Digitalization is changing the way people live, cook and do housework. New technologies are coming to dominate the home appliances market at ever shorter intervals. Speed is of the essence when it comes to offering consumers new solutions for their rapidly changing everyday routines and helping them improve their lives. BSH Hausgeräte recently announced a partnership with Techstars, the worldwide network that helps entrepreneurs succeed, to launch “BSH Future Home Accelerator Powered by Techstars.”
Beginning July 23, 2018, applications are being accepted from early stage companies with innovative digital business models that want to accelerate their ideas around the connected kitchen of the future home. Those accepted into the program will receive focused coaching as well as access to a wide network of mentors, specialists and investors from BSH and Techstars.
The “BSH Future Home Accelerator Powered by Techstars” program is strategically designed to attract startups and offer them mentorship. The program also helps BSH gain early insight into new digital business models and technologies, and shape faster, new solutions for the consumer interested in the connected home. These tactics are pivotal to solidifying BSH’s strategic goal to become a Hardware+ company and to be a leader in digital services for the connected kitchen.
“As a company focused on improving our customer’s quality of life, BSH is forging a path to be the leader in digital services for the connected kitchen,” said Karsten Ottenberg, chairman, BSH Management Board. “To be successful in this rapidly evolving space, it is important to continually expand our digital capabilities and align ourselves with the most innovative startups and technology – which we will achieve together with Techstars through this accelerator program.”
Within BSH, this accelerator program will be overseen by the Digital Business Unit (DBU), a team established at the beginning of 2018 to propel the development of new digital business models. Through the DBU, BSH aims to identify, test and scale potential digital business models rapidly through agile working methods and entrepreneurial freedom. A key component of this strategy includes strategic investments in startups.
“Imaginative people are working on new and creative ideas in the startup scene,” says Mario Pieper, DBU head. “We’ll work with Techstars to seek out those entrepreneurial individuals and offer them a chance to develop their ideas further with us. The aim is to expand startups quickly into successful full-scale companies – and thus potential partners for BSH.”
Ken Briodagh is a writer and editor with more than a decade of experience under his belt. He is in love with technology and if he had his druthers would beta test everything from shoe phones to flying cars.Edited by
Ken Briodagh
