SmartFactoryOWL is celebrating its tenth anniversary—and inIT extends its warmest congratulations. From the very beginning, the institute has maintained close ties with the research facility at the Innovation Campus Lemgo. Here, our institute’s mission is put into practice: to ensure that research does not end in the laboratory, but rather to make new technologies tangible and usable for businesses, skilled workers, and the region.
A hub for research, training, and knowledge transfer
Today, SmartFactoryOWL serves as a central hub for applied research, technology transfer, and industrial innovation in East Westphalia-Lippe. Jointly operated by TH OWL and Fraunhofer IOSB-INA, it functions as an open real-world laboratory where future technologies are tested, demonstrated, and further developed under real-world conditions. Here, companies have the opportunity to test new approaches in a practical setting and evaluate their potential at an early stage.
From idea to hub of innovation
What has now gained international prominence can be traced back to an initiative by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Jasperneite. The research facility was built by a regional consortium of investors and opened in 2016 on the Innovation Campus Lemgo. Since then, SmartFactoryOWL has developed into an effective interface between academia and industry.
This development is of particular significance for inIT. The close networking of universities, non-university research institutions, companies, and regional partners creates an environment in which future-oriented technological topics can be effectively advanced—jointly and with a view to building a strong research region.
“Here in Lemgo, we have made it our mission not only to be pioneers in the field of intelligent automation, but also to help companies adopt these technologies. And after ten years, we can proudly say: It works!” says Prof. Dr. Jürgen Jasperneite.
Learn more about the history of SmartFactoryOWL:
https://www.th-owl.de/news/artikel/detail/die-fabrik-der-zukunft-aus-ostwestfalen-lippe-industrie-4-0-mit-bodenhaftung/
Open Factory Day 2026: Celebrating Our Anniversary with the Public
What makes this particularly special is that we won’t be celebrating this anniversary just internally. As part of Open Factory Day on May 9, 2026, we invite everyone interested to experience the world of digital transformation firsthand. We look forward to celebrating this special occasion together with many guests.
With a varied program and numerous hands-on activities, the day will showcase what research in Lemgo looks like in practice: practical, interactive, and focused on the production of tomorrow. Open Factory Day will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Learn more about the inIT stations:https://www.init-owl.de/aktuelles/veranstaltungen/detail/save-the-date-952026-openfactoryday/