How Jungheinrich is driving innovation: An interview with Kerk, Christina and Maike from Uplift Ventures
With Uplift Ventures, Jungheinrich is breaking new ground: our venturing unit develops its own ideas and invests in start-ups – with a focus on AI, robotics and sustainability. An important part of our Strategy 2030+.
At the beginning of the year, we at Jungheinrich founded our subsidiary Uplift Ventures. It is now responsible for our international venturing activities. In this interview, Kerk Wichmann, Managing Director, Christina Hammes, Managing Director, and Maike Steding, Chief of Staff, explain how Uplift Ventures operates, which trends are particularly exciting, and why speed and trust are so crucial in collaboration.
What is the idea behind Uplift Ventures – and how does the unit fit into Jungheinrich's Strategy 2030+?
Kerk Wichmann: Uplift Ventures is our answer to the question of how we at Jungheinrich can grow beyond our core business and strategically drive innovation. We went live as a venturing unit at the beginning of 2025 to develop new business models and invest in promising start-ups – with a focus on future fields such as AI, robotics, energy management and sustainability. As part of the 2030+ strategy, Uplift is thus a central lever in the ‘Portfolio Extension’ action field – we are creating new value beyond what already exists.
Maike Steding: It was important to us to enable maximum entrepreneurial freedom. That's why we founded Uplift as an independent limited company outside the Group. This allows us to act quickly, test new ideas and scale them up – with the strength and network of Jungheinrich behind us.
What kind of innovation are you specifically looking for – and how do you find exciting topics or start-ups?
Christina Hammes: We are looking for innovation with strategic fit – i.e. topics that are relevant to Jungheinrich in the long term and at the same time open up new markets or technologies. Our search fields are clearly defined: robotics, AI & data, energy and sustainability solutions, and autonomous systems.
Kerk Wichmann: In order to build and find successful start-ups, we combine in-depth scouting with strong building expertise. We work closely with our fund investments such as High-Tech Gründerfonds and Merantix, attend relevant events and conduct regular screening sessions. At the same time, our team of venture architects is constantly identifying new potential and pushing ahead with its own development projects.
What is important to you in your collaboration?
Christina Hammes: Trust, speed and clarity. We believe in open communication and shared goals. When working with start-ups in particular, it is crucial that both sides know what they are getting into – and that we, as corporate partners, do not slow things down, but rather speed them up.
Maike Steding: Internally, we focus on transparency and personal responsibility. Our team is ambitious, open and hands-on. We work in an agile manner, but with a clear strategic focus – this creates space for creativity and focus at the same time.
How were the first few months after the launch? Are there any initial projects or collaborations?
Christina Hammes: The first few months were intense – but also incredibly inspiring. We built the team, established processes and launched our first venture projects. At the same time, we further developed our CVC fund strategy.
Maike Steding: We are particularly proud of the speed with which we became operational. Within a few weeks of the official launch, we carried out our first validations, got the team up and running, and established our venture board structure.
How do you know when an idea has strategic impact?
Kerk Wichmann: For us, impact manifests itself in three dimensions: strategic relevance, scalability, and differentiation. If an idea opens up new markets, offers technological advantages and clearly stands out from the competition, then it's worth taking a closer look.
Christina Hammes: We work with clear criteria and a structured evaluation process. This takes into account both market potential and alignment with Jungheinrich's goals. And, of course, the team behind the idea also plays a major role.
Which developments or trends are you currently focusing on in particular – and how do these contribute to Jungheinrich's future viability?
Maike Steding: Agentic AI, autonomous systems and sustainable energy solutions are particularly exciting for us. These trends are fundamentally changing logistics – and offer enormous potential for new business models.
Kerk Wichmann: At the same time, we are observing the development of digital platforms and data-driven services. They enable new forms of customer loyalty and efficiency gains – and are therefore directly relevant to Jungheinrich's transformation.
And finally: what drives you personally in your work?
Maike Steding: I am motivated by the opportunity to bring about real change. For me, Uplift is more than just a job – it is a chance to shape the future. The combination of strategic depth and entrepreneurial freedom is unique.
Christina Hammes: I love working on big ideas with smart, courageous people. When we create something new together that really makes an impact – that's the biggest motivation for me.
Kerk Wichmann: For me, it's the vision of strengthening Jungheinrich in the long term – through new ideas, new markets and new ways of thinking. Innovation with impact, that's my personal vision.
