German audio technology and solutions company d&b audiotechnik has been honored as one of the TOP 100 most Innovative, medium-sized companies in Germany. The TOP 100 award recognizes innovative output and the innovation potential that lies within the company. The assessment process judges small- and medium-sized enterprises for: innovation-friendly senior management, climate of innovation, innovative processes/organization, outward looking/open innovation, successful innovations and entrepreneurial response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"To what extent is a company focused on innovation? How consistently do its structures follow this goal? With TOP 100, we examine this," explains Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke, the scientific director of TOP 100. "The most innovative medium-sized companies receive the seal. It shows that they are excellently equipped to meet future challenges."
d&b, which employees over 700 people worldwide, has long understood the importance of innovative practices, not just in products but within each branch of the company including R&D, HR, and from product development, training methods to management decision-making.
“We are extremely proud to receive his year's TOP 100 seal; the last few years has marked a major evolution for us, from a loudspeaker system company to becoming an event technology company,” commented Amnon Harman, CEO, d&b audiotechnik. “This evolution has been driven by our innovative thinking and our drive to deliver exceptional experiences for all audiences. It was a challenge to innovate during a time of deep uncertainty, but one that has re-affirmed our position as a global industry-leader.”
While for some companies, innovation was the first thing to go during the pandemic, d&b ramped up its innovative thinking, launching a host of new solutions into the market:
- The unique Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) program, offering customers the chance to purchase remanufactured d&b systems
- Subscription-Series, allowing venue owners to upgrade their audiences’ sound experience with a brand-new d&b system without a large, upfront capital investment
- d&b Fanblock, a partnership with Autograph Sound to launch a stadium sound application, creating a live crowd atmosphere at empty sports events
- d&b Direct, an e-commerce platform providing direct access to industry-leading audio packages to buy online.
One of d&b’s most distinguished innovative tools, d&b Soundscape, redefined immersive audio, allowing sound designers to create high-resolution immersive sound experiences. In 2021, the company took it a step further unveiling the En-Scene simulation tool, marking a radical development in the way spatialized sound is modelled.
Last year d&b Group also announced d&b solutions, a service-focused business entity, advancing the company toward its evolution as an integrated Audio-Video-Light and Media solutions (AVLM) business. To strengthen this new entity, the company acquired two UK based companies, SFL Group and White Light.