Bosch Advanced Ceramics

Henning Wirth is one of the three co-founders of the start-up ‘Bosch Andvanced Ceramics’ (formerly CERIX) in Immenstadt (Allgäu). The Bosch spin-off focussed on the sale and production of high-performance ceramics in 2016.

After studying electrical engineering at the University of Siegen in 1997, Henning Wirth joined Robert Bosch GmbH, where he held various positions. Since then, the Freudenberg native has lived and worked in the Allgäu region. In 2016, he became Managing Director of the start-up incubator at Bosch. ‘As Managing Director of this incubator, I helped people to realise their ideas and transfer their companies into a GmbH.’ He eventually founded his own company through this collaborative programme.

How did you come up with the idea for ‘Bosch Advanced Ceramics’?

I developed the idea for Bosch Advanced Ceramics with two colleagues who had both been involved in the division for a long time and had worked with ceramics. The integration of ceramics production in BOSCH's automotive division regulated the business model and the expansion into new markets. We realised that the ideas we were pursuing here were also well suited to the medical technology and electrical engineering sectors. This gave us the idea of transferring our expertise in the field of high-performance ceramics to other markets.

How did the Bosch spin-off come about?

In 2015, Robert Bosch GmbH founded an incubator where all the ideas that emerged within the Group were brought together on one platform. Employees often generated ideas with all the knowledge from the company and then failed at the point of founding an independent unit. For this reason, Bosch Start-Up GmbH was founded.

At Bosch Start-up GmbH, you go through a programme in which you develop your idea using various methods (business model canvas, design thinking, etc.) and present it in a pitch. If the committee at Bosch likes the idea, you can quit Bosch and start again at Bosch Start-up GmbH. My colleagues and I also took this route with our start-up. During this time, I got to know many other founders and supported them in the incubator. At the same time, I worked with my two colleagues to further develop ‘Bosch Advanced Ceramics’ on this platform and open up new markets and sales for BOSCH.

What benefits do you sell with ‘Bosch Advanced Ceramics’?

We were able to transfer Bosch's special ceramic expertise in the automotive sector to other markets. What worked for the Lambda probe in cars also worked for other products in medical technology for surgical instruments. We can manufacture our ceramic components as individual parts (3D printing) or in series of up to several million units.

What was the biggest challenge in setting up the company?

Firstly, we underestimated our development cycles. We initially thought that our sales development would be more positive. At this point, our investment board became dissatisfied with our start-up. This is accompanied by the second major challenge that affects us in this particular area of corporate entrepreneurship. The head office always has the greater decision-making power and its supervisory bodies can really slow down the speed of the start-up business. Especially in times of crisis or similar, the freedom and creativity in a corporate start-up can be severely restricted. For this reason, I left the start-up in 2020 and started my own business again.

What is the second foundation ‘Unterwegsimleben’ all about?

After many years of experience in supporting various start-ups in the incubator at Bosch and through my PhD studies at ZU (Zeppelin University) on innovation management and start-ups, I decided to market my expertise in this area independently in October 2020. Together with my wife, I offer coaching for founders with innovative ideas and help to found start-ups or expand business fields. We evaluate ideas, help to define portfolios, show potential, weigh up the risks and show what founders need for their company and what steps are necessary for a start-up.

Reference to the Allgäu region as a ‘brand’ as an economic area? keyword: sustainable economy

The topic of ‘sustainable management’ is deeply rooted in our region. The people who live here have always worked with the resources that nature provides. Here we speak of the ‘Allgäu doer’, who is always faced with problems and finds innovative solutions. This image reflects the start-up mentality of our region very well.

What drives you? What is your motto?

I have two mottos that characterise my thoughts and actions. One is ‘If you want to, you will find ways; if you don't want to, you will find reasons’. The second comes from Albert Einstein, who once said: ‘The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.’ I think we all have the potential to change. To do this, I have to set out on the path and this path is valuable.

What is your advice for young founders?

I advise young founders to focus on their core idea first and not to take other related ideas on board as well. The possibilities are so varied that otherwise you will get lost in them at some point. Focussing is an important first step in the start-up environment. Furthermore, the purpose or the vision or mission that the founder is pursuing. These are the two points that endure even in difficult times and help to run the company successfully.

This portrait is based on an interview with Henning Wirth in May 2021 and was written by Janice Gust.

 

Click here for the startup's homepage.