DISCLAIMER: This story was translated from German to English and may contain inaccuracies. Please refer to the original story on transform-r.de as needed.
The Starting Point: A Contact That Pays Off
The initial contact did not take place during a delegation visit—but at IAA MOBILITY 2025 in Munich. There, representatives from York Region met the Bavarian sensor ecosystem for the first time. What followed was no coincidence, but the result of consistent networking: In April 2026, immediately after the Hannover Messe, a high-ranking business delegation from York Region (Ontario, Canada) traveled to Regensburg. In their luggage: concrete intentions for cooperation and a structured two-day program.
The Partners: Two Ecosystems, One Logic
On the Canadian side, York Region Economic Development coordinated the visit—as the regional implementation arm of the Ontario Vehicle Innovation Network (OVIN), which provides international companies with access to testing infrastructure, real-world labs, and funding programs for smart mobility. The Vaughan Demo Zone and York University complement this with concrete pilot environments. York Region operates its own OVIN Regional Technology Development Site—local implementation of a strategic provincial initiative. The structure sounds familiar: strategic positioning at a higher level, with concrete activities on the ground.
On the Bavarian side, SPS, together with partners from transform.r as well as transform.by (Bayern Innovativ), the Cluster Mobility & Logistics, and OTH Regensburg, brought companies from environmental sensor technology, automotive sensor technology, and industrial automation to the table—including Schaeffler, Vitesco Technologies, B-Horizon, Aumovio, and AVL Software and Functions GmbH.
The Implementation: Pitches, Practice, and a Sensor Testing Center
The program of the business invitation to Regensburg: In the morning, both sides presented their ecosystems, and Bavarian companies used the pitch session to position their technologies directly in front of Canadian decision-makers. In the afternoon, the group visited the sensor testing center of AVL Software and Functions GmbH in Roding—vehicle sensor technology under real testing conditions. Day two focused on urban digitalization in practice, with a Historic Smart City Tour through Regensburg.
The Outcome: More Than an Introduction
What remained after the visit were not vague declarations of intent. Gordon Scheel, Senior Business Development Advisor of the Regional Municipality of York, put it succinctly:
“Several NDAs have been signed between companies as a result of our activity – finding partners who are reliable and trustworthy is not always easy, particularly when working internationally.”
Matthias Streller, Cluster Manager for Bavarian Sensor Technology, sees this as just the beginning:
“We remain in contact with the companies and aim to further support the collaborations—specifically, for example, through the currently ongoing German-Canadian NRC/ZIM program, which promotes joint R&D projects.”
The Outlook: transform.r Connects – Next Stop: IAA MOBILITY 2027
The Canadian partners will return to IAA MOBILITY in 2027—the next joint appearance is already in sight. For companies working on smart mobility solutions within the transform.r framework and targeting the North American market, this channel is now open. Those interested in concrete follow-up opportunities are encouraged to contact Matthias Streller.
Full Article: transform-r.de