Innovation 4.1

Industry 4.0 (I4.0), the digitalisation of processes, the Internet of Things, availability of large volumes of data (big data)

he label “Industry 4.0 (I4.0)” refers to technological developments such as the digitalisation of processes, the Internet of Things (IoT) and the availability of large volumes of data (big data). These developments are expected to harbour immense potential for product and process innovations, which are absolutely crucial to Switzerland’s competitive edge as a business hub. However, only those who know how to implement these new technologies better than their competitors will be able to gain the upper hand. Whether or not this succeeds depends on the users and, by extension, on the staff involved. People become a critical success factor.

We need to find smart ways of integrating people, I4.0 technologies and organisations in order to sustainably develop people as key holders of knowledge. The “Innovation 4.1” project is about developing a method to support SMEs in particular in recognising and harnessing the corresponding potential.