Ferdinand-Steinbeis-Institut

The Ferdinand-Steinbeis-Institut (FSTI) is a non-profit, extra-university and transfer-oriented research institute operating under the umbrella of the Steinbeis Foundation for Economic Development and the Ferdinand Steinbeis Society. Founded in 2015, the institute employs more than 40 researchers across its locations in Heilbronn and Stuttgart, where it develops scientifically sound and practice-oriented solutions for sustainable value creation in business and society.

FSTI focuses on the digital transformation of industrial value creation systems, particularly in light of the increasing convergence of physical objects with embedded IT systems and their extensive internet-based connectivity. The institute supports companies, especially those in the SME-dominated industrial sector, in leveraging these developments as opportunities to build new capabilities and innovative business models within connected ecosystems. A key prerequisite is the strategic alignment of business models and capabilities, combined with the intelligent integration of new technologies, digitalization, and connectivity into industrial processes and infrastructures.

The Ferdinand-Steinbeis-Institut Heilbronn (FSTI HN) is located on the Education Campus in Heilbronn and conducts interdisciplinary and cooperative research projects in collaboration with a wide range of partners. With a strong emphasis on digitalization, digital twins, cooperative data spaces, ecosystem-based business models, and business transformation, the institute develops concrete solutions with real-world impact. The cross-industry implementation of digital transformation in companies is driven by the proven Micro-Testbed methodology, with resulting cooperation models between academia and industry being scientifically accompanied and translated into methods, concepts, and actionable recommendations that create regional value.

As a member of the Industrial IoT Consortium (IIC), FSTI has access to international standards, success factors, and technological developments, which, where appropriate, are transferred into regional value networks. The activities of FSTI Heilbronn on the Education Campus are supported by the Dieter Schwarz Foundation.