PROXIA scoops the TOP 100 award for innovation

Written on 02 July 2019.

PROXIA scoops the TOP 100 award for innovation

Awards for Germany’s most innovative medium-sized enterprises

Award: PROXIA is among the TOP 100 companies

PROXIA Software AG from Ebersberg near Munich was ranked among the best at the 26th running of the TOP 100 innovation competition. The award was presented to the company on 28 June 2019 by competition mentor Ranga Yogeshwar, academic competition director Prof. Dr Nikolaus Franke, and organisers compamedia, in the Frankfurt Century Hall. Using scientific methods, TOP 100 evaluates the innovation management of medium-sized companies and the resulting innovation successes. During the independent selection process, the company of 40 employees did exceptionally well in the “Outward Looking/Open Innovation” category.

PROXIA Software AG specialises in the development of MES software (Manufacturing Execution System) for the control and monitoring of production processes. The TOP 100 company has enjoyed success with a modular system, in which some modules offer more than 1,000 configuration options – requiring close collaboration with customers in creating tailored solutions. “Our modular system is tailored to very specific requirements and can always be updated,” explains CEO Julia Klingspor.

The top innovator based in Ebersberg has also been successful with the modular system because every industry and every company brings its own individual requirements to the table. “We are very proud of the fact that we can now attract customers from any sector,” says CEO Torsten Wenzel. Certain issues however are a concern for almost all our customers, for example, data protection, especially if they use the latest cloud solutions. In view of this, PROXIA has designed a solution which allows each company to decide which data should remain in-house, and which can be migrated to the cloud. Each customer can also learn the PROXIA MES software as a group, as individual solutions are permanently integrated into the standard software. The product therefore grows with the market’s requirements, and in the end, individual users benefit from the group principle.

PROXIA made the TOP 100 innovators from 398 companies who entered the current round to decide the TOP 100 awards. The system developed by academic head, Prof. Dr Nikolaus Franke, gave an equal chance to production and service companies, and also took into account the relevant company sizes. Franke and his team reviewed around 120 separate criteria. “Innovation means disruption. The TOP 100 companies therefore create new products all the time, new services, new business models, and new processes. If a company wants to be a leader of innovation, it must align itself as a whole to pursue the goal of promoting innovation,” commented Franke on the result.

Ranga Yogeshwar, who has acted as the competition’s mentor since 2011, summarizes the qualities of the TOP 100 as follows: “Openness to new ideas, tolerance of mistakes, constantly striving to do things in new and different ways – that’s the hallmark of a good innovation culture, a culture which we reward in the TOP 100 if it is a vibrant, integral part of a medium-sized business. These are outstanding medium-sized businesses whose innovative spirit is embedded in their DNA. They are visionary, “can do” entrepreneurs for whom innovation is a key part of their work each day.

An analysis of key indicators from the TOP 100 shows just how much in-house innovation contributes towards the company’s success: During the period from 2018 to 2020, the companies plan to create around 18,000 additional jobs. This corresponds to 19% growth in manpower. Their growth in turnover is currently 24% above the industry figure on average. On average, 36.4% of their turnover was generated through market innovations or innovative improvements, with around 2,700 national and international patents registered in the last three years alone. 65% of the companies are family-owned businesses.

TOP 100 – The Competition

Since 1993, compamedia has issued the TOP 100 seal to medium-sized companies for outstanding innovative spirit and success. The academic aspects of the award have been overseen since 2002 by Prof. Dr Nikolaus Franke. Franke is the founder and Director of the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the Vienna University of Economics and Business. Mentor of the TOP 100 is the science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar. Project partners include the Fraunhofer Society for the Promotion of Applied Research, and the BVMW (German Association for Small and Medium-sized Businesses). Media partners like manager magazin, impulse, and W&V support the company comparisons. More information available at www.top100.de.