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Topic

Topic

Innovation

Forging new paths and turning original ideas into reality: on KfW Stories we feature projects and companies that are looking to the future with innovative solutions.

Image-Reference

On our website, pictures taken, among others, by the following photographers/photo agencies are used:

Agentur photothek.net, Deutsche Messe Hannover, Andreas Arnold, Jörg Böthling, Dominik Butzmann, Carsten Costard, Susanne Esche, Charlie Fawell, Rendel Freude, Torsten George, Gaby Gerster, David Greedy, Peter Himsel, Barbara Högner, Frank Homann, Fred Hoogervorst, Steffen Jagenburg (BRANSCH EUROPE), Thomas Klewar, Studio Kohlmeier , Florian Kopp, Georg Lopata, Jürgen Lösel, Kirsten Milhahn, Rüdiger Nehmzow, Rolf Obertreis, Rubén Arnaldo Farina Ortiz, Holger Peters, Joachim Röttgers, Mika Schmidt, Bernhard Schurian, Jens Steingässer, Pietro Sutera, Uwe Tölle, Jan Zappner.

Fotolia.com: amandare, Yuri Arcurs, Kitch Bain, Ingo Bartussek, Sergio Donà, drizzd, Dmitry Ersler, eyewave, Zoltán Futó, Eric Gevaert, Fotolia XXV, Friedberg, goodluz, Dirk Hoffmann, imageteam, Christian Jung, Abdelhamid Kalai, Sergej Khakimullin, Vladimir Kolobov, krizz7, Kzenon, lumen-digital, marog-pixcells, Mindwalker, Miredi, mirpic, Nebuto, Tino Neitz, Christian Pedant, Franz Pfluegl, prognone, Gina Sanders, Henry Schmitt, spree berlin, SVLuma, Kheng Guan Toh, tom, Torbz, typomaniac, VRD, Joachim Wendler, Sreedhar Yedlapati.

Read the interview with Heliatek-CEO Guido van Tartwijk
Two man attaching solarfilms onto a wall

"On virtually any surface"

Heliatek CEO Guido van Tartwijk on his organic solar films, the solar market of the future and the most important decision in the company's history.

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man with mobile mapping system in a warehouse with boats.

Google Maps for buildings

The Munich-based company NavVis creates digital copies of buildings.

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teammeeting

From niche provider to global player

Berlin-based fintech company Mambu bet early on cloud solutions for financial services providers. Today it is valued at 1.7 billion euros.

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Building with flat roof. On the wooden wall it says

The world's greenest battery

Northvolt wants to become Europe's leading battery manufacturer - with the help of KfW IPEX-Bank, which is co-financing the expansion of its cell production. On 25 March 2024, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck and KfW CEO Stefan Wintels broke ground for the new GigaFactory in Heide/Schleswig-Holstein.

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Rocket in space, flying above globe.

Reaching for the stars

Munich-based rocket building company Isar Aerospace is expected to launch satellites into Earth orbit from 2023.

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A person films people in a square with a smartphone

Managing projects remotely

Maintaining the ability to act despite the pandemic, including in fragile contexts – Remote Management, Monitoring and Verification (RMMV) makes it possible to manage projects from a distance. It gives donors a better overview and increases target group participation, but it also carries new risks.

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Die Firma Sonotec aus Halle fertigt Spezialgeräte für Ultraschalltechnik an.

Ultrasounds for everything

SONOTEC is a German firm that manufactures special devices for ultrasound applications. Innovation has been a fixture in its day-to-day operations for almost 30 years. We take a closer look at this cradle of invention.

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nurse

Protection against hospital germs

Patients become infected with pathogens as many as 700,000 times a year during a stay in hospital. In order to optimise hand hygiene in hospitals, the start-up GWA Hygiene relies on artificial intelligence.

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Mayor Claus Madsen in the clock tower of the city hall in Rostock

With a smile

When it comes to digitalisation, Rostock looks to Scandinavia and the Baltic States as its role models and is investing in smart apps, public spaces and digital civic participation. This has led to it become one of the winners of the Smart Cities Pilot Projects competition. A visit to the city.

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Smart Cities illustration

“From zero to digital”

The coronavirus crisis has given many municipalities a technological development boost. Others are already benefiting from their modern standard. Four role models from the “Smart Cities Pilot Projects” competition run by the German Federal Ministry of Housing and KfW.

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Digitalisation in Kaiserslautern

A boost for digitalisation

Municipalities in Germany are anticipating a push towards digitalisation due to the coronavirus crisis. In an interview, economist Johannes Steinbrecher discusses the results of the KfW Municipal Panel 2020. He expects benefits from technological solutions.

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Kay Pöhler

An opportunity for cities

Municipalities can use digitalisation to become more efficient, save money and reduce emissions. KfW and the German Federal Ministry of Housing are running a smart cities competition to create incentives for this to happen.

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Sebastian Klauke

“Technology has to serve the customer“

For 68 years, shoppers browsed through the Otto catalogue. For a year now, they can place their orders online only. This means that the Otto Group suddenly finds itself competing with global giants like Amazon. Sebastian Klauke is managing this digital transformation.

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Kristin Preßler, Chief Operating Officer bei Rhebo

Laboratory of the future

Five young companies in Dresden and Leipzig are developing innovative solutions – to reduce energy consumption, in biotechnology and housing.

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M-BIRR

Safe and cashless payments

With M-BIRR, Ethiopians can now transfer money using their mobile phones without having a traditional bank account or Internet access.

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The path to speedy funds

The online portal Finanzcheck applies its users' credit requirements to check the terms offered by over 20 partner banks. Thanks to the market place model, they are able to address their target group directly. A profile of the Hamburg-based start-up.

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Start-up founders from Munich are developing 3D ultrasound sensors

When cars navigate like bats

The start-up founders of MEYSENS from Munich are developing 3D ultrasound sensors to give machines and robots the power of echolocation. This technology will also be important for autonomous driving.

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Sustainable composite

Doesn’t lightweight furniture buckle under pressure? Not at all! An engineer in the Bavarian town of Bad Aibling has invented a wooden composite made of sustainable raw materials, which is especially lightweight and durable at the same time.

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People in a village in Ghana using e-zwich

Digital payments – even with no internet

Many people in Ghana use cash only, especially in rural areas. Thanks to a new cash card with fingerprint ID, finance in Ghana is now more secure and efficient.

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Seven innovative companies from Germany

Ideas from Germany

Accessible cinema, paper made from grass fibres or a mobile maintenance chamber for wind turbines – seven companies exemplify the innovative power in the land of poets and philosophers.

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Founder Till Janczukowicz

Enjoying classical music – digitally

Bach and Beethoven in the digital era: streaming service Idagio delivers classical music by means of a mobile phone app. Music enthusiasts can carry out specific searches – by conductor, piece or period. But it works in other ways too: titles can be chosen depending on the mood of the listener.

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Carbon fibres close-up at Munich Composites

Sophisticated braiding technique

The company Munich Composites makes hollow plastic components. What makes them unique: the parts are shaped by braiding carbon fibres. The production line for series production came into existence with the help of private investors and KfW.

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The personal fitness sat nav

Founders in Munich have developed software for electronic fitness equipment, which recognises every member of the gym via a chip. People can then view their progress on the app or train competitively with friends. The eGym founders are hoping that this can revolutionise the fitness market around the world.

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