A few months ago, the ICNAP Community welcomed an important transition: After serving as Community Manager, Alexander Kies handed over the role to Jan Hellmich.

Now, several months into his new position, Jan has settled into the role and is helping to shape and strengthen the ICNAP community. In this interview, he talks about his first experiences, what motivates him in his new role, and how he sees the future of collaborative innovation within the ICNAP network.

 

You recently became the Community Manager of ICNAP. How were your first few months?

Having been active in ICNAP as a Study Leader in 2023/2024, I was already familiar with both the community and the way we work. Stepping into the role of Community Manager therefore felt like a natural next step.

What impressed me most in the last month is the openness of our partner companies and their willingness to share experiences and discuss current challenges in manufacturing. Our online meetings have been characterized by lively discussions, interactive workshops, and the joint development of new ideas. I am now particularly looking forward to meeting everyone in person in Düsseldorf. Together with our partner Mitsubishi, we are preparing two exciting days that will provide even more opportunities for exchange, networking, and collaboration.

 

What makes ICNAP special for you?

For me, ICNAP is much more than a research network. It is a community where companies come together to openly discuss their challenges and jointly develop solutions that create real value for manufacturing.

Every partner contributes different experiences, perspectives, and practical requirements. This diversity is one of the community's greatest strengths. Whether we are discussing Agentic AI, humanoid robotics, or other emerging technologies, the focus is always on understanding how these innovations can solve real industrial problems and be applied in practice. Bringing together research and industrial experience in this way enables us to develop solutions that are both innovative and relevant for everyday production.

 

What topics will occupy the community in the coming months?

This year's studies focus on topics that are becoming increasingly important for manufacturing companies, including Agentic AI and humanoid robotics.

However, our objective goes beyond evaluating these technologies from a research perspective. Together with our partner companies, we want to understand where they can create tangible value, identify realistic use cases, and develop practical recommendations. The close collaboration within the community ensures that our work is always driven by real industrial needs rather than technology alone.

 

What opportunities do you currently see for the manufacturing industry – keyword AI and robotics?

Artificial Intelligence will fundamentally change manufacturing by supporting decision-making, optimizing processes, and making knowledge more accessible. Generative AI, for example, offers significant potential as an intelligent interface to company knowledge and expertise.

At the same time, robotics continues to evolve rapidly. Humanoid robots in particular could make automation significantly more flexible in the coming years. Combined with technologies such as digital twins, companies will be able to simulate, validate, and optimize production processes before implementing changes in the real world. The greatest opportunity, however, lies in combining these technologies in ways that solve concrete industrial challenges and deliver measurable benefits.

 

What can partner companies expect from ICNAP in the future?

Our partners can continue to expect an open, collaborative, and practice-oriented community. ICNAP provides a platform where companies exchange experiences, learn from one another, and work together on the challenges shaping the future of manufacturing.

Together, we evaluate new technologies, identify promising applications, and develop initial solution concepts and prototypes where appropriate. The goal is always the same: to translate research into practical solutions that create tangible value for industry while strengthening collaboration across the community.

 

What are you looking forward to the most in your new position?

What I enjoy most is bringing people together who share the ambition of shaping the future of manufacturing. Working closely with our partner companies, as well as experts from the Fraunhofer Institutes and RWTH Aachen University, creates an environment where different perspectives come together and new ideas emerge.

 

Seeing these collaborations develop into practical solutions that companies can actually implement is what motivates me most. Building this bridge between research and industrial practice is, in my view, one of the greatest strengths of the ICNAP community.