Open innovation
Innovation has been the lifeblood of ABB since our company was founded in the late 19th century to take advantage of a new technology called electricity. Today, ABB is at the center of an open innovation ecosystem, comprising partnerships with our customers and leading technology companies, collaborations with top universities and technology institutes, and investments in and cooperation with startups.
ABB Ventures
Through our business-led venture capital framework, we look for breakthrough technology companies in which to invest. In the past 15 years, we have invested around $400 million in startups across a range of sectors, such as robotics, industrial IoT, AI/machine learning, cybersecurity and sustainability.
Engaging with start-ups
ABB collaborates with startups and scaleups, providing them access to R&D, product management expertise and a worldwide customer network. As partners in the dynamic startup ecosystem, ABB can deliver innovations faster to the market. Our innovation growth hub Synerleap helps startups succeed through mentorships, investments and access to ABB’s networks, customers and technology.
University collaborations
We partner with more than 100 universities around the world, including leading technology institutes such as the ETH Zurich, MIT in the United States and Imperial College London. Our collaborations cover a wide range of disciplines, such as materials science, software, power electronics and electromagnetics, and focus on developing long-term disruptive technologies as well as mid- to short-term evolutionary innovations for our existing products and services.