Innovation is constantly changing the world around us and the dynamic development of technology is accelerating this process. Wanting to set the newest trends in the Industry 4.0 sector, A4BEE Architects for Business (A4BEE) and YASKAWA have formed a research and development partnership in the area of new technology implementation within the industrial sector.

Neither A4BEE nor Yaskawa are novices when it comes to innovation. A4BEE has a branch of the company specifically dedicated to R&D - A4BEE Digital Lab - whose daily tasks centre around exploring innovative technologies, prototyping smart devices and solving research problems. Meanwhile Yaskawa, for the 5th time in a row, has found itself on the list of the world's top 100 most innovative companies [Derwent Top 100 Global Innovators}. The partnership formed between A4BEE, a start-up, and Yaskawa, a company with a 100 year history, is not a one-off with the world of business. Enterprises, while looking towards the future, do not see start-ups as a threat but rather as potential partners. Thanks to such partnerships, actions are taken that aim to create greater value for firms, clients, and the economy is a whole. Meanwhile, startups can benefit from the business experience and contacts of companies that have been around for many years.

"The success of such a venture primarily hedges on the fact that the collaboration is seen as a partnership, where both sides openly share their strategies, goals and the value they want to build. Mutual listening, drawing on your partner's experiences and an openness towards new solutions, ones that are often completely different to those currently used, are the key "- says Artur Wojewoda, Chairman of Yaskawa Poland.
A common vision and shared values help prevent a situation where a partnership transitions into one party being the boss of the other. A constant exchange of experiences, shortening feedback loops, transparency and setting bold goals all help to accelerate the creation of innovative solutions.
"In our partnership with A4BEE, we cherish open communication and an unconventional approach to solving familiar problems. I think that combining Yaskawa robots with new technological solutions can have a significant impact on the way production lines work." - he adds.

Partnering in the research department will help Yaskawa strengthen its market position. The joint research activities of both enterprises will create a synergy that will enable both parties to achieve greater success than if they were to work individually.
" We are ready to explore the newest technologies such as Augmented Reality or Artificial Intelligence, with the aim of re-shaping the current business models in the industrial sector. Combining the power of A4BEE and Yaskawa will yield innovative solutions suitable for industry 4.0" says Tomasz Kośmider, Co-Owner of A4BEE.
" We want to play an active role in the digital transformation of the production sector and to help in automation through more than just robotization. Applying modern technologies can address many critical challenges currently facing the production sector. Additionally, the current pandemic forces an even faster modernisation of production so as to keep up production continuity." - adds Mateusz Troczyński, Head of the Technical Department of Robotics at Yaskawa.
"Joint initiatives with business are important to our research activities. They enable us to solve real problems impacting business and the economy. The partnership with Yaskawa will allow us to define new problems and verify created solutions associated with one of the most modern robots in the world. In the near future, the technology exploration in the Digital Lab will focus on robotics, production lines and industry 4.0. The solutions that will be created as a result of our combined effort will bring benefits not only to A4BEE or Yaskawa, but also to our clients" - says Przemysław Ernest, Digital Lab Director at A4BEE.
Both companies will soon share the results of their exploration of the applications of AR and VR technologies in the industrial sector. The world of technology is developing very quickly. In order to keep pace and maximize available opportunities working in partnership is essential. Only then can we offer truly innovative and bespoke solutions fitted to the needs of our clients.

About A4BEE

The startup A4BEE Architects for Business was formed in 2018 in Wrocław, Poland. It is self funded, successfully operating boutique R&D and engineering company. It was created by four individuals passionate about technology who decided to leave behind the constraints of firms like Accenture or IBM and instead build a company at which they would love to work. The company, which now has more than 35 employees, specializes in creating innovative technological solutions to problems facing industries such as production, industry 4.0 biotechnology, biopharmacy or the health sector. The startup, based in Poland(Wroclaw)and US (New York), is working with a variety of companies across the world on digital innovation.

About Yaskawa

YASKAWA is a company originating from Japan, with over 100 years of experience in mechatronics, robotics and automation. It is currently one of the main producers of the world's newest robots. The company has been working on the european market since the 70's, while the Polish branch was created in 2016. In 2020, YASKAWA Poland installed over 1600 robots, a number that is increasing on a yearly basis. Due to the dynamic development in the fields of sales and training, there originated a need for a place at which to carry-out practical and hands-on training - and so the Yaskawa Academy was created, an initiative that consists of a number of showrooms and training rooms for this purpose.