About smart³

We believe that climate protection, the responsible use of resources and demographic change require social and economic adjustments. Sustainable solutions involve all stages of the product life cycle. And meaningful, needs-driven solutions are more than just technological innovations.

What is also important to us

Our network is motivated by a core technological competence: the development and completion of value chains around intelligent materials, such as smart, programmable and bionic materials. Leveraging these promises opportunities for products and service applications with high functionality and low technical complexity. We can achieve this by shifting complexity from the handling level to the material level. And to turn innovations into concrete products, we connect the people in our network. Our members are research, business, social and artistic actors. We help them find the right project partners they might never have met without us. We do this by orchestrating and networking our members across disciplines. In this way we ensure resilience, because value creation in the network secures the future of the individual.

Our guidelines

Our guidelines reflect the experience we have gained and consolidated in over 55 R&D projects since our founding in 2013.

We focus on diversity

If you want to develop radically new technologies and innovative products today, you have to think outside the box.

Your own innovative idea cannot be realized in isolation. It matures with partners who are open to getting involved. Smart3 brings together a wide range of disciplines. Our interdisciplinary collaboration has been going on for more than a decade and is so successful precisely because of the culture of networking we have created.

We live the exchange

Innovations are often created by combining elements of a different kind or recombining established ones.

The more specialized knowledge is shared, the more opportunities arise for creative and sustainable solutions. To tap this innovation potential, smart3 exchanges expertise, communicates experience and shares know-how.

We enable value creation

In addition to creativity and technological excellence, innovative product development requires economic value creation.

smart3 increases the chances of success of innovative product ideas by bringing together all the players involved in the subsequent value creation in our network.

Our goals

We focus on four key challenges for the acceptance of smart materials in our society and their economic success.

#1

Shaping the future

Lighter, stronger, more flexible: what new materials will soon be found in our everyday objects? Although research is still in its infancy, manufacturers from the energy sector to the automotive industry want to use more efficient and sustainable materials. These materials must meet very specific requirements and guarantee long life cycles. Together with our network partners, we identify and analyze new material trends.

#2

Creating market transparency

The potential of smart materials is still relatively unknown and their use in manufacturing processes is not yet common practice. We help our members identify what their customers want and integrate it into future products. It is also important to raise awareness of smart materials and their benefits.

#3

Increasing the maturity of the technology

Currently, the lack of large-scale production technologies is delaying the adoption of smart materials. Our goal is to pave the way for these technologies. We close existing gaps in the value chain by networking suitable partners.

#4

Opening up innovation processes

Innovating is fun. Changes in the business world and the innovation environment require us to think outside the box. This calls for a closer exchange between industry and research, without mutual interference. Instead of outsourcing R&D departments, we create synergies between practice and theory. In this way, we help products based on smart materials achieve a breakthrough and make them fit for the future.

Head office

At our head office, we initiate networking, coordinate many related activities and are the first point of contact for all members and interested parties. We are only too happy to mediate in cooperation requests, help with funding and answer questions about membership of the network. We are also on hand to answer any questions about smart materials.

Our network with heart creates not only business relationships, but also friendships.
Holger Kunze
Chairman of the Board
+49 351 4772 2520
Successful transfer startswith a good relationship.
Dr. Jochen Barth
Head of Dresden office

The future starts right here and now.
Michael Weißflog
AI, NewSpace & PR
+49 351 4772 2122
Form follows function follows form.
Saskia Glandien
Strategy, Product & PR
+49 351 4772 2121
Nothing in the world is as powerful as an idea whose time has come.
Enrico Wilde
Design

The smart3 association

Smart3 is a registered association whose direction is decided by its members. The board, which is largely made up of representatives of SMEs, supports the interests of our members. Our honorary members have helped us a great deal thanks to their different perspectives. We see their achievements as milestones in the further development of the association.

Our board

Holger Kunze
Chairman of the Board
Fraunhofer-Institut für Werkzeugmaschinen und Umformtechnik
Hans-Tobias Schicktanz
stellv. Vorstandsvorsitzender
Schicktanz GmbH Sohland/Spree
Dr.-Ing. Jens Böke
Member of the board
Priedemann Fassadenberatung GmbH
Dr. Alexander Czechowicz
Member of the board
Johnson Electric Germany
Dr. Markus Laufenberg
Member of the board
ETO Magnetic Group
Prof. Frithjof Meinel
Member of the board & Honorary member
Prof. Dr. Paul Motzki
Member of the board
Universität des Saarlandes
Dr. Robin Schulze
Member of the board
SITEC Industrietechnologie
Martin Weber
Member of the board
DIGALOG Industrie-Mikroelektronik GmbH

Our honorary members

Prof. Frithjof Meinel
Member of the board & Honorary member
Beate Eismann
Honorary member
Bildende Künstlerin
Hans-Peter Hiepe
Honorary member
Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung
Dr. Andreas Schönecker
Honorary member
Prof. Dr., a.D. Jörg Sydow
Honorary member
Freie Universität Berlin

Welcome to Europe's largest
network for smart materials!

Members of our smart3 network gain access to cutting-edge technologies and partners with whom they can tackle exciting projects and develop new products. By drawing on the diverse materials, design and manufacturing capabilities of our interdisciplinary network, they can gain new insights and solutions, giving them a long-term competitive advantage.

Become a member

Networking

Knowledge increases when it's shared

As an interdisciplinary network, smart3 promotes the exchange of knowledge and cooperation between partners from different professional backgrounds. The smart3 innovation network offers services and framework conditions that support the networking of partners and create opportunities for holistic solutions.

Among other things, we offer our members

Matchmaking

Technical know-how is more in demand than ever. It's good to know that you can find exactly the experts you need in our network.

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Special-Events

Whether online, offline or hybrid, we offer many opportunities to meet and interact with members of our network.

Smart Materials Summit

Community

In our network, we foster professional exchange on all facets of smart materials. Best of all, you can also join our community digitally.

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Members

As the smart materials innovation network, we bundle the expertise of numerous companies and institutions.