About grow platform

Since 1886, Bosch products and services are designed to spark enthusiasm, improve quality of life, and help conserve natural resources.

At grow platform, we aim to secure the future of Bosch by ensuring its strong and meaningful development, as well as the financial independence. As Bosch incubator, we act as venture capitalist as well as a venture builder to foster internally developed digital business model innovations.

At a glance: grow platform, the Bosch incubator

Ownership, portfolio data, intrapreneurs — key figures at a glance (as of February 2024)

100% Bosch

fully owned subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH

64% avg. revenue growth of portfolio

generated year-on-year for active portfolio since 2019

8 business innovations

are currently part of the global funding portfolio

8 innovation hubs

across America, Europe Middle East Africa, and Asia-Pacific

Beyond Business Innovations — this is what drives us. We are cultivating new business areas and are unlocking new markets for Bosch.

As Bosch Incubator, we unite unique key roles as venture capitalist, venture builder and global scaling network into one tangible model. A blueprint for Beyond Innovation for Bosch:

Sponsor: The venture capitalist

Sponsor

Our role as venture capitalist is to provide and raise financial resources for our start-up portfolio.

In order to create sustainable value for Bosch, we allocate Bosch internal budget, which allows us to fund grow platform portfolio teams with Bosch private equity. As a venture capitalist, we evaluate the performance of each team in bi-annual funding rounds to issue specifically defined funding.

In addition, following appropriate analysis, we are also looking for external capital on a selective basis in order to be able to fully advance the business potential of our teams.

Creator: The venture builder

Creator

As internal venture builder, we are aiming to to jointly develop pioneering busines model innovations with high-performing teams.

Our platform functions, have the capacity and the skillset to support grow platform portfolio teams in all business relevant areas - from planning to implementation and optimization.

In doing so, we not only focus on the product, but also encourage individual and collaborative development of our intrapreneurs and teams. We also bridge the gap to our trusted corporate central services, which provide international in-depth expertise and resources.

Enabler: The scaling network

Enabler

grow platform unlocks opportunities internally and externally. Our global network can access every key market enabling us to scale and expand business innovations in a wide range of regions simultaneously.

In addition, we open up access to competitive resources, creating predominantly internal added value such as, partnering with Bosch business units or stakeholders from Bosch corporate research, with a result, of further development for our portfolio teams.

What we do

At grow platform, we finance and scale digital business model innovations originating within Bosch Corporate Research, our business divisions, or regional entities.

As part of our portfolio, funded start-ups receive tailored support from our platform functions, access to resources, Bosch R&D and key partners.

With a global footprint and locations spread over five continents, we are able to access every key market worldwide. Therefore, we are able to scale regional business models quickly and globally, taking into account country-, target group- and culture-specific aspects.

Best of both worlds: corporate and lean start-up expertise.

Learn more about our services

The Bosch Innovation Framework Approach

Explore how we work

What we are striving for

We are thinking beyond. We shape change and seize the opportunities it brings, especially in the emerging fields of the Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence.

As the Bosch Incubator, we play a crucial role in the global innovation and technology landscape. We focus specifically on new innovations that go beyond the core and adjacent business areas of our Bosch divisions.

We are fully committed to the Bosch corporate strategy and aim to contribute to its digital transformation and vision to become a leading high-tech AIoT company. When Artificial Intelligence (AI) meets the Internet of Things (IoT), the result is countless new possibilities for us at home, at work, and on the road. At Bosch, we call this the Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT).

Explore High-tech #LikeABosch

Where we are coming from

Bosch created New Business Teams in Brazil and China to accelerate new business innovations.
The Bosch internal initiative RADAR from the United States, New Business Teams from India, and the Robert Bosch Start-up Platform (later renamed grow platform) from Germany followed the mission.
Additional initiatives from Japan called FUJI as well as the German program CERES kicked-off their activities.
grow platform, A Bosch Company combines all six Innovation Hubs into one global network with common objectives and strategy.
The ASEAN region, headquartered in Singapore, Bosch Africa with two locations in Kenya and South Africa as well as the Middle East joined the grow platform network.
Coming out of the Bosch North America's business development department, the respective region officially opens their grow platform Innovation Hub North America.