Congatec announced at last week’s Embedded World in Nuremberg that it is expanding its partnership with fellow German company Kontron.

Last year, Congatec acquired Kontron’s module business and collaborated on a modular and secure embedded platform (iotm2mcouncil.org/iot-library/news/iot-newsdesk/congatec-and-kontron-collaborate-on-embedded-platform/). This year, Kontron has become the first partner for Congatec’s aReady.Yours programme to develop turnkey systems for markets with strict regulatory and complex technical requirements.

At the show, Dominik Ressing, Congatec (www.congatec.com) CEO, said Congatec was now “by far” the number one in embedded computer modules. “With Kontron, we can address the market like no-one else,” he said.

With the aReady.Yours partner pogramme, Congatec plans to lead the development of integrated embedded computing platforms, including low-level software building blocks such as operating systems, IoT connectivity and hypervisors for system consolidation. Partners will take responsibility for key aspects of the system design, including enclosures, application-specific interfaces and required certifications. This reduces the time OEMs spend on foundational development work. Instead, they can focus on their core competencies while benefiting from faster system development, high design reliability, reduced implementation effort and improved profitability.

Under the existing partnership, Congatec modules are integrated into Kontron’s modular standard systems – most recently Arm-based modules featuring Qualcomm Dragonwing IQ-X processors. The programme expands the collaboration to include custom designs that go beyond standard systems. Thanks to the streamlined workflows established through previous joint projects, customers should benefit from greater agility and faster time to market.

“We are putting Kontron software into the a Ready.Com modules,” said Michael Riegert, COO of Kontron (www.kontron.com). “We did the first step successfully and now we are moving to the next level. We are working together on modules and now we are working together on systems. We can be fast for customisation.”

In addition, Congatec‘s aReady.Yours development team – following the acquisition of Kontron’s module business – has expertise in the design of embedded platforms for Kontron systems. Together, the companies primarily address highly regulated markets, including avionics, railways, communications, transportation, medical, industrial automation, robotics and other verticals that demand rugged, certified system designs. Kontron contributes experience from previous system developments, certification projects and 5G connectivity for mobile edge applications.