Siemens has opened the first building complex of the Siemens Technology Center (STC) at Garching Research Campus, north of Munich, Germany. Around 28,000 people work at this hub which is also home to other institutions next to the Technical University of Munich (TUM), including the Max Planck Institute and SAP. As a result, the Campus is one of the largest centres for science, research and teaching in all of Europe.
“No one can solve the current challenges alone. We must accelerate collaboration with our customers and partners in the early stages of development,” said Peter Körte, Chief Technology and Chief Strategy Officer at the company. “The Siemens Technology Center, located on the same campus with TUM, international research institutions and companies, benefits from an excellent environment and will strengthen Germany’s global role in cutting-edge research.”
Two-phase approach
The company will bundle all its corporate research activities in Germany at the STC. In the first phase, around 450 employees will work on future technologies in collaboration with 150 scientists from the Technical University of Munich. The plan is to open the second building complex in 2027 with more than 630 Siemens Technology researchers and IP specialists. The STC will then be the largest of the total of about twelve central Siemens research hubs worldwide with an investment of more than €100 million in total. The newly opened building was designed and built by Siemens Real Estate and will be certified “GOLD” according to the internationally recognized sustainability standard LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). As a result, the building will make an important contribution to Siemens’ goal of becoming climate neutral in its operations by 2030.
Main areas of research
Data analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) will be used at the STC, specifically to facilitate programming, detect production breakdowns at an early stage and enable natural language communication between humans and machines. With around 3,700 AI patents, Siemens plays a leading role in the field of artificial intelligence.
Spending on research and development (R&D) rose by around €600 million to approximately €6.2 billion in fiscal 2023. These investments are focused on strengthening the company’s leading position in its core technologies, such as Simulation & Digital Twin, Data Analytics & Artificial Intelligence, Connectivity & Edge, Future of Automation or Cybersecurity & Trust, which then all come together on the open digital business platform Siemens Xcelerator. These technologies help develop, manufacture and operate industrial products more efficiently and sustainably. In all these areas, Siemens collaborates with strong partners, such as the Technical University of Munich, SAP, BMW, the Fraunhofer Institutes and business start-ups.
Commentary on the centre
“The collaboration between Siemens and TUM as part of the Industry on Campus strategy shows how a leading industrial partnership can bridge the gap between academic excellence and industrial innovation to work together on the challenges of our time and develop powerful disruptive solutions,” said Thomas F. Hofmann, President of the Technical University of Munich.
Through the joint activities with TUM, such as hackathons, lectures and the Makerspace, the STC will be much more open. Siemens experts conduct joint research with universities, research institutes, academic start-ups, tech incubators, and customers throughout the world in a total of 16 Siemens Research and Innovation Ecosystems. In these ecosystems, including the STC in Garching, Siemens is showing how the challenges of our time can be met by joining forces and speeding up the pace of innovation.
“Two international champions made in Bavaria are joining forces – success is therefore inevitable. At the Siemens Technology Center in Garching, talented people from science and industry are researching and working together under one roof to create fertile ground for innovation and technological strength. TUM as a world-class university and the global company Siemens ensure the best opportunities for the future through knowledge transfer and talent development. In Bavaria, for Bavaria – and far beyond,” stated Markus Blume, Bavaria’s State Minister for Science and the Arts.
