"This is now the fourth time that we are running the Startup Area at the EMO. It is a concept which helps to create con- nections between well-established companies in our industry and up-and-coming technology companies," says Stephanie Simon, who is in charge of organizing the EMO Startup Area on behalf of the VDW. "Our Startup Area is sold out. The strong demand despite a difficult economic situation shows that, together with the VDMA Startup Machine, we have now built up a very good reputation among startups. And they expect good business opportunities from their participation in the EMO," she says happily. In total, almost 80 startups will be exhibiting at the EMO 2025.
The participating companies will be showcasing a wide range of topics and products. In the category of Production Technology & Components, these include new components, production processes and machine solutions that make production more efficient and competitive. One of the providers of this technology is Smart Factory from the Netherlands. Co-founder Frank Westervoorde says: "Smart Factory connects CNC machines regardless of brand and provides real-time insights into production. We optimize ERP and planning systems in a similar way to navigation apps that calculate the best way to avoid traffic jams. The result is greater productivity, increased on-time delivery performance, satisfied customers and higher profits thanks to data-driven production management."
Another key category goes by the name of Smart Factory and Digital Enablement, which goes hand-in-hand perfectly with Digitalization and Artificial Intelli- gence, a focus topic at the EMO 2025. This is all about industrial IoT, AI, pro- cess digitalization and other key technologies for the networked factory. Lucas M. Schroth, CEO/co-founder of Process.Science from Hamburg, says: "We are at the EMO to show how manufacturing companies can gain new opportunities through data-driven process optimization – with our new IoT Miner for automated, actionable insights from sensor data."
Finally, the topic area of Future Services and Platform Solutions will showcase digital services, platform models and after-sales solutions, often in conjunction with new business models and sustainable approaches. SparePartsNow from Aachen are one example of this type of company. "The EMO brings the indus- try together – just like our platform, which connects five million spare parts with the people who need them every day," says Dr. Christian Hoffart, CEO of the company.
Different formats for a variety of ways to network
Established companies from the metalworking sector are keen to collaborate with startups, as they generally have a reputation for pioneering new solutions to key challenges such as smart factories, digitalization, AI-supported produc- tion optimization and much more. "With the Startup Area, we want to stimulate and inspire both sides, exhibitors and startups alike, because our entire indus- try can benefit from different ways of thinking and approaches to solutions," emphasizes Dr. Markus Heering, Executive Director of EMO organizer VDW.
To ensure that startups and established EMO exhibitors can link up well at the trade fair, the organizers have put a number of different formats in place. "The Startup Area itself will be playing host to 1:1 matchmaking on Tuesday, the second day of the trade fair. This is like a ’speed dating’ event where exhibitors can network with startup founders in three to five-minute conversations. There is also a Startup Night to allow interested parties to develop an understanding of each other in a relaxed atmosphere. In addition, we are also running daily startup tours," explains Stephanie Simon. "In this way, we are also helping startups to develop contacts with established companies and investors," she says.
The startups themselves also value the world’s leading trade fair for produc- tion technology as a valuable way to make contact with other companies and as a platform for expanding their network. "We are delighted to be part of the EMO 2025! After all, it’s not just about presenting technologies to each other; it’s also about bringing together the CNC machining industry, generating ideas and starting real collaborations. As a startup, this is the perfect place for us to present our company and get in touch with future customers who are ready to help shape the future," says Keran Sivalingam, co-founder of Refactum from Kaiserslautern, summarizing the reasons why companies are motivated to par- ticipate at the trade fair.
