Building the Technology that Builds Tomorrow – A Work Anniversary feature

Marty: Congratulations on your 15^th work anniversary! This is a really big milestone, and we’re happy to have had you for this long.

Marc: Thanks, I really appreciate it.

Marty: Let’s start with how you got into your fields of expertise and how you eventually joined INVENSITY.

Marc: I studied Physics and spent both my Diploma and my PhD doing research on technologies. That’s where I learned what it means to really understand a technology, down to the physics behind it. Towards the end of my doctorate, though, I realized that understanding a technology and applying it are two very different things, and I wanted to find out what it takes to turn one into an actual product.

That’s exactly why I came to INVENSITY. As a technology consultancy, we are strongly anchored in the development of complex systems, and those are usually the systems where new technologies are used first. It also meant I didn’t have to commit to one single industry but could see how different industries solve comparable problems.

My first assignment here was a development and quality assurance project, and my first two to three projects were all in automotive. That is where I built a strong knowledge base on the V-Model and the other development processes — the structure you need if you want to bring new technology into a product in a reliable way. From there, the projects became broader and the problems more complex. One example is an automotive feasibility study where we enabled the client to reduce manufacturing costs by replacing certain parts with alternatives that still fulfilled all requirements.

Step by step, that also led me into roles with more scope. I became Deputy Head of our former Innovation Center, supervised students during their thesis work, and had the opportunity to work on our first AI project, which dealt with AI in computer vision. Today I’m involved in business development, where I support our M&A team by assessing a target company’s technology and what our customers can actually gain from it.

Marty: Sounds like you’ve had such a full journey with us. What about the moments that stand out in your career? Are there any highlights you’d like to bring up?

Marc: Looking back, the moments I remember best have one thing in common: they were about passing something on or about bringing things together.

Years ago, we had a really great project where we supported a local school by teaching Physics concepts like magnets and magnetism. That’s a good example of how much I enjoy mentoring and teaching others. The same motivation is behind my role as an INVENSITY Responsible, where I help colleagues with their career and personal development.

On the bigger achievements: together with other department heads, I merged our respective departments into Software & Data Technologies (SDT). Throughout my time at INVENSITY, I had watched everything become more digital and more interconnected, so keeping these competencies apart no longer made sense. With SDT, it became easier for us to meet our clients’ needs, encourage teamwork, and align better with Leadership, simply because our business developers, project managers, software developers, data scientists, and other experts now work side by side.

The KARLI Projekt, I would say, was the milestone that combined both aspects. It brought together many people from research and industry to work on automated driving with AI and other technologies, in a partnership with notable companies and organizations such as Audi, Ford, Continental Automotive, and Fraunhofer IOSB.

Marty: As you already know, AI is extremely popular right now, and I’m sure your future projects involve integrating AI into many aspects. I wanted to get your insights on where the industry is at and the impact you’d like to make in the field.

Marc:In the next few years, I see myself combining INVENSITY’s different areas of expertise and applying AI to them — essentially the same logic as with SDT, just one level further. A good example is the AI-based Requirements Engineering framework that the Systems Engineering department and I developed together.

What I believe could become Europe’s strength in AI are exactly these industrial applications. The U.S. and China are already applying AI on an individual and commercial level. For industrial engineers, AI can take over the tedious parts like documentation, so that they can focus on problem-solving and R&D instead.

Many of our current and potential clients in Europe have precisely these industrial use cases. It’s a matter of creating the right structure and integrating the technology seamlessly, and that is the expertise my team and I can bring to them.

Marty: That’s really insightful! It’s nice to see that the AI ecosystem isn’t just a battle of two big powers but a space where different groups can have their own special, important contributions. Okay, before ending this interview, what would you like to say to those just starting out in their careers?

Marc: We’ve experienced so many advancements in our digital products like social media, but this also has made many young people super anxious or doubtful. My advice:

• What you can do right now to achieve your objectives is what counts. Quick wins outside your actual objectives matter far less.
• Learn to stop comparing yourself with what others are doing.
• Even if you’re the only one who believes in something, stick with your ideas

Dr. Marc Großerüschkamp is INVENSITY’s Head of Software & Data Technologies. His work involves leading projects involving AI, data, and software, as well as contributing to research projects like the KARLI Projekt.

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