Susanne Hahn has been promoted to managing partner at innovation hub 1886Ventures as part of its spinoff from Germany-based carmaker Mercedes-Benz, a subsidiary of Daimler.
Hahn had been a director at Mercedes-Benz’s innovation lab and on the advisory board of one of its portfolio companies, flying taxi developer Volocopter, for about four years.
Formerly known as Lab1886, Daimler’s “innovation forge” for Mercedes, the transition to 1886Ventures will involve an 80% stake being sold to RB-Capital, the investment vehicle for Ulrich Dietz, founder and primary shareholder of software producer GFT Technologies.
Daimler will retain a minority interest of 10% in 1886Ventures, with another 10% held by GFT Technologies.
In another transaction, Lab1886 CEO Matin Ebrahimchel and a significant part of his 40-plus Berlin-based team from Daimler will move to consulting firm Deloitte’s Digital Ventures team, headed by Andy Goldstein, to form a new division operating under the name Launch, with Daimler as a client.
The goal of 1886Ventures, however, is to advance the already existing projects of Lab1886 and to develop innovative business models based on future technologies together with new partners around automated driving, connectivity, green energies and digital business models, Daimler said in a statement.
Dietz said: “I am delighted to be working with Daimler and GFT to create a unique innovation platform for future technologies in the industrial sector. After 13 years of pioneering work in the automotive group, the know-how of Lab1886 will provide us with excellent support in the development of new business models.
“Coupled with GFT’s digital knowledge and our experience in building startups, we put 1886Ventures in an excellent position. The goal is to develop 1886Ventures with the promising portfolio of Lab1886 into an innovative and successful technology holding [company].”
Jörg Howe, head of global communications at Daimler, added: “Company-owned innovation areas with a focus on new business often reach the limits of implementation in the commercialisation phase at the latest.
“We are pleased that we have found an optimal solution for our Lab1886, which offers excellent setups for the respective teams in order to be able to efficiently implement newly developed innovation activities in the future.”
