Ministry of Economy supports "Digital Center of Excellence" in Magdeburg with 2.5 million euros

Strengthening for the automotive location Saxony-Anhalt

The research service provider AKKA is further expanding its location in Magdeburg. In the "Digital Center of Excellence" (DCE), founded in 2019, the company trains graduates with scientific and technical degrees to become digital engineering consultants for future technologies. The young professionals also work on a permanent basis on research projects for AKKA's customers in the automotive industry and other sectors. Over the next three years, the company plans to increase the number of jobs from the current 43 to 200. The Ministry of Economy of Saxony-Anhalt is funding the competence center with 2.5 million euros from the investment promotion, the so-called joint task "Improvement of the regional economic structure" (GRW). On Monday, the digital funding decision was handed over with Saxony-Anhalt's Minister of Economy Prof. Dr. Armin Willingmann.

"Saxony-Anhalt is increasingly developing into a state of future technologies, as evidenced in the automotive sector by numerous settlements and expansion investments such as the Farasis battery factory in Bitterfeld-Wolfen or the Horiba Group's global competence center for fuel cells and batteries in Barleben. However, this is also accompanied by a growing demand for highly qualified specialists and research expertise. In this respect, the establishment of the research service provider AKKA with its competence center in Magdeburg means a further strengthening for the automotive location in northern Saxony-Anhalt," Willingmann explained. "In the coming years, it will also be crucial to continue to drive forward the networking of business and science and to invest in both areas in a targeted manner so that further companies settle and create new high-quality jobs in the field of future technologies."

Derrick Zechmair, Managing Director of AKKA Germany, said, "My personal thanks go to the state of Saxony-Anhalt for its support in this investment project. I am pleased that the construction of the DCE, despite the Corona pandemic, could be successfully realized as planned. With 43 new employees, we have even exceeded our plans. Here I would like to thank in particular the highly motivated team on site, which has driven forward the build-up in a very professional manner. The DCE is our future pool for urgently needed local experts. Be it in the areas of web development, software development or automotive IT & embedded systems: we are ready for new partnerships in Saxony-Anhalt, in the future areas of mobility and gladly also beyond that in other industries."

According to the company, a cooperation agreement is already in place with Otto von Guericke University in Magdeburg. AKKA also cooperates with other universities and institutes in the region.

AKKA Group describes itself as a leading European provider in the field of engineering consulting and R&D services for the mobility industry and says it employs 22,000 people. For 2019, AKKA reported sales of €1.8 billion.

Source: mw.sachsen-anhalt.de