Porsche teams up with Infinum to setup digital hub in Croatia
Porsche Digital – the wholly owned digital innovation subsidiary of automotive manufacturer Porsche – has set up a presence in the Croatian capital of Zagreb, in collaboration with local digital services leader Infinum.
Headquartered in Ludqigsburg, Germany, Porsche Digital is a tech innovation firm that leverages digital advancements in artificial intelligence, blockchain, quantum computing and a number of other Industry 4.0 technologies to help businesses scale and transform their operations.
With a team of 160 experts, the firm has a presence in major cities around the world, including Berlin, Barcelona, Tel Aviv, Shanghai, Atlanta, and since more recently, in Palo Alto, Silicon Valley – home to tech giants Apple and Facebook among others. Adding to this significant presence is a new operation in Zagreb, set up in collaboration with Infinum.
Launched in 2005, Infinum is a tech-based design and development agency that offers services such as software & mobile app development, user interface design, web development and Internet of Things services, among others. Infinum’s team exceeds 250 professionals, and spreads across two offices in Croatia and one in New York.
The new Zagreb presence will combine the expertise of both firms, and is set to have a 30-strong team by the end of the year. The joint venture sees Porsche Digital and Infinum control an equal stake, with a combined investment of €10 million. According to Infinum CEO Tomislav Car, plans are to grow the team to 100 professionals over the next three years.
The goal is to serve an increasingly digitalised business environment in Europe and across the world. “New technologies and business models are changing markets worldwide. We look forward to shaping the digital landscape in the future together with Porsche Digital and based on our long-standing expertise in product development,” said Car.
For Porsche, the new office represents a foot in the door of a vibrant digital landscape in Zagreb, which is “one of the most promising up-and-coming innovation centres in Europe,” according to a statement by the firm. COO at Porsche Digital Stefan Zerweck highlighted that having a presence on the ground brings tremendous value.
“We want to actively use the opportunities of digitalisation and therefore need a cross-national network in which the teams exchange and inspire each other. With the new location in Zagreb we have taken the next step and with Infinum we have a strong partner at our side,” he said.
While the firms are focused on the business environment as a whole, Porsche’s vast automotive expertise will undoubtedly attract clientele from the mobility sector, which is in a period of flux at present. Automotive companies struggling to stay with the times will be looking to the consulting sector for help. According to Car, the new Zagreb outfit will be up to the task.
“The automotive industry is increasingly adapting to new technologies and business models, which we see as an opportunity for our development as well, and in business plans and joint research of new business models of the Porsche brand, but also others, such as VW,” he said.
Earlier this year, the consulting subsidiary of Porsche, Porsche Consulting, launched new offices in France and China.