Our insights reveal where assumptions break down, which signals become apparent at an early stage, and how individual observations can be used to form a robust assessment. The articles draw on real-world patterns from the market, competition, technology and business practice – not as a collection of news items, but as inspiration for better decision-making.
Observations from the SME sector The industrial SME sector is home to numerous companies that are highly specialised in technology, successful on the international stage and
What deep-tech companies often underestimate in their communications At trade fairs and in pitch decks, one often gets the impression that technological innovation prevails solely through
Many small and medium-sized businesses associate the word ‘insolvency’ with sudden, shocking events. In reality, things are often different. The collapse is foreshadowed. Weeks, sometimes months,
It is not the idea that fails first. It is the execution – and that depends on data, processes and speed. Many SMEs plan their international
Many machine manufacturers have been selling in the same way for decades: sell the machine, provide service, and supply spare parts later. This works – until
To many SMEs, “predictive maintenance” sounds like a luxury reserved for large corporations. In reality, it is often a very down-to-earth matter: avoiding downtime, planning for
Downtime is rarely just “bad luck”. There are usually warning signs beforehand. In German SMEs, maintenance is often planned as follows: fixed intervals, fixed checklists, fixed
Those who understand their customers’ operations sell more than just a system. In traditional mechanical and plant engineering, the competitive advantage often lies in the details:
If warning signs are ignored, growth turns into a total write-off. Wirecard was a flagship company for a long time. Then the house of cards collapsed.
