Robert Göbel (2nd from right), co-founder of Spread with some colleagues
The software of the start-up graphically breaks down motors or even entire machines into all of their individual parts in an instant with the help of 3D animated optics.
(Photo: Spread)
Berlin If the first larger customer – measured by the order volume – bears the name Mercedes-Benz, then the start of the company can be described as promising. In fact, the Berlin start-up Spread succeeded in convincing the Stuttgart carmaker of the advantages of its new software during a test phase lasting several weeks. Since then, some of the Mercedes engineers have been working with the spread platform in a pilot project.
With the help of 3D animated optics, the software graphically breaks down motors or even entire machines into all their individual parts in an instant. Using different colors, it becomes clear where the countless individual parts stored in the 3D construction are directly connected to one another and how, for example, electronic communication between them works.
Valerij Asmus, Manager Process Digitalization, coordinates overarching digital initiatives of the various corporate departments such as development, production and after sales at Mercedes. Asmus can be quoted as follows: “The complexity of products and machines has been growing continuously for years. With the new software from Spread, it is possible to network the multidimensional knowledge of our engineers in a simple and intelligent way. ”
Spread founder and managing director Robert Göbel, a medium-sized, often and happily laughing young man with a certain space-filling presence, shows the complex inner workings of an aircraft turbine on his computer so that his software can further see how his software works.
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The program analyzes the technical construction and in a matter of seconds draws the construction of the aircraft engine comprising thousands of components in detail using many colors, including every screw, every cable and every sealing ring. This enables the engineers working on the turbine to quickly and easily grasp the wide-ranging architecture of the drive, including possible errors.
Spread could thus be described as a kind of digital tool for engineers “that can be used along the entire product cycle of a washing machine or coffee machine, an electronic car window lifter or even a complete aircraft turbine: from development through production to assembly and maintenance” , promises founder Göbel.
Large automakers are already working with Spread
These are the lyrical marketing formulations of a founder who is fully convinced of his development, but whose new software is already being used in very real customer relationships: The clients for whom developers and engineers are already working with Spread include Mercedes, Volkswagen and Porsche .
And among the investors there are well-known names such as the venture capital companies Cavalry and La Famiglia as well as business angels such as the former Microsoft manager Charles Songhurst, Sebastian Borek, the initiator of the Founders Foundation and, most recently, the former Kuka boss Till Reuter.
Apparently they all share the conviction that Göbel and his three co-founders could have achieved an important development. Mercedes manager Asmus puts it this way: “The enormous advantage arises from the fact that the platform offers specific solutions in all phases of value creation and thus also achieves a network between the various corporate functions.”
Till Reuter, Angel Investor at Spread and formerly head of the robot manufacturer Kuka, also believes in the great potential of his investment: “The complexity that engineers have to manage today and in the future, for example to get a car on the road, is enormous. It is high time to give them an intelligent and networking tool for this purpose. Such a solution has enormous potential not only in the automotive industry, but for all companies that build complex products. Looking ahead, I am convinced that the software, thanks to its intelligent understanding of the product, will also become a key technology for robotics. ”
Together with the other investors mentioned, Reuter has so far invested a total of 2.9 million euros in Spread – money that is mainly spent on 20 software developers. In addition to detailed work on the widely marketable product, Göbel now wants to start building professional sales structures. “There are more than enough inquiries about the use of our software from the industry,” says Göbel. “All the prerequisites for starting the next growth phase are in place.”
Investor sees “transformative character” in the solution
The most important competitor is probably the French provider Dassault Systemes with its 3D software – a company with years of experience in digital 3D animations and more than 20,000 employees.
Despite this quite challenging competitive environment, Judith Dada, partner at the venture capital company La Famiglia, also believes in the success of Göbel and his colleagues: “The spread solution has a transformative character: it allows the product life cycle to be made visually understandable – from the conception, through the development and production to the service and maintenance of a product. In this way, Spread creates a democratization in the product understanding of companies, making them more sustainable and efficient: Products can be repaired more easily and the life cycle is extended. ”
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