imk automotive GmbH

What imk automotive GmbH does

imk automotive GmbH, operating commercially as the imk Intelligence Consortium, is a privately-held German engineering group founded in 2002 in Chemnitz by Dr. Jens Trepte and structured around a holding company (imk holding GmbH, 2007) with several wholly-owned operating subsidiaries. After its 2022 corporate split, the group runs two divisions: imk Industrial Intelligence GmbH, which develops software (ema Software Suite and the more recent next|gear platform) and delivers engineering, factory-planning, industrial-engineering, and ergonomics consulting services; and imk Health Intelligence GmbH, which designs and manufactures medical devices, in-vitro diagnostic systems (including Modaplex and the co-developed MULTIDIAG multi-assay platform), exoskeleton drive solutions, and precision gearboxes such as hypogear. Complementary subsidiaries include imk mechatronics GmbH (ISO 13485-certified production), virtualcitysystems GmbH (urban visualisation), and imk automotive, Inc. (Greenville, South Carolina), giving the group direct presence in Germany and the United States plus partner-driven reach into China and 11 additional countries.

The core technology stack rests on proprietary software assets. The ema Software Suite is positioned as the world's only autonomously operating digital human model for virtual simulation of work, built on the company's Numerical Behaviour Model (eMAN) and broken into ema Work Designer and ema Plant Designer modules. next|gear is a Matlab-based tool for the design and optimisation of special gear geometries (micro/macro), targeting lifespan, contact behaviour, noise, and tolerance. hypogear is a triaxial, hyperboloid power-transmission concept developed in-house, used both as a research platform and as a differentiated product for compact, high-torque drives in medical robotics and exoskeletons. Manufacturing is anchored in the Merkelfabrik historic headquarters in Chemnitz and the Technikum (opened September 2023), which is dedicated to serial medical-device production. The group holds ISO 9001:2015, ISO 13485:2016, and TISAX certifications.

The business model is multi-pillar and enterprise B2B. Revenue streams include software licensing (subscription/maintenance for ema and next|gear), project-based engineering and ergonomics consulting, contract manufacturing of medical devices and precision gearboxes (including serial production), and a hardware/gearbox product line. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales supported by a global partner network, with the annual IIC conference and specialist events like the Exo Session as primary demand-generation channels; the company markets to automotive manufacturers (Volkswagen, Audi, Daimler Truck), tier-1 suppliers (EDAG, FFT, Grammer, IMS Gear), agricultural machinery (Horsch), and medical-technology firms (Biotype, ROTOP). The company has disclosed 150 customers, more than 1,000 completed projects, and 13 countries served, but does not publish revenue, headcount, or external funding.

Name

imk automotive GmbH

Legal name

imk Management Services GmbH

Website

https://imk-ic.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Short description

imk is a privately-held German engineering group providing consulting, proprietary 3D human-simulation software, factory planning, and ISO 13485 medical-device manufacturing to automotive, aerospace, and medtech enterprises across 13 countries, structured around ema Industrial Intelligence and ema Health Intelligence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chemnitz

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Software Licensing: Licensing of ema Software Suite and next|gear software products. Includes maintenance, support, and updates.
2. Engineering & Consulting Services: Project-based consulting services for factory planning, ergonomics consulting, industrial engineering, digital factory planning, and workplace design.
3. Medical Device Manufacturing: Development and manufacturing of medical technology products including in-vitro diagnostic devices, exoskeletons, and robotic surgery gear solutions. Includes prototyping, small series production, and serial production.
4. Gearbox Solutions: Custom gearbox and drive solutions for medical robotics, exoskeletons, and industrial applications including hypogear triaxial hyperboloid power transmissions.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

imk automotive GmbH (now operating as imk Intelligence Consortium) provides integrated consulting, software development, and manufacturing services for industrial engineering, digital factory planning, ergonomics, and medical technology. Its core offerings include the ema Software Suite for 3D human simulation and ergonomic workplace design, next|gear gearbox optimization software, and the design and serial production of in-vitro diagnostic devices, medical robotics, and custom gear/drivetrain solutions.

Product overview

imk Intelligence Consortium operates as a unified platform comprising two divisions: imk Industrial Intelligence and imk Health Intelligence. The product portfolio centers on three main platforms: (1) ema Software Suite - the technology-leading 3D human simulation software for digital factory planning and ergonomic work assessment, comprising ema Work Designer and ema Plant Designer modules; (2) next|gear - Matlab-based software for gearbox design and optimization; and (3) MULTIDIAG - automated multi-assay diagnostic platform for in-vitro diagnostics. Additional offerings include hypogear power transmissions, in-vitro diagnostic devices (Modaplex), and eMAN digital human behavior models. The company also provides engineering services including factory planning, industrial engineering, and ergonomics consulting. The group serves automotive, aerospace, medical technology, and machinery industries globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ema Software Suite: Technology-leading software for 3D human simulation and assessment of work activities; software-supported simulation of human labour for virtual production planning and ergonomics. Products include ema Work Designer and ema Plant Designer.
• next|gear
• hypogear
• MULTIDIAG

Products and services

• ema Software Suite Leading 3D human simulation and assessment software for digital factory planning, virtual workplace design, and ergonomic analysis. Uses the world's only autonomously operating digital human model for software-supported simulation of human labor. Includes ema Work Designer and ema Plant Designer modules.
• next|gear Matlab-based software for the design and optimization of special gearboxes. Enables adjustment of micro- and macro-geometry to improve gear lifespan, contact behavior, noise behavior, and tolerance influence for industrial and automotive gearbox applications.
• MULTIDIAG Multi-Diagnostics Platform Fully automated benchtop system combining DNA-PCR, RNA-PCR, and protein immunoassays in a single run. Designed for clinical diagnostics including Alzheimer early diagnosis and hepatitis multi-marker analysis.
• Modaplex In-Vitro Diagnostic Device In-vitro diagnostic device for medical diagnostics manufactured by imk Health Intelligence under ISO 13485-certified production at the Chemnitz Technikum.
• hypogear Power Transmission Triaxial, hyperboloid power transmission system for specialized applications requiring compact drives with high torque and quiet operation, used in medical robotics, exoskeletons, and industrial applications.
• Factory and Manufacturing Planning Services Project-based consulting and engineering services for factory and manufacturing planning, including production and assembly planning, digital factory planning, logistics and layout planning. Sold directly to industrial clients including automotive OEMs and suppliers.
• Industrial Engineering Services Industrial engineering consulting services including time management, workplace design, and process optimization. Sold directly to industrial clients through business development managers and technical experts.
• Ergonomics Consulting Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Optimized ergonomics with reduced production time, shorter walking distances, and reduced overall space requirement
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fraunhofer IWUcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Partner for IIC 2025 conference with excursion to Fraunhofer IWU in Chemnitz. Represents ongoing collaboration in research and industrial technology development.
• Neura RoboticscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2025Keynote speaker at IIC 2025 conference on 'Cognitive robots - getting AI to act physically' demonstrating industry leadership and technological collaboration in robotics.
• Boston DynamicscoreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2025Keynote speaker and exhibitor at IIC 2025 featuring Spot robot dog demonstrating advanced robotics technology for industrial applications.
• NIOcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2025Keynote speaker at IIC 2025 representing electric vehicle manufacturer showcasing digital factory planning and production innovations.
• EKS (RF::Suite)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2025Joint presentation of ema Software Suite and RF::Suite at IIC 2025, demonstrating integration between digital human simulation and production planning tools.
• AMZ (Automotive Components Manufacturers Association)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025AMZ representative Dirk Vogel provided perspective on automotive industry situation in MDR feature on imk's transformation from automotive to medical technology.
• Roboscreen GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-development partner for the MULTIDIAG multi-diagnostics platform. Roboscreen contributes assay development expertise for the combined DNA-PCR, RNA-PCR, and protein immunoassay system for clinical diagnostics including Alzheimer early diagnosis.
• EDC Engineering GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Co-development partner for the MULTIDIAG multi-diagnostics platform. EDC Engineering contributes precision engineering expertise for the fully automated diagnostic system combining multiple assay types.
• NvidiacoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Live demonstration of collaborative design of sustainable factories and ergonomic workplaces using Nvidia Omniverse at ema Online Summit, showcasing advanced visualization and simulation capabilities.
• MTM Forum ChinaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2011Partnership for expansion of ema Software Suite in Chinese market through participation in MTM Forum China.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Dassault Systèmes (DELMIA / 3DEXPERIENCE): Dassault's DELMIA and 3DEXPERIENCE platforms compete in 3D factory simulation, digital twin, and human-task simulation. Comparable to ema for virtual factory planning and ergonomics, but embedded in Dassault's wider PLM ecosystem and sold to overlapping automotive OEM customers.
• Siemens AG (Tecnomatix / Plant Simulation): Siemens Digital Industries Software offers Tecnomatix, the dominant portfolio for digital factory planning, line simulation, and human-factors modeling. Directly overlaps with imk's ema-driven factory planning and ergonomics use cases, but as part of a much broader PLM/MES suite serving the same automotive and industrial customers.
• Schaeffler AG (Industrial Drives): Schaeffler is a major industrial and automotive supplier with deep expertise in special gearboxes, precision drive technology, and mechatronic components. Comparable to imk's hypogear and next|gear capabilities at a much larger scale across automotive and industrial customers.

Direct peers

• Visual Components: Visual Components offers 3D manufacturing process simulation software widely used for factory layout, robotics simulation, and takt-time analysis — directly competing with ema Plant Designer for production planning customers in automotive and discrete manufacturing.
• CENIT AG: German-listed CENIT provides digital factory and PLM software plus consulting services to automotive and industrial customers — closely comparable to imk Industrial Intelligence on both the software (3D factory simulation) and consulting dimensions, and based in the same DACH region.
• CONTACT Software: CONTACT Software delivers PLM, IoT, and digital-twin solutions targeting industrial manufacturers and automotive suppliers. Comparable to imk's combination of factory planning software, engineering services, and mid-sized German industrial customer base.
• EDAG Group: EDAG is one of the largest independent engineering services providers to the automotive industry, covering production planning, factory design, and digital factory workflows. Comparable to imk's factory planning and industrial engineering consulting, with a similar automotive OEM customer base.
• Wittenstein SE: Wittenstein manufactures high-precision mechatronic drive systems, including gearboxes for medical robotics, surgical applications, and exoskeletons. Directly comparable to imk's hypogear and medical-gearbox offering, with overlap in medical device and robotic-assisted surgery customers.
• FFT Produktionssysteme: FFT designs and implements large-scale production systems and factory planning solutions for automotive OEMs. Comparable to imk Industrial Intelligence on the consulting/services side, and listed among imk's own customer references, highlighting the tight overlap in target customers and offerings.

Others

• Roboscreen GmbH: Roboscreen is the assay development co-development partner for imk's MULTIDIAG multi-diagnostics platform. Comparable as a complementary medtech player in the IVD/molecular diagnostics space, with direct technical collaboration on the Alzheimer's PCR platform.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/imkautomotive
• Facebookfacebook.com/Imk-automotive-GmbH-131371557456075
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/imk-automotive-gmbh

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about imk automotive GmbH