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Hanover, April 3, 2019 — Just as an orchestra needs a conductor, the factory and logistics center of the future will need a central pacemaker. Current IT systems offer no solution for this. The start-up SYNAOS is therefore developing a comprehensive ecosystem — and using the latest approaches in cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
Founded in September 2018, the start-up from Hanover is developing software solutions based on artificial intelligence and the latest cloud technology to orchestrate the factory and logistics center of the future. The starting point is the optimization of intralogistic processes. There, the SYNAOS software solutions will control autonomous industrial trucks and forklifts, which are responsible for distributing goods in companies, for example. In this way, individual logistics units become a perfectly coordinated orchestra. The company, whose name SYNAOS stands for “synchronizing chaos”, is committed to nothing less than the revolution in intralogistics through the use of cutting-edge technology. The fast-growing team is now opening its first office in Hanover. In addition to around 150 guests, Lower Saxony's Prime Minister Stephan Weil was also present at the opening ceremony.
The SYNAOS software solutions solve two fundamental problems in intralogistics. First, it is almost always necessary to purchase specially developed software solutions to control transport vehicles in factories and warehouses today. Unlike smartphones or laptops in private, there is no flexibility here. The result is various components that act side by side instead of together. The software solutions from SYNAOS, on the other hand, are compatible with a wide variety of vehicles, regardless of the manufacturer.
Secondly, precise planning is currently almost impossible in the area of intralogistics.
Manufacturing companies only react very slowly and inefficiently, particularly in the event of unforeseen events, such as machine failures or operating errors. In order to remain able to act nonetheless, companies are planning enormous buffers and developing expensive emergency plans. Specialists often have to fill the resulting gaps in the short term, which leads to overloads and pressure situations. However, new technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing now offer opportunities not only for standardized communication, but also for holistic, adaptive planning of the entire system.
SYNAOS software solutions are based on exactly this. Every single driverless transport vehicle and forklift in a factory or logistics center is connected to a central instance — the respective vehicles are connected to each other. The adaptive algorithms of the SYNAOS software solutions make it possible to continuously adapt the planning for the entire system. Not only should every single machine or area work optimally. Instead, the software keeps an eye on the big picture and plans processes again and again in order to always strive for the overall optimum. Data flows in a structured way and can be used efficiently, sources of error are reduced, quality increases, costs fall. Financial savings of up to 30 percent are thus possible. And should something unforeseen happen, it will immediately be replanned and reorganized.
The first collaboration between the still young company shows that the new software for optimising logistics flows is already attracting great interest. For Volkswagen AG, the team will provide software solutions for intralogistics at production sites worldwide. Uwe Schwartz, Head of Volkswagen Brand Planning: “With SYNAOS, we have found a strong partner. The young, highly motivated team has great innovative strength and combines speed with broad knowledge of today's manufacturing processes. ”
At the end of 2018, SYNAOS had already signed a financing agreement worth six million euros with Volksbank eG Braunschweig-Wolfsburg. “SYNAOS is one of the best-financed start-ups in Lower Saxony,” says Dr. Wolfgang Hackenberg, managing director of SYNAOS GmbH. “We are pleased that we have two such strong partners at our side in the start-up phase of SYNAOS, with Volkswagen AG and Volksbank BraWo,” he continues. “Both are ready to embark on innovative approaches and want to make a long-term commitment. For us, this is the best basis for always focusing on the benefits of our users and revolutionizing production and logistics of the future,” notes the CEO.
Jürgen Brinkmann, Chairman of the Board of Volksbank Braunschweig-Wolfsburg, adds: “As Volksbank, we specifically support young companies in the region that want to tap into new markets with high technology. The professionalism with which SYNAOS tackles the challenges of digitization in production was exceptional from day one and made the investment decision very easy for us. ”
The start-up's advisory board is also top-class. Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wahlster, among others, was recruited here. Wahlster is a professor of computer science and a pioneer in artificial intelligence. Over the past 30 years, he has set up the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), which he continues to supervise as chief advisor.
“Germany is a world leader in AI technologies for Industry 4.0 and has a lead of at least two years over the USA and China in this area. However, it is important that the excellent research results also reach the floor of our factories. This is exactly where SYNAOS comes in and is thus making an important contribution to the future viability of Germany as a production location,” says Wahlster.
The up-and-coming company from the state capital also wants to play an important role for industry in Lower Saxony in the future. “SYNAOS creates highly qualified jobs and shows that there are also first-class start-ups in Hanover,” explains Lower Saxony's prime minister Stephan Weil. “I find the software for optimising processes in driverless transport vehicles extremely exciting. ”
The three founders CEO Dr. Wolfgang Hackenberg, CPO Dr. Lennart Bochmann and CTO Tobias Gagern completed their education at top European and international universities and wrote doctoral theses in the areas of intralogistics, flexible production and dynamic production control. The young workforce is currently being supplemented step by step with other high-class experts from the field of software development. The SYNAOS team is particularly characterized by having gained many years of management experience in the IT environment in large corporations and has developed innovative IT applications for production and logistics (Industry 4.0) in agile teams.
Dr. Wolfgang Hackenberg, managing director, info@synaos.com
