Project funding

grow platform aims to foster disruptive and transformational innovations ultimately creating and opening new markets and business fields for Bosch. Therefore, we define “Beyond” projects as business cases outside of core and adjacent business areas which will serve new markets or customers with existing or new products.

Aligned with Bosch’s corporate strategy, we are funding projects that leverage sensors, software and/or services, incorporate connectivity (IoT) and/or, potentially, accelerate our value creation lifecycle in combination with or through the use of artificial intelligence (AI).

When it comes to innovation, there are many different levels of maturity ranging from a search field to an idea to a scalable business model. Measured according to phases and criteria of the Bosch Innovation Framework, projects must have passed through all phases defined before “Incubation” or have a comparable maturity status.

“Concept validation” working packages should be almost complete or in progress. Possible gate criteria to consider might be an existing proof of concept (PoC), analyzed capabilities for success of the business model, an identified and validated customer segment, or an existing (and successfully integrated) minimum viable product (MVP).

We aim to develop and establish globally operating businesses for Bosch. With respect to externally recognized “start-up unicorn” definitions, we do not understand tricorns as a business with a valuation of at least $1 billion but go beyond that. “Bosch Tricorns” deliver potentials of billion dollars in revenue, value, and double digits in net cash flow after ten years of their market launch. This will enable us to successfully re-integrate new businesses back into the Bosch Group as independent entities in the long term. Applying teams are not required to demonstrate precise figures at the time of application, but they do need to have a clear potential.

To implement successful business in a start-up environment, the team as such has the highest priority. Only high-performance teams will lead a business to great success. Team features such as social cohesion, collaboration style, and team members’ competencies decide in challenging times whether teams manage to survive and whether team members feel something is worth working hard for.

Every team may have specifics that make it successful. Based on research results, our experience, and cooperation with existing teams, grow platform has defined certain criteria for outperforming top-talented teams. A minimum of two applying associates must demonstrate specific skills in entrepreneurship, developing transparent and organized team structures, and embrace skills & affinity such as ability to learn, problem-solving, and maintaining and creating a safe team culture.