From the office to the factory to the creative workshop - digitalization made in Bavaria

11.02.2026

Once the internet, now autonomous robots, self-thinking factories and health data for online exchange - the field of digitalization is developing faster than almost any other. What sounded like a science fiction movie 30 years ago is already within reach today. But the work is far from done. We look back on 30 years of digitalization and also venture a look into the future. Which innovations will continue to have an impact in the distant future, what influence will technologies from the high-tech and deep-tech sectors have and will the digital world also reach its limits at some point?

In the following interview, Dr Malte Kohring, Head of the Digitalization Innovation Network at Bayern Innovativ, sheds some light on the subject and provides an insight into 30 years of digitalization.

Which digital milestones of the last three decades have been particularly formative for you?

Dr. Malte Kohring: That's a wonderful question, we could fill the whole conversation with it. So I'll have to limit myself to a few points. From a Bavarian perspective, I would highlight one technology that is particularly interesting. In 1995, the MP3 format was actually developed here in Bavaria, very close to us in Erlangen, at the Fraunhofer IIS. I would highlight this as a particular milestone from a technical point of view.
And if you then look at the bigger picture, there are of course very different developments that we have undergone. On the one hand, the High-Tech Agenda Bavaria, which was launched in 2019. This has led to us establishing Bavaria as a high-tech location. A wide range of German and international companies have settled here over the last 30 years.
To name just a few from the semiconductor sector: Infineon was spun off from Siemens, Rhode and Schwarz is very active in this field, as is Siltronic. But there are also companies that consumers are familiar with, such as Apple, Nvidia and Intel from the computer sector. They are all active here in Germany, especially in Bavaria.

Where do we stand compared to other countries?

Dr. Malte Kohring: Well, where we are doing well is in comparison with the federal states. At a national level, the Bavarian municipalities occupy the top 34 places in the national ranking when it comes to the availability of digital administrative services.
Another topic is the innovative strength that we have in the state. Munich is one of the top 20 tech locations in the world. It is the only German city and only one of four European cities listed in the Global Tech Ecosystem Index 2025. This shows that we have a lot to offer in terms of digitalization.
I would like to mention two other aspects: Firstly, the famous start-up scene, which continues to expand in Munich. Bavaria is now in first place for start-ups and even ahead of Berlin in terms of venture capital. Secondly, the topic of patents. We are also incredibly strong in this area and patents are one of the measurable factors for innovation.
In this respect, we have a lot to build on and where we can make further progress. But of course there is also potential for expansion. For example, we can learn a lot from the Nordic countries, such as Denmark.

Have customer inquiries to our digitalization innovation network changed in recent years?

Dr. Malte Kohring: When I started at Bayern Innovativ, a lot of it was still about the digitalization of processes within companies. That has changed a lot. The AI boom has also started. Companies are increasingly coming to us, on the one hand directly with the topic of AI, and on the other with the topic of data. This is becoming more and more of a focus. It's about how you first collect and structure your data so that you can then use it.
We have responded to this. We are launching a new network called Data-Driven Business Models in our Digitalization department in 2026. This will specialize in precisely these issues. We want to address three key areas of activity: firstly, the data infrastructure. Secondly, the topic of AI-driven applications, i.e. agentic AI, but also AI in production. And thirdly, the scalability of data-driven business models. We are good at creating concepts and thinking things ahead, but ultimately we also have to put them on the road and implement them so that we can derive added value from them.

With these rapid developments, what can companies do to stay on the ball in the digital world?

Dr. Malte Kohring: Again, there are two perspectives. One is the overarching perspective of staying on the ball and being able to act with foresight. To do this, it is very important to keep an eye on trends and to engage with experts from a wide range of sectors. We offer many different formats for this, from specialist conferences to workshops and working groups.
In addition, new knowledge must be built up in the companies. And we achieve this by promoting the transfer of knowledge, for example from universities to industry. We have already talked about the topic of data, and I would tell every company that one of the most important trends in the future will be to have their data under control and to build on it.
This means that, first of all, you really have to be able to collect the data yourself, for example in production with sensors. The data must be structured correctly so that it can then be used profitably in the very last step. To sum up, I would advise everyone to take a close look at their own processes and build on them, because that is where the future lies.

Who exactly does the Digitalization Innovation Network support?

Dr. Malte Kohring: We not only support large companies, but Bayern Innovativ has a very special focus on small and medium-sized enterprises. These include hidden champions, which we make visible. We bring the different worlds together with our events. We bring together large companies and research, each of which bring their own perspectives, and of course the small and medium-sized companies that ask themselves, "How can we tackle this with fewer staff and fewer resources?". We offer solutions and topics for discussion.

Do start-ups also come into play here?

Dr. Malte Kohring: Start-ups are of course a key factor. I already mentioned how strong Bavaria is in this area. We have a number of start-ups in our networks and connect them to other partners in our Bavarian ecosystem, who can then focus even more on specific issues for Bavarian start-ups.

AI is currently booming. What do you think AI will change in the future?

Dr. Malte Kohring: How we work will change fundamentally. There will be an enormous increase in efficiency in companies and in personal work, in very different professions, whether in the office or in production.
In my view, there will also be the opportunity to achieve even more with the same number of people. And new business models will emerge. AI can be an enabler for a wide range of other sectors that you might not immediately think of at first.
One particularly exciting case is the training of humanoid robots, which can also be accelerated by AI, for example when learning movement patterns.

How do you generally succeed in making complex high-tech and deep-tech trends tangible and getting companies excited about them?

Dr. Malte Kohring: This is the most exciting part of our work. On the one hand, we combine expertise in topics here at the company, but we also have the ability to take business, research and all other stakeholders on board and create a common understanding.
In this way, we can demonstrate added value, which is the most important thing for the economy. The great thing is that we have colleagues sitting next door who work in a different field, so we can create further synergies, for example between the automotive industry and the healthcare sector and digitalization.

What example from your network shows how digitalization is already creating real innovation in Bavaria today?

Dr Malte Kohring: We have many examples, and if I had to choose one, I would pick a very special one from the semiconductor industry, an enabler for digitalization. There is an exciting innovation from a start-up that we have worked with a lot, called Quantum Diamonds.
We have supported them, for example, by enabling them to be active at our semiconductor congress, give pitches and increase their visibility. We went to various trade fairs together with Bayern International, for example Semicon Taiwan. This enabled Quantum Diamonds to expand their network.
The exciting thing about their principle is that they use quantum sensors made from diamonds to make defects visible. By detecting defects at an early stage, production can be made more efficient.

Which technologies or developments do you think will have the greatest impact on the economy and society over the next 30 years?

Dr. Malte Kohring: Artificial intelligence is a major topic that we will not be able to avoid. Humanoid robotics will also play an important role in this. There is great potential here, whether in the healthcare sector, for example in home care, or in production. There are many different starting points, and this development will also accelerate each other.
It remains very exciting to see what the end result will be, how quickly we will take the next steps and when this will become noticeable in our everyday lives.
We also have other topics such as quantum computing. We will also see what this can achieve, on the one hand in terms of simulations, but also for a new type of encryption, keyword post-quantum cryptography.
We are facing challenges and issues here, but also opportunities. Another small topic is augmented reality. These are glasses that allow you to find your way and know exactly where to go. Or that show you exactly how to operate something. It remains to be seen to what extent this will catch on.
The great thing is that the future hasn't been written yet, we're going to experience it all together.

What do you recommend companies do to prepare for these upcoming changes?

Dr. Malte Kohring: I recommend staying on the ball. For example, we offer a wide range of opportunities to be active in your own network. We have networks for communication networks, the Thinknet 6G, we also have a Thinknet Quantum Technology, or the Bavarian semiconductor network, the Bavarian Chips Alliance. Or, as already announced, the new network for data-driven business models.
This is where experts come together to exchange ideas and start new collaborations. If you stay on the ball, keep an eye on the future and take the next steps today, then you are perfectly positioned.

If you could invent a digital innovation that could fundamentally change everything, what would it be?

Dr. Malte Kohring: One thing that has been on my mind for a long time would be a platform that could be called shared ideas. Of course, there are already exchange platforms where you can share ideas, but my thought is that the whole thing could be designed in the style of a short message service. You sit at home and have an idea, for example for an optimized cooking appliance. Or if you think of the creative industries, maybe how a movie could end. Then you could simply write the idea down in a few sentences and post it on this platform. There would then be an algorithm or the users could rate the ideas. The best ideas would rise to the top and creative people or technologists would be able to access these ideas quickly. You could "donate" this idea and have the possibility that it might be realized. This would be particularly good for ideas that you don't have the time or capacity to implement. It would be exciting if something like this could be implemented on a large scale so that this wealth of ideas could be used and taken further.

The interview was conducted by Barbara Groll, Media Relations, Bayern Innovativ GmbH, Nuremberg.