Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg
Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg
08/27/2026 | News release | Archived content
Using digital twins to set up a business
Using digital twins to set up a business
Jannis Werner successfully completed his degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU) in March 2026. His start-up, Machinespace, is now being funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) through the exist start-up grant.
Through Machinespace, Jannis Werner and his business partner and long-standing friend Björn Hansen provide machine manufacturers with digital twins that consolidate technical knowledge in a machine-centred manner directly within the 3D model and make it accessible via AI-powered machine agents. Building on this, international sales and service throughout a machine's entire lifecycle are automated 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in the end customers' local language. This is possible on any device - be it a PC, laptop, smartphone or directly on the machine itself.
"Nowadays, it is no longer enough for machine manufacturers simply to sell the machine," explains Jannis Werner. "Digital business models enable new revenue streams for the manufacturer, whilst at the same time reducing costs for the operator - a factor that often determines whether or not a machine is purchased."
The start-up is receiving a boost from the new EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 and ISO 9001:2026, which place a particular focus on knowledge management.
Federal funding for a new digital business model with a promising future
Jannis Werner is 27 years old. Born in Forst and raised in Cottbus, he studied for aBachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering at the BTU's main campus in Cottbus. Even during his periods of study, he was involved in several start-up projects. In the process, his interest in the interface between Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science grew, as did his interest in sales and business management.
After obtaining his final degree, he co-founded the start-up Machinespace with Björn Hansen in Düsseldorf in May 2026, in the immediate vicinity of their first pilot clients, with the aim of further developing the software based on feedback from the industry. As early as August this year, they secured a client - a machine manufacturer in Saxony - whose machines are also used at the BTU. The first projects with companies from Lusatia and Berlin are currently getting underway.
Immediately after completing his degree, Jannis Werner submitted an application for the exist start-up grant, which he has been receiving since May 2026 to support his innovative start-up idea. For one year, the grant covers his living expenses and allows him to invest in building up Machinespace's server infrastructure in both Düsseldorf and Cottbus, where Jannis Werner is affiliated with the BTU through a scholarship contract. The start-up is growing from two centres: the Ruhr region and Lusatia.
Business partner Björn Hansen brings two decades of professional experience in series and specialised machine construction to the table and most recently served as a business unit manager. Within the Machinespace team, thanks to his extensive expertise in the field of industrial 3D data, he is primarily involved with the graphical user interface (front-end development) and the automated processing and conversion of highly complex CAD data.
"I, on the other hand, focus on training and fine-tuning machine-specific AI models (back-end development)," continues Jannis Werner. "In principle, I'm picking up exactly where I left off with my final-year dissertation - developing generative and predictive AI systems for Mechanical Engineering."
The project at the BTU is supervised by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ingo Schmitt, holder of theChair of Database and Information Systems, as an academic mentor, and by the university's Founders' Service under the project leadership of Dr Viktor Zakar.
New team members are very welcome
The start-up Machinespace offers technically skilled individuals the opportunity to get involved in the project and gain valuable practical experience. "We are generally looking for students and alumni from all STEM study programmes," emphasises Jannis Werner, "in particular those in artificial intelligence, Computer Science and Mathematics - as interns, working students and founding engineers. Theses are, of course, also possible."
Contact
Jannis Werner
wernejan(at)b-tu.de
T +49 211 92326822
https://machinespace.ai/
Contact
Ralf-Peter Witzmann
Kommunikation und Marketing
T +49 (0) 3573 85-283
ralf-peter.witzmann(at)b-tu.de
Kommunikation und Marketing
T +49 (0) 3573 85-283
ralf-peter.witzmann(at)b-tu.de
BTU graduate and entrepreneur Jannis Werner (right) with his business partner Björn Hansen. Photo: BTU, Sascha Thor
Start-up founders and supporters (from left): Dr Viktor Zakar from the BTU Founders' Service, founders Jannis Werner and Björn Hansen, and mentor Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ingo Schmitt. Photo: BTU, Sascha Thor
Preserving technical knowledge using the digital twin of a book-production machine. Photo: Machinespace, Björn Hansen
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Brandenburgische Technische Universität Cottbus-Senftenberg published this content on August 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 31, 2026 at 12:03 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]