Fraunhofer IESE, Deutsche Assistance, and Versicherungskammer Bayern establish Smartes Land GmbH

Working together for a digital, livable country

The Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering IESE has founded Smartes Land GmbH together with ÖRAG/Deutsche Assistance-Gruppe and Versicherungskammer Bayern. This new company has set itself the goal of shaping digitalization in both rural and urban areas in a sustainable manner. The platform solutions DorfFunk and BayernFunk from the research project “Digital Villages” initiated by Fraunhofer IESE are now being transferred to permanent operation and will be further developed and operated under one roof. Fraunhofer IESE will continue to support the further development on the technical side as a partner, while Deutsche Assistance and Versicherungskammer Bayern will be responsible for operational management and sales.

© Shirin Wiechers
Steffen Hess (Fraunhofer IESE), Shirin Wiechers (Deutsche Assistance / ÖRAG), Johannes Wagner (VKB), and Julija Barisic (VKB), who can be seen on the monitor, want to shape digitalization in rural areas in a sustainable way by founding the operating company Smartes Land GmbH.

Goals of Smartes Land GmbH

The new company aims to establish a scalable, data protection-compliant, and municipally anchored platform for digital communication in rural and urban areas. The focus is on the following aspects:

  • Technological development of the “Digital Villages” platform, including rebranding and optimization of the user experience
  • Strengthening municipal resilience through digital citizen engagement, volunteer promotion, and real-time communication
  • Long-term operational reliability of the platform through a sustainable business model and strong partner structures
     

From research to practice

The “Digital Villages” project, which originated in Rhineland-Palatinate in 2015 with the municipalities of Göllheim, Eisenberg, and Betzdorf, has developed into a nationally recognized model for digital participation and municipal networking. With over 300,000 users in Germany, the platform has established itself as a viable solution for digital communication, citizen participation, neighborhood assistance, and local information. After 10 years of research and practical testing, the time is now right to put the solution into practice and take the next logical step by founding the operating company, according to Dominik Pascal Magin, Business Area Manager Digital Innovation & Smart City at Fraunhofer IESE. “With Smartes Land GmbH, we are laying the foundation for sustainable digitization in rural and urban areas – practical, scalable, and with a clear social mission,” says Magin.

Manuel Hösle and Maximilian Frank from Fraunhofer Venture, the Fraunhofer Society's spin-off and investment management department, emphasize the strategic importance of the spin-off for the Fraunhofer Society and the visibility of IESE as a driving force for digital transformation: “We are convinced that Smartes Land GmbH has everything it takes to become a key player in digital transformation – for both rural and urban communities. As shareholders, we look forward to continuing to closely support the company's development in the future.”

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