NBT closes the technological gap in the Machine Economy: How industry and founders benefit from the NBT Machine Economy Platform
- Faster development of applications for the Machine Economy
- Strengthening the ecosystem for effective and efficient business model implementation
- Berlin-based venture studio brings transformation expert Sven Meise on board the leadership team
Berlin, February 16, 2022 – Berlin-based venture studio Next Big Thing AG (NBT) is now opening its development platform for Machine Economy (ME) applications to the market. The NBT ME platform is a universal sensor module-based development platform for the Internet of Things (IoT). It simplifies the implementation of new business models and accelerates time-to-market for IoT solutions. The platform supports the development of a wide range of industrial applications, including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and logistics. By opening up its unique platform to date, NBT is responding to the rapidly growing demand in the market – paving the way for the entire ecosystem.
A Great Demand for a Scalable Venture Platform
The platform helps startups and enterprises quickly and efficiently develop a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that can be seamlessly scaled up. Unlike other IoT platforms on the market, it does not operate solely on a software basis. Instead, it functions as a complete end-to-end solution – beginning with the sensor to the final integration with business applications – providing a complete package as a fundamental modular building block. The platform meets the requirements of security by design and focuses on trustworthiness within the data economy. Most data is processed in the edge device itself and not in the cloud. A trained AI runs on the device which does not transmit raw data. It showcases only results.
"Innovative ideas need a suitable technological framework in order to flourish. As a center of innovation, Germany has some catching up to do here. In order to quickly get developments in the Machine Economy on track and validate them, a powerful and trustworthy platform was needed on which use cases for different industries can be easily advanced. This does not yet exist in the market. Therefore, we see a huge demand for our highly scalable platform which can now be used by NBT's own ventures and also by external ventures and industrial customers,“ says NBT founder and CEO Harald Zapp.
The sensor module enables low-power cellular connectivity, in addition to offering a wide range of pre-tested sensors and interfaces, a robust embedded software stack, fully encrypted communication over proven interfaces such as NB-IoT, mesh connectivity for short-range communication, and advanced deployment tools. TrustZone® provides security at the application layer. The hardware configuration consists of a range of sensors, for example, temperature sensor, accelerometer, magnetometer, gyroscope, air quality sensor, ambient light sensor, and humidity sensor, and can be easily customized to meet individual business model needs. The NBT ME platform has been continuously developed and field-tested over the past few years as a simple solution for NBT’s internal ventures.
CDO Sven Meise Pushes the NBT Machine Economy Platform Forward
In addition to the release of the ME platform, NBT is expanding its C-level team with the addition of Sven Meise as Chief Digital Officer (CDO). Meise will play a key role in developing the internal NBT platform further in the future and also opening it up to external companies. He will contribute his valuable experience to establish it in this fast-growing market. Meise draws on extensive experience in digital transformation, innovation, and the development of new business areas, making him the ideal person for this role. He was previously a member of the Management Board of the long-established Berlin-based company Francotyp-Postalia Holding AG and held the positions of CDO and COO. There he was also responsible for the development of new digital business areas and products as well as the management and optimization of operational tasks. "NBT has a great team, great investors, and an exciting business model. My goal is to help founders and entrepreneurs validate and realize their ideas by providing the right processes, methods, resources, and technologies to effectively and efficiently realize new business models in the context of the Machine Economy," said Sven Meise about his decision to join NBT. "As such, the NBT ME platform will significantly reduce the complexity around the critical validation and up-scaling phases of new business models.“
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About Next Big Thing AG
Founded in 2016 in Berlin, Next Big Thing AG (NBT) is a venture studio for the Machine Economy that co-founds deep-tech ventures with aspiring founders to deliver real-world impact. With its comprehensive portfolio of startups in IoT, AI, and DLT, NBT provides long-term support for B2B companies, including the full range of development toolkits, innovation strategies, mentoring for entrepreneurs and startups, as well as technical expertise and smart financing to future-proof Germany's position as an innovation location in Europe.