February 10, 2022
5
Min

Discover how startups are benefiting from ecosystems

Robert Bach, Managing Director at BEAM, joins to talk about how ecosystems are shaping the logistics industry and startup scene.

Author(s)
Robert Bach & Julian Kawohl on the Cover of "Voices of Ecosystems".

In the latest episode of "Voices of Ecosystems", I had the pleasure to welcome Robert Bach, Managing Director at BEAM, to talk about ecosystem activities in the logistics industry and the startup scene.

After his time as a consultant at Roland Berger in Munich, Robert Bach moved to Berlin. He founded the startup 'Coffee Circle' in 2010, one of the leading e-commerce websites for coffee and accessories in German-speaking countries. Today, he is managing director at BEAM, 100% family-owned by BEUMER Group (one of the world's leading intralogistics companies), as well as supporting and advising startups.

Here's a recap of the key points from the talk: 

1) The Mobility and transport industry is a good starting point for ecosystems. BEUMER Group has demonstrated this perfectly. Their core competence in transporting cement via assembly lines has allowed them to orient themselves in other Life-Areas and ecosystem domains. An excellent example of this is their ability to take advantage of new opportunities and topics in the airport, cab and postal industry. 

2) Data plays a vital role in ecosystems. Understanding data from all angles of an ecosystem is key to developing relevant solutions to any problems. Unfortunately, there is still a mindset of a "closed-loop" of data for each player in the logistics industry, and sharing it with others is not yet broadly established. However, open standards and data sharing could empower other players to create joint solutions and generate additional profits.

3) In the B2B industry, there are two general types of ecosystem business models: efficiency-driven and value-added services. An excellent example of efficiency-driven ecosystem business models is the startup 'Elara', which BEAM helped build. The company has developed software that allows production workers to interact and share information directly and digitally with other workers. Making the workflow more efficient and significantly improving job satisfaction. 

4) The startup 'Spero', which BEAM advises, is a perfect example of the "value-added service" ecosystem business model. This company has created an ecosystem solution for spare parts. The business value for spare parts and the market potential are significant. The primary supply source was to order directly from the manufacturer in the past. 'Spero' has enabled spare parts to be obtained from other machine operators in different ecosystems, as well as sharing any information about spare parts: usage, expiration, or availability through data exchange. 

5) The world and environment around us are changing rapidly, and this pace only continues to increase. For example, the trend of automation will continue to make its way into the logistics industry in the future. In addition, new augmented reality capabilities and increasing connectivity will make humans more independent and improve service levels. Collaborative partnerships in ecosystems are needed more than ever to embrace these growing trends.


Please read our other blog posts or sign up for our newsletter to learn more and stay updated. You can also use our tools to help your business here for free. Finally, if you are interested in ecosystem education, learn more about our Masterclasses here.

If you want to learn more about the topic and are also convinced about ecosystems, our book "Ecosystemize Your Business" is just the perfect thing. The book will be published soon. Learn more here.

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