Digital Hub Logistics - nerve centre of innovations in Hamburg

28 September 2021

Established companies meet start-ups - interview with Johannes Berg, Managing Director of the Innovationshub, on the logistics of the future

The Digital Hub Logistics Hamburg brings together companies, investors, start-ups, research and education in the heart of the historic Speicherstadt. An international network of movers and shakers in the logistics sector is treading down new paths to come up with digital solutions for the logistics of tomorrow. In an interview with Hamburg News, Johannes Berg, Managing Director of the Digital Hub Logistics Hamburg, highlights the hub’s commonalities with a gym, the challenges facing the logistics sector and gives insight into plans for the future.

Hamburg News: You are the Managing Director of the Digital Hub Logistics in Hamburg. What is the hub's task?

Johannes Berg: The Digital Hub Logistics links up start-ups, companies, investors and research institutions to jointly develop digital innovations for the logistics industry of the future. Put more precisely, we test, validate and scale new processes, products and business models along the entire logistics value chain with our partners in research and commerce. The hub is like a gym for digital innovations in logistics.

Hamburg News: Und wie genau sieht dieses Fitnessstudio aus?

Berg: Bei dem Digital Hub Logistics handelt es sich in erster Linie um einen physischen Ort: Unser Büro in der Hamburger Speicherstadt. Hier bieten wir unseren Kooperationspartnern einen Arbeitsplatz, an dem sie fernab vom eigenen Büro oder Homeoffice miteinander ins Gespräch kommen und gemeinsam an der Entwicklung neuer Geschäftsideen arbeiten können. Das klingt zunächst relativ simpel, ist für den Entstehungsprozess von Innovationen aber sehr wichtig. Neben dem physischen Ort versuchen wir allerdings auch mit verschiedenen Veranstaltungs- und Workshop-Formaten den bunten Blumenstrauß an Menschen und Ideen in unserem Umfeld zu vernetzen.

Hamburg News: Wenn der Hub vor allem ein Treffpunkt ist, wie sind Sie dann durch die Pandemie gekommen?

Berg: So wie die meisten anderen Unternehmen auch: Mit Teams, Zoom, Webex und Co. So langsam füllt sich der Hub aber wieder und wir sind froh auch physisch wieder Veranstaltungen durchführen zu können. Bei allen Vorzügen der digitalen Kommunikation – eine Cola oder ein Bier von Angesicht zu Angesicht ist für den Austausch einfach besser als ein digitales Moodboard.

Hamburg News: Can you name start-ups and companies that have been involved in the hub so far?

Berg: Corporate partners from the very start include Hamburger Hafen und Logistik AG, Ingenics, Dakosy and Lufthansa Industry Solutions GmbH. In recent years, they have been joined by the Nagel Group, Gebrüder Heinemann, Krone, Tchibo, Auerbach Schifffahrt, NSB Schifffahrt, Helm AG, Elokon and Volkswagen Konzernlogistik. Maritime start-ups like Navisense, Searoutes, Closelink, Nautiluslog or Boxxport are likely to send pulses in Hamburg racing. But start-ups like Kiezbringer, Angel or Priojet are home-grown in Hamburg. Our network also includes start-ups that are not permanently based in Hamburg, for instance, Munich’s Everstox, the Logistics Cloud in Bavaria or Luxembourg’s Waves.

Hamburg News: What are your greatest successes so far?

Berg: Quantifying success in an innovation ecosystem is always difficult. However, more than 30 pilot projects have been launched between companies and start-ups and that speaks for itself. Personally speaking, the success of the Digital Hub lies in the fact that very different people come here and manage to implement their wild expansion plans more or less quickly. They enjoy their combined achievements and support each other in the event of setbacks.

Hamburg News: What are the biggest challenges in logistics at present?

Berg: Clearly, climate protection and sustainability. The logistics sector can use technological innovations especially digital solutions to prepare the backbone of a wide range of industries for the future. The internationality of the industry is also an important lever. Our hub reflects that as it brings together start-ups from Estonia, Luxembourg, France, Poland, Singapore, Sweden and the Netherlands, among others.

Hamburg News: The logistics industry is international. Why is the hub based in Hamburg?

Berg: Hamburg is known as a gateway to the world. That applies to our goal of bringing digital innovations to the world. Digital ship logs, for instance, are used worldwide or software and digital platforms that improve the management of tugs in ports all over the world.

Hamburg News: Lastly, let’s look towards the future. What are the hub’s next goals?

Berg: We want to expand the hub in 2022 and turn it into the main point of contact for innovations in logistics in central Hamburg. To do so, we will expand the area of the hub to over 3,000 square metres.

Hamburg News: Thank you for the interview Mr. Berg.

fa/sb/pb

Sources and further information

digitalhublogistics.hamburg

ITS World Congress 2021 in Hamburg

The ITS World Congress is being held in Hamburg under the theme of "Experience Future Mobility Now" from October 11 to 15, 2021. The Hanseatic city is gearing up to present the latest trends in digitalisation, mobility and logistics with its and international partners. Doors in the exhibition halls will open for a free public day on October 14 and at select public spaces with staged events, technical demonstration tours and live demonstrations. Those interested in Public Day can register on https://itsworldcongress.com/publicday/

The Hanseatic city has prepared six fields of action including data and information, intelligent traffic control, guidance and intelligent infrastructure, intelligent parking, mobility as a service, as well as automated and connected driving for the congress. The city has earmarked 42 out of 172 ITS projects as anchors that are particularly important for achieving its objectives. These so-called anchor projects include the Hamburg Electric Autonomous Transportation (HEAT) autonomous shuttle bus and the cycle traffic counting network with thermal imaging cameras.