Siemens expands frontier partner programme for manufacturing-focused start ups

By Niraj M Wanikar, Chief Editor, CNCTimes.com, 2015-06-29 17:20:32

Combining Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurial spirit with its own engineering expertise, Siemens announced the expansion of the startup Frontier Partner program run by Siemens Technology to Business (TTB) and Siemens’ product lifecycle management (PLM) software organisation. The Frontier Partner program deepens Siemens’ long-standing ties to the area as it continues to find, fund, and forge the breakthrough technologies that will harness the power of data and accelerate the development and manufacturing of tomorrow’s innovative products.

The Frontier Partner program grants manufacturing-focused startups access to Siemens’ PLM software, its technology partner program, and other developmental resources. Siemens PLM Software is a leading global provider of digital software solutions that address areas such as product development, manufacturing, product data management and manufacturing operations management.

Siemens has already enrolled several startup companies into the Frontier Partner program as part of a pilot focusing on 3D printing innovations. With today’s announcement, Siemens is expanding the Frontier Partner program to entrepreneurs with a focus on robotics technologies.

In addition to the more than $1 billion Siemens invests annually in the US for research and development, this latest digital entrepreneurial initiative from Siemens is aimed at getting innovations to market quicker by building on existing, industry-proven tools. With a presence in Silicon Valley since the 1950s, Siemens envisions a future where Silicon Valley companies will infuse the excitement and creativity seen in consumer-focused apps into industrial software that will increase productivity, efficiency, speed-to-market and flexibility in modern manufacturing.

Founded in 1999 in Berkeley, California, Siemens TTB aims to nurture partnerships with startups to connect thousands of engineers, scientists and entrepreneurs to business opportunities around the globe. TTB is part of the Siemens Corporate Technology unit, which is comprised of some 7,400 of the world’s most talented innovators, scientists, engineers and technical experts from over two dozen countries.

“The Frontier Partner program joins a long line of Siemens Technology to Business programs that partner with startups to add value to our core and future businesses so we can better serve our customers,” said Mr Chenyang Xu, General Manager, Siemens Technology to Business Berkeley. “The startups accepted into this program demonstrate excellence in developing unique and innovative technologies and partnering with Siemens can bring the scale and scope necessary to help their business succeed.”

The Frontier Partner program supports startups in the product development phase. Startups accepted into the pilot receive a year-long development license to a comprehensive suite of Siemens’ PLM software that enables them to develop the new product. Additionally, participants have access to Siemens development mentors and other technology partners who utilize Siemens software.

“Businesses across the globe in industries from autos to aerospace to consumer electronics are constantly striving to get products to market faster and more efficiently,” said Mr Chuck Grindstaff, CEO and President, Siemens PLM Software. “Our PLM software solutions are being utilized today by virtually every segment of the industrial base worldwide, helping to enable the next era of advanced manufacturing. We’re proud to offer our tools to Frontier Partner startups as they work to bring their own manufacturing-focused innovations to market.”

• Follow @CNCTimes