Autonomous vehicles, drones, composite materials and a digital twin: a visit following the European Startup Prize for Mobility awards showcased a growing hub for mobility technology at Technoport’s Bissen incubator, now with 21 signed contracts.
“Our goal is to define our product in the best way that can bring the most value for them,” said Erez Arye, General Manager and Head of Technoport’s Automobility Incubator. For the companies it supports, that value combines specialist facilities, industry expertise and connections that help technologies move towards the market.
On 15 October, a delegation from the European Startup Prize for Mobility visited Bissen following the awards ceremony on 14 October during Luxembourg Venture Days. Minister of the Economy Lex Delles addressed participants as the incubator presented its capabilities spanning materials, autonomous mobility and smart cities.
Awards To Opportunity
At the ceremony, Sweden’s Zparq won the Jury Award and Ireland’s Lios the Audience Award, recognising electric marine motors and SoundBounce acoustic material respectively. Luxembourg’s Boson Energy was among the ten selected startups in the seventh edition, which attracted more than 430 applications.
Technoport’s involvement extends beyond welcoming the delegation. Through its partnership with the prize, the incubator announced hosting benefits for winning startups, offering a route from European recognition towards developing their businesses in Luxembourg.
Presenters included Dan Sobovitz, Managing Director of the European Startup Prize for Mobility, and Sven Schafer-O’Reilly, Product Marketing and Go-to-Market Lead for Goodyear SightLine.
Physical AI Takes Shape
The Automobility Incubator offers a concrete view of physical AI: intelligent systems that sense and act in the real world. Its on-site capabilities bring together autonomous mobility activities involving Bolt, Pony.ai and Ohmio, alongside Goodyear SightLine’s tyre intelligence technologies.
That range extends into the air with droXair drones and onto the ground with Base & Power City unmanned ground vehicles. Together, these activities put vehicle autonomy, aerial robotics and mobile robotic systems within the same innovation environment.
A composite materials laboratory adds another dimension to the site’s technical capabilities. For companies building physical products, the combination of specialist laboratory facilities and industrial space supports work on materials, prototypes and engineering development.
A Digital Twin And Industrial Neighbours
Smart-city implementation is another part of the picture. The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology’s Bissen digital twin provides a virtual representation of the area’s transport network. It allows mobility and infrastructure scenarios to be tested before changes are made on the ground, helping planners examine their effects on traffic, journey times and emissions.
The visit also included a tour at neighbouring IEE, the sensing technology company. This brought the delegation into contact with an established industrial player, illustrating the wider campus environment surrounding the incubator.
For entrepreneurs, proximity to research and industry creates opportunities to exchange technical knowledge, identify partners and understand how emerging solutions might fit into existing systems.
Expertise Behind The Technology
“It is about creating the right atmosphere and physical place where people can meet each other, and we see it over and over and over again,” said Arye. Shared spaces encourage the informal encounters from which collaboration can begin.
Networking connects companies with investors, corporates, research institutions and other startups. Mentoring adds industry experience and access to specialists. “We come from the industry,” said Arye. “And we are here to support those companies.”
“Luxembourg luckily decided to have a very specific area for mobility, to look into deep tech for mobility, so that Luxembourg can play a major role in the future development of the technology when it comes to mobility,” said Martine Streng, Senior Business Advisor and Startup Mentor. The incubator builds on Technoport’s almost 30 years of experience supporting entrepreneurs. Its dedicated facilities bring mobility innovators together with research expertise and industrial partners.
For Keren Lipiner, responsible for ecosystem experience, attracting international companies also strengthens the local innovation community. “It’s important for us to bring a lot of startups here to help them grow in Luxembourg and in Europe,” said Lipiner.
With 21 signed contracts and a growing range of technologies on site, Bissen’s proposition is increasingly tangible: specialist facilities and working systems, backed by people who can help entrepreneurs find their next partner, technical adviser or business opportunity.
