Medium-sized companies can accelerate their digitalization efforts by cooperating and sharing ideas, experiences and best practices. Henrik A. Schunk, Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Industry 4.0 Platform and Chairman of the Board of SCHUNK, launched the initiative “Next Level Mittelstand“ (Next Level SMEs) in 2024 for this purpose. He explains: “We have found out that many smaller companies are still struggling with digitalization. The aim of the initiative is therefore to bring companies together to jointly develop practical strategies and solutions for expanding digital capabilities in SMEs.“
To expand the range of services for the successfully growing network in a scalable and future-proof way, SCHUNK, ebm-papst, HEITEC and Blockbrain founded the Next Level Mittelstand GmbH together in Heilbronn at the beginning of April 2025 - right in the heart of Europe’s new AI hub. Schwarz Digits intends to become a shareholder of Next Level Mittelstand GmbH together with another entity from the Schwarz Group. The companies aim to contribute their expertise and resources from industry, process knowledge, and software to create an operational space for implementing and providing joint solution concepts. The founding of Next Level Mittelstand GmbH marks a crucial step towards advancing digitalization in SMEs and strengthening their competitiveness.
“With this, we create the structure for an open SME ecosystem that can grow rapidly,“ explains Henrik A. Schunk. “We are pleased to have gained Schwarz Digits as a strong partner and shareholder for the initiative. This allows us to combine the interests of industrial companies with the dynamism and expertise of a leading digital provider. Being able to rely on a local partner is a significant strategic advantage given the current geopolitical situation – especially with regard to a sovereign and secure digital infrastructure.“ Bernd Wagner, Divisional Board Member Sales Schwarz Digits and CEO STACKIT, adds: “As a digital and infrastructure partner from Germany, it is a core concern for us to strengthen the digital sovereignty of SMEs. ‘Next Level Mittelstand‘ brings exactly the right players together to drive practical digitalization forward – collaboratively, securely, and on equal footing.”
“Next Level Mittelstand” promotes the development of practical digitalization solutions as a central contact point. Through the platform, companies can exchange ideas, leverage synergies, and collaboratively develop and implement tailored strategies together with startups and IT experts. Participation pays off: The jointly developed results are evaluated and validated by “Next Level Mittelstand” and then made available to all members. This not only addresses the specific challenges of SMEs but also creates a digital foundation to participate in future joint industrial data spaces.
New members are warmly welcomed! In addition to companies, IT service providers, software developers, startups, and venture capital investors can also actively contribute
www.nextlevelmittelstand.com