This year, iPoint-systems gmbh is among the most innovative small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Germany. During the Deutscher Mittelstands-Summit (German SME Summit) in Essen on June 23, 2017, iPoint was honored with the TOP 100 seal by science journalist Ranga Yogeshwar, Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke of the Institute of Entrepreneurship and Innovation of Vienna University of Economics and Business, and compamedia. This is the sixth time iPoint-systems has made the leap into this elite circle of innovators. Over the course of the independent selection process, the company set itself apart in particular due to its corporate culture of innovation and its innovative success.
This is now the sixth time that the company from Reutlingen has been ranked among the TOP 100 companies. Moreover, the IT firm has twice won the title of "Innovator of the Year". And it has been the only TOP 100 participant in the past to have been named "Innovator of the Year" in two company size categories. "The heterogeneity of our interdisciplinary teams encourages idea development," emphasizes Managing Director Joerg Walden. At a very early stage he anticipated the growing importance of proving product compliance along the supply chain. A key word in this context is the Internet of Things: good and efficient communication among stakeholders is essential in a world connected online.
This TOP innovator ensures that its corporate culture allows ideas to sprout. Fifty training days are available per year for management, and 15 days for each employee. The 85 employees at the Germany locations of the company which was founded in 2001 can devote 15% of their working hours to their own ideas. The concept works: Around half of iPoint’s revenues can be attributed to innovation and improvements.
TOP 100: the competition
Since 1993, compamedia has been awarding the TOP 100 seal of approval to small and medium-sized enterprises that demonstrate extraordinary levels of innovation and above-average success based on their innovativeness. Since 2002, scientific and academic leadership of the competition has been in the hands of Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation of Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). The mentor of TOP 100 is the science journalist and TV presenter Ranga Yogeshwar. Project partners are the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. and the Bundesverband mittelständische Wirtschaft (BVMW – German Association for Small and Medium-sized Businesses). Germany's manager magazin accompanies the benchmarking process as its media partner. Learn more on the TOP 100 website.