Product and Solutions Innovation

Bosch was recently named to Fast Company’s Second Annual List of The 100 Best Workplaces for Innovators, a competitive list that celebrates organizations with deep commitment to innovative thinking, demonstrated by investing in technology, research and development, and their employees.

All group photos taken prior to March 2020.

Encouraged to experiment, take risks, and pursue bold projects, Andreas Fuchs, Business Development Specialist, and Fabian Henrici, Senior Project Manager, worked through our Innovation Framework to bring together a local need in California agriculture with an existing innovation project in Spain and Germany called Smart Irrigation.

After interning with Bosch in the Minneapolis area while earning his undergrad degree, Andreas joined the Automotive Electronics division (Silicon Valley) in 2017 where his role in Business Development has evolved to focus on Smart Agriculture and IoT.

After earning his PhD in Microsystems Engineering at the University of Freiburg, Fabian Henrici joined Bosch Corporate Research as many of the fundamental research and product breakthroughs in his field were invented here. In 2015 Fabian transferred to the Bosch Research and Technology Center in Silicon Valley to work in technology scouting and business development.

Both Andreas and Fabian strive to find new, exciting technologies and apply them to solve customer challenges. To better understand local customer and market requirements before bringing Smart Agriculture sensing solutions to the United States, Andreas and Fabian ran their ideas through innovation programs like the Bosch Accelerator, Automotive Electronics Pitch Night and most prominently, the Innovation Framework. The Innovation Framework helped them learn to better evaluate an idea through open, direct customer feedback, to craft a pitch and promote it within the organization, and to nurture and grow an idea from proof-of concept all the way to final product. Further, it allowed for the validation of product-market fit based on customer desirability, business viability and technical feasibility.

Within an almost 3-year journey, Andreas and Fabian set up a cross-functional project team operating as an internal startup which gave them a lot of freedom and flexibility to make quick data-driven decisions and validate hypothesis. Fabian says, “When we talk about the right workplace environment for innovation, it is really the people around us and above us having trust in us and giving us the freedom and support to explore. And fail. And try again until we succeed.” Andreas relates, “The success of corporate innovation depends on the people who are bold enough to execute new, disruptive ideas.”

Established in 2014, Bosch eBike Systems Americas was an internal start-up with a desire to prove the brand name to be synonymous with eBike. Today, eBike Systems is its own division working with over 35 brands in North America alone. Originally focused on the European market, as the North American eBike market became more mature, Bosch wanted to support its global manufacturing partners in their expansion plans and offer them unparalleled support and adequate product portfolio for the US and Canada.

With a rich legacy of technical ingenuity, our premium, high quality eBike systems and digital solutions are utilized by the world’s best bike manufacturers to give consumers an easy to use and service eBike that is good for health and the environment. Bosch has become a global and regional market leading player in the eBike market.

Claudia Wasko joined Bosch in 1994 and has held numerous positions with increasing responsibility in the areas of sales and marketing. In 2009, she co-founded Germany’s eBike Systems business unit and was strongly involved in positioning Bosch as the global market leader. Since expanding eBike to the Americas in 2014, Claudia has served as Vice President and General Manager of Bosch eBike Systems, responsible for all eBike operational activities within North and South America.

Graduating with an International Business degree from Cal State Long Beach, one of Viviana Keesee’s professional goals was to work for an international company that would give her the opportunity to interact with people of different backgrounds from all over the world. Joining Bosch in 2014 as an Executive Assistant, and since 2019, serving as a Marketing Specialist with eBike Systems Americas, Viviana feels “Bosch is not only a great company to work for, but it also provides the opportunity to work with an amazing group of people who are very supportive and hard working.”

Seeking an innovative office space dedicated to eBike, there were a few key criteria in the selection process. First, it was important for the eBike office to be located in one of the main bicycle commuting regions with advanced bike infrastructures, close to current and prospective customers, and close to future players in the sport and bike industry. Lake Forest, Calif. offered this proximity, as well as accessibility to bike trail systems beneficial not only for demo rides with press, manufacturing partners, and influencers, but also for the team to get out for rides at lunch.

Second, the team felt an inspiring workplace should include a space flooded with daylight, room to install showers and lockers, and an open office plan to help facilitate communication, team spirit and an agile culture. The office holds dedicated space to showcase the latest innovations, host dealer clinics and hands-on training, lobby and advocacy related meetings, and house associate bikes. It even includes a charging station in the backyard, so associates can bike to and from work.

At eBike Systems, innovation goes far beyond workplace environment, from a high-performing inclusive team to how the team approach dealers and customers alike. eBike personnel recruitment strategy ensures a cohesive and highly engaged team with diverse representation and a lot of bike industry expertise. eBike innovates to build loyalty with dealers and manufacturing partners through unparalleled support and education, connects with and guiding consumers by engaging them where they already are, and supports and guides advocacy efforts to increase eBike adoption and growth through branding, digital, and experiential channels. Claudia says, “We set the benchmark by holding ourselves to a higher operational standard and exceeding market expectations by serving with great empathy: best-in-class partnership and customer-base building, best-in-class customer service through empowerment and education, striving for mobility leadership & advocacy.”

Throughout her journey with eBike, Viviana shares what motivated her to stay the course: “Never give up on something you believe in. You may not be able to change everyone’s perception, but you can work hard and team up with organizations that have similar goals – a desire to have eBike access for cities and trails. Giving people the option to ride different types of eBikes allow them to see for themselves that eBikes are a great to stay active, awesome for commuting, and most importantly, fun!”