Company & Idea: GÖPEL electronic GmbH develops and produces electrical and optical measuring and testing technology as well as test and inspection systems for electronic components, assembled circuit boards, industrial electronics and automotive electronic systems. Their business areas are automotive test solutions, embedded JTAG solutions, industrial functional test and inspection solutions. Their measuring and testing systems are used in the automotive and electronics industry as well as in aeronautics and aerospace. Göpel electronic is a leading global supplier in the field.

The Jena-based company was founded in 1991. It has invested continuously in its growth in recent years, opened new locations, and consistently created jobs. The company headquarters in Jena now consists of four company buildings. Additionally, the company maintains branches in Great Britain, the USA, China, and India. At present, it employs around 240 people. The Ministry of Economic Affairs has regularly supported the growth with subsidies from the joint task "Improvement of the Regional Economic Structure" (GA) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). Göpel electronics is active in 37 countries and has an annual turnover of €40 million. It is managed by Alice Göpel.

Project: Funding is currently being provided for a total of six projects with different funding priorities. (Research and development projects, increasing competitiveness, promotion of research and development intensity in Thuringian companies, process and organisational innovations). "Intelligent 3D image processing system for the inline inspection of electronic assemblies", for example, is one of the funded projects. The aim of this R&D project is to design, develop, and evaluate an intelligent 3D image processing system for the optical inspection of electronic circuit boards. In order to achieve the project objective, innovative technologies from the areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning (DL) will be applied.

The following speaks for Göpel electronics: The company is an example of successful entrepreneurship. It was founded in Thuringia ( by employees in the VEB Carl Zeiss Jena State Combine) and has been expanding ever since. It is internationally successful and active in vital future industries and fields. With its (often customised) testing technologies, it solves a variety of problems for manufacturers of all kinds of products equipped with electronics. The funding profile also fits into Priority 2: "Increasing the degree of internationalisation of Thuringia's commercial economy and business-related companies (export orientation)" and "increasing private investment of companies."