Latest news with #BMWGroup
Vogue Singapore
7 hours ago
- Business
- Vogue Singapore
Meet the three Vogue Singapore x BMW Innovation Prize 2025 finalists
This year, the Vogue Singapore x BMW Innovation Prize returns to spotlight the brightest entrepreneurial minds reimagining fashion, sustainability, and technology across Asia and beyond. A collaboration with BMW, the programme champions fashion and beauty innovators building the future of design through cross-industry creativity, circular systems, and digital transformation. Applications came in from all around the globe, and after an intensive two-day bootcamp, ten standout businesses were chosen to move forward into a three-week mentorship programme. Participants had the valuable opportunity to work with esteemed leaders from world-class institutions, including Renzo Vitale, Creative Director Sound at BMW Group, Corey Moran, Head of Industry, Fashion and Luxury at Google, Artaud Frenoy, Head of APAC at VEJA, and Nanette Wong, Vice President of Global Brand Marketing at Fenty Beauty & Fenty Fragrance, among others. Their final pitch was presented to an internal jury composed of the Vogue Singapore and Brinc teams, alongside global investors. From this pool, three finalists emerged—Arxy, Authentified, and BioFluff—each chosen for their distinctive vision, clear roadmap, and capacity to spark real change. These three companies will now face the VIP jury, comprised of global leaders at the forefront of luxury, innovation, and design. Among them: Bettina von Schlippe, Vogue Singapore's Publisher-at-Large, Alexis Bonhomme, founder of Trinity Asia, Natasha Damodaran, Vogue Singapore's publisher, Rose du Chatellier, Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives at Condé Nast, and Oliver Heilmer, Head of Design BMW Compact Class and Neue Klasse, BMW M. For Heilmer, whose team is pioneering BMW's next-generation vehicles under the Neue Klasse vision, the innovation prize reflects an aligned mission: 'BMW has a strong history and has always strived to resolve contradictions: to create a design that meets the spirit of the times and thus remains timeless. In many ways, the Vogue Singapore x BMW Innovation Prize is aimed to bring about change in a similar way, and I am thrilled for BMW and myself to support this project'. He also emphasised the importance of cross-disciplinary inspiration. 'For example, one person on our team builds skateboards, while another lived on a sailboat for two years—this is all part of indirect inspiration. These experiences feed into our collective design language—it's that creative discourse that drives innovation.' Indeed, the exchange of ideas between tech, fashion, design, and sustainability underpins the ethos of the programme, which culminates this October at Vogue Singapore's Next In Vogue gala. There, the winner will be announced and awarded a S$20,000 monetary prize, a feature by Vogue Singapore, a one-year membership at the Singapore Fashion Council, and—courtesy of VisitMonaco—a four-night stay at the Hôtel Metropole Monte-Carlo, with dinner at the two-Michelin-starred Les Ambassadeurs by Christophe Cussac. The winner will also receive mentorship from Monegasque institutions such as MonacoTech and be introduced to a global network of investors and industry leaders. Below, read on to find about more about the three shortlisted businesses and their innovative visions. Arxy Artzy is the world's first fully immersive and interactive virtual showroom platform for B2B wholesale. Courtesy of Arxy Touted as the world's first fully immersive and interactive virtual showroom platform for B2B wholesale, Arxy is redefining how brands and retailers connect. By addressing the outdated and unsustainable nature of traditional wholesale—which relies on costly physical showrooms, international travel, and excessive sample production— Arxy offers scalable, sustainable, and cost-efficient tools designed to modernise the wholesale process. These entrenched practices not only slow down operations but also raise barriers for small brands and contribute to the industry's carbon footprint. Arxy's mission is to build a dynamic, collaborative, and tech-forward ecosystem that cuts costs, reduces waste, and expands reach—empowering the next generation of fashion creatives to thrive. Since its launch, Arxy has rapidly gained industry recognition. The company was selected twice by Vogue Business as one of the ten tech startups set to reshape the fashion industry, presenting at Fashion Futures in both New York and London. In early 2025, it unveiled a virtual talent showroom for Istituto Marangoni, earning press coverage and widespread interest; the institution has since engaged Arxy on two further projects and named them their exclusive technology partner in this field. Today, Arxy works with over 20 brands, including Veronique Leroy and Annakiki, and has attracted over 300 retailers across 36 countries, from LuisaViaRoma and Saks to well-established regional retailers. Most recently, the company was invited to showcase at the Global Fashion Summit 2025 and host a workshop in Jakarta, further cementing its place at the forefront of fashion's digital evolution. Authentified Authentified provides the back-end technology to connect brands, customers and secondhand marketplaces for efficient resale. Courtesy of Authentified Authentified is building the back‑end infrastructure to power seamless, brand‑led resale at scale. The platform integrates directly with fashion brands—such as launch partner Decjuba, which generated over 500 listings in its first week following its February 2025 debut—connecting them and their customers to established secondhand marketplaces like eBay. This integration enables brands to embrace resale on their own terms: earning royalties, accessing valuable post‑purchase data, and driving ongoing customer engagement. Customers, in turn, benefit from a resale experience that's easy, trusted, and fully brand‑backed. With additional partnerships including Australia Post and Salvos Stores to support logistics and donations, Authentified is laying the foundation for effortless, circular fashion at scale. Since launch, the platform has grown to support over 1,500 registered users and has facilitated the sale of more than 1,400 items, with strong momentum across both brand and customer adoption. Authentified currently partners with Decjuba, Bared Footwear, Kivari, and Cambridge Clothing, with two more marketplace integrations in discussion. The team recently launched a live brand dashboard and has received positive feedback from major retailers during ongoing meetings. Recognition has followed swiftly: Authentified was selected for the eBay Circular Fashion Fund, named a LaunchVic Top 30 Best Newcomer, shortlisted for the AFR Sustainability Leaders Award 2025 (via Decjuba), and was a finalist at Power Retail Big Bash 2025 in both the Top Sustainability Initiative and Top Innovator categories. Biofluff BioFluff is the world's first 100% plant-based fur, shearling, and plush alternative. Courtesy of Biofluff Born from a bold ambition to phase out both animal-derived and plastic-based furs, BioFluff is the world's first 100% plant-based alternative to fur, shearling, and plush. Its flagship material, Savian, is crafted in Italy from flax, nettle, and hemp fibres—offering a high-luxury textile with a remarkably low environmental footprint. The material made its high-profile debut at COP28 in December 2023, appearing as part of Stella McCartney's Pre-Fall 2024 collection, where it garnered global attention as a pioneering sustainable innovation. Since then, BioFluff has continued to rewrite the rules of luxury by proving that plant-powered fashion can be beautiful, functional, and scalable. Momentum has only grown. In January 2024, BioFluff partnered with Ganni, showcasing the brand's Bou Bag crafted in Savian during Copenhagen Fashion Week. The company also took its first steps into interiors by unveiling an artisanal bench with Andrea Rosso's RedDuo during Barcelona Design Week. In November 2024, BioFluff initiated a working group with players in the toy and licensing industry, aiming to co-create a category-appropriate plant-based plush solution. Recognition has come from across the industry: the brand was a finalist for the 2022 LVMH Innovation Award, and most recently, BioFluff was shortlisted for the Drapers Sustainability Awards 2025, cementing its place at the forefront of next-generation materials. Learn more about the Vogue Singapore Foundation and subscribe to Club Vogue .
Miami Herald
11 hours ago
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
BMW's New M Cars May Feature Plant-Based Composites
It seems like everything we used to consider good or tasty is getting some sort of veggie or plant-based alternative. These days, it's impossible to ignore the oat milk, plant-based cheeses, and Impossible meat on the menu at your local coffee shop or neighborhood bistro. Sometimes, those things taste just as good as the real animal-based thing. In today's eco-conscious world, equipping cars with lower-emission engines or electrifying powertrains is simply not enough for some automakers. Some manufacturers are going as far as decking their interiors with reclaimed wood trim, recycled plastics, as well as seats lined with "vegan leather" instead of the kind that comes off the back of a cow. However, the best of BMW's Ultimate Driving Machines are getting a plant-based alternative to a space-age material. In a statement released this week, BMW unveiled a new lightweight material that it claims is a more eco-friendly alternative to carbon fiber. Dubbed 'natural fiber composites,' this new material is made from fibers derived from flax, the same plant used to create textiles like linen and special types of paper, including the ones used in banknotes. The Bavarians claim that this new composite material is stronger than the carbon fiber components it replaces and offers reduced CO2 emissions compared to producing carbon fiber parts. According to BMW, exchanging carbon fiber parts for those made of natural fiber composites in the roofs of next-generation BMW Group vehicles can lead to a CO2 reduction of around 40% in production. After years of research and development and trial runs in motorsport settings, BMW says these natural composites are ready to be used in BMW's road cars. In a statement, Franciscus van Meel, the CEO of the automaker's M division, said that the high-performance specialists "are now looking forward to the use of these materials in future BMW M product ranges;" meaning that the the next-generation M3 and/or M4 may have a flax-roof when it reaches production. The flax-based 'natural fiber composites' were made in collaboration with Swiss clean-tech firm Bcomp, a company the automaker has invested in through BMW i Ventures. BMW and Bcomp developed this eco-friendly space-age material through an experimental development phase over several years. BMW M Motorsport initially used reinforcement parts made with these natural fiber composites in the 2019 season of Formula E. Since then, the same parts have also been used to replace carbon fiber plastic (CFRP) parts in BMW's M4 DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters) car and the M4 GT4 cars. BMW says that the M4 GT4 that will compete at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring will be equipped with these panels onboard. "Natural fiber composites are a vital element of innovative lightweight solutions in motorsport," he said. "They allow for a reduction in CO₂e emissions in the manufacturing process. This is innovation that perfectly fits BMW M's identity: 'Born on the racetrack. Made for the streets.'" By looking at it, you can convince me or the untrained eye that this "plant-based carbon fiber" is actually carbon fiber. On a more serious note, BMW and Bcomp are making significant strides toward sustainability with the introduction of this new sustainable lightweight material, especially at a time when there is a strong emphasis on creating more environmentally friendly vehicles. Reducing emissions involves more than just improving or removing engines; it requires comprehensive solutions that go beyond simply placing a green badge on cars with electric motors and batteries and calling it a day. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
QNX named foundational OS for Eclipse S-CORE project
QNX, a division of BlackBerry, has announced that its Software Development Platform (SDP) 8.0 will serve as the foundational operating system for the Eclipse Foundation's Safe Open Vehicle Core (S-CORE) Project. This collaboration aims to expedite the development timelines for automaker Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) projects and reduce the costs associated with moving from research to production. The S-CORE project represents a significant step forward in establishing a common, open, and safety-critical software platform for the automotive industry. It is an open-source initiative under the Eclipse Software Defined Vehicle (SDV) Working Group, which includes industry leaders such as BMW Group, Mercedes-Benz, ETAS, Qorix, and Accenture. Together, they are developing an open-source core stack for SDVs, focusing on embedded high-performance Electronic Control Units (ECUs). The initial release of S-CORE (v0.5) is set to provide essential functionalities like application orchestration, inter-process communication (IPC), and logging & persistency. To support these features, QNX SDP 8.0 has been chosen as the operating system for the initial reference platform. This integration is part of the QNX Everywhere initiative, which offers expanded access to QNX's high-performance foundational software for non-commercial purposes, benefiting students, educational institutions, research organizations, and OEMs for early prototyping. The QNX Everywhere initiative grants free access to QNX SDP 8.0 for non-commercial use, along with complimentary resources and on-demand training. This initiative is designed to facilitate learning, experimentation, and innovation in embedded systems. By leveraging the reliability of operating systems like QNX alongside the adaptability of open-source development, the S-CORE project enables contributors and adopters to innovate more rapidly and efficiently, from the proof-of-concept stage all the way through to production. QNX COO and head of Products, Engineering and Services John Wall said: "Embracing our role as the foundational operating system for the Eclipse S-CORE Project is a testament to QNX's trusted reputation within the automotive industry. This milestone benefits OEMs by enabling easy and simple access to QNX 8 software for non-commercial use for advanced prototyping to accelerate development cycles. "By enabling Eclipse S-CORE and with support from a who's who of major automakers and Tier 1s, we're thrilled to provide more non-commercial developers with free access to QNX SDP 8.0, enabling them to build the future of automotive technology with confidence and efficiency." "QNX named foundational OS for Eclipse S-CORE project" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
BMW boosts natural fibres in series models
Following the successful utilisation of renewable raw materials in racing cars, the BMW Group says it will now harness natural fibre composites for its series-production models. BMW maintains it has reached series maturity for natural fibre composites following several years of development and in-depth research. The composites from renewable raw materials can even meet the stringent demands of roof structures in total vehicle homologation. The flax-based lightweight components have been developed in collaboration with Bcomp, a Swiss clean-tech company, for several years now, BMW says. The partnership with Bcomp supports the BMW Group's goal of further reducing CO2 equivalent emissions in future vehicle models. BMW also holds a stake in Bcomp through BMW i Ventures, the company's venture capital arm. Lightweight construction has long been a crucial development field for the BMW Group. The use of natural fibres with a reduced CO2 footprint in composite materials has become increasingly important. Materials tests have demonstrated the fibres' great suitability, especially for visible exterior and interior components. One example BMW sites is exchanging carbon fibre composites for natural fibre composites in the roofs of the next-generation BMW Group portfolio. It says that leads to a CO2 equivalent reduction of around 40% in production plus additional end-of-life considerations. The innovative reinforcement parts made of natural fibre composites were initially used by BMW M Motorsport in the 2019 season of Formula E. Since then, the components have also been successfully used in the BMW M4 DTM and M4 GT4, replacing carbon fibre plastic (CFRP) parts. Since 2022, Bcomp has been an official BMW M Motorsport partner for the BMW M4 GT4. The new lightweight materials will be fitted in the BMW M4 GT4 for the 24-hour race on the Nürburgring. Franciscus van Meel, CEO of BMW M GmbH, said: 'Natural fibre composites are a vital element of innovative lightweight solutions in motorsport, allowing for a reduction in CO2e emissions in the manufacturing process. Natural fibre is an innovation that perfectly exemplifies BMW M's claim 'Born on the racetrack. Made for the streets.'. This is why we are delighted to confirm the series maturity of these materials, a breakthrough we achieved with our official BMW M Motorsport partner Bcomp. We are now looking forward to the use of these materials in future BMW M product ranges.' "BMW boosts natural fibres in series models" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Time of India
BMW Group scales virtual factory to streamline production planning
The BMW Group industrialised its Virtual Factory in a move aimed at accelerating production planning across its global manufacturing network. As of June 2025, the company had been scaling the use of digital twins across over 30 of its production sites, replacing many real-world trials with simulations. Between now and 2027, the group planned to integrate more than 40 new or updated vehicles into its production system, initially through virtual planning. This shift was projected to reduce production planning costs by up to 30 percent. Virtual collision checks and simulation tools A key development was the implementation of digital, automated collision checks. These used construction data and 3D scans to simulate how a new vehicle would move through a production line. The system checked automatically for any potential collisions. What once took nearly four weeks of manual testing was now simulated in three days. Previously, physical vehicle bodies had to be manually guided through production lines, often over several weekends. In the paint shop, this sometimes required draining and cleaning dip coating tanks, leading to high costs and downtime. Integration with iFACTORY and NVIDIA Omniverse Virtual planning formed a part of the BMW Group's iFACTORY strategy and was supported by tools that integrated data from buildings, equipment, logistics, and vehicle components. The digital twins were hosted in a 3D industrial metaverse application built using NVIDIA Omniverse. This setup enabled real-time simulations of layouts, robotics, and logistics. The company also reported progress in other areas, including human simulations to optimise manual tasks and the automated extraction of environmental maps from 3D scans to support smart transport systems. The BMW Group planned to showcase its Virtual Factory at NVIDIA GTC in Paris.
