club. The VDMA Startup Machine offers additional coaching for members and helpful content to support the realization of the cooperation. It acts as a central point of contact and offers valuable resources to ensure a smooth transition.

Conclusion

The webinar made it clear how important and fruitful cooperation between established companies and start-ups can be. Both sides can benefit considerably from targeted cooperation and innovation competitions. With clearly formulated goals and a targeted approach, VDMA Startup-Machine and prototype.club create the framework for successful partnerships.

The journey of innovation has only just begun. We are excited about the creative solutions that will emerge from this collaboration and look forward to shaping the future together. What is your challenge?