GERMANY – Working hand in hand with 18 partner companies, Siemens AG is founding “MindSphere World”, a worldwide for the cloud-based open IoT operating system MindSphere.

Its aim is to expand the global reach of the ecosystem based on MindSphere. The organization is also designed to afford support to its individual members in developing and improving IoT solutions on the MindSphere platform and in tapping new markets in the digital economy. This will include suggestions about the requirements placed on the IoT operating system MindSphere by the industry and recommendations on setting out uniform rules for data utilization. Another role of the organization will be to promote science, research, and teaching in the MindSphere environment.

“The foundation of MindSphere World represents another major step forward in promoting the ecosystem surrounding MindSphere as an open IoT platform. The broad-based expertise and the offering of all the MindSphere World partners will open up totally new digitalization potential for users everywhere,” said Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG Klaus Helmrich.

The inaugural meeting of MindSphere World took place in the recently opened innovative development and work environment “MindSphere OpenSpace”, a part of the new branch of Factory Berlin. Over an office space of more than 13,000 square meters, Factory Berlin – an initiative supported by the German Government, Siemens and other companies – brings established technology companies together with developers and startups. The key focus of the new startup campus is the Internet of Things. On the threshold of the age of digitalization, the “MindSphere OpenSpace” creates ideal conditions for the MindSphere World members and other users such as startups to drive forward the development of apps and digital services and to tap whole new markets.

Jan Mrosik, Chair of the Management Board of MindSphere World and CEO of the Siemens Digital Factory Division, added: “By bringing together a worldwide community comprising industrial and IT companies of all sizes from all sectors of industry as well as startups, we aim to establish and drive forward an ecosystem based on MindSphere. With this end in mind, the Association members are joining to form MindSphere World – initially in Germany and then extending out into the international arena.”

The founder members of “MindSphere World” alongside Siemens AG include: ASM Assembly Systems GmbH & Co. KG, Chiron Group SE, Eisenmann SE, Festo AG & Co. KG, Gebr. Heller Maschinenfabrik GmbH, Grob-Werke GmbH & Co. KG, Heitec AG, Index-Werke GmbH & Co. KG, J. Schmalz GmbH, Kampf Schneid- und Wickeltechnik GmbH & Co. KG, Kolbus GmbH & Co. KG, Kuka Aktiengesellschaft, FFG Europe & Americas (MAG IAS GmbH), Nordischer Maschinenbau Rud. Baader GmbH + Co. KG, Rittal GmbH & Co. KG, Sick AG, Trumpf Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH + Co. KG and Michael Weinig AG.