Open innovation at the BMW Group.

Page Overview

Global Tech Expertise:
BMW Group's Worldwide Technology Offices.

World map with marked cities: Silicon Valley, Greenville, Porto, Tel Aviv, Chennai, Singapore, Pretoria, Shenyang, Naung, Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai. Connection network of lines and dots.

From Silicon Valley to Shanghai, Seoul to Tel Aviv – the BMW Group's global Technology Offices are key hubs within the company’s international innovation network. Their mission is to identify emerging technologies at the source and turn them into impactful applications for mobility, digitalization, and sustainability.

These offices host interdisciplinary teams focused on technology scouting, open innovation, research, and proof-of-concept development. In collaboration with startups, universities, industry partners, and tech giants, they deliver high-impact innovation that feeds directly into BMW’s global R&D.

Each Tech Office targets location-specific fields – from AI and software-defined vehicles to e-mobility and smart city ecosystems. Their presence in the world’s leading tech hubs keeps BMW agile, forward-thinking, and innovation-driven. With global perspective and local expertise, these Technology Offices significantly contribute to the BMW Group’s technological excellence and innovation leadership.

Goal #1

Scout relevant innovations and generate trend reports.

Goal #2

Networking with startups, universities and cross-industry partners, with proof of concept and research projects.

Goal #3

Transfer relevant innovations to the central organisation.

World map with a network of blue lines and dots. Silicon Valley is highlighted in orange.

Technology Office Silicon Valley (USA).

Situated in a leading innovation hub, it provides early access to emerging trends, technologies, and digital business models, collaborating with major tech players, startups, venture capitalists, and universities.

The team focuses on artificial intelligence, software development, and future user experiences, while fostering partnerships and validating new technologies through pilot projects in alignment with BMW R&D. By decoding trends to uncover opportunities, the Technology Office creates strategic value for the BMW Group. With a commitment to curiosity, foresight, and creativity, it helps shaping the technologies and experiences that will define the future of BMW’s global products, services, and customer journey.

World map with a network of blue lines and dots. Shanghai is highlighted in orange.

Technology Office Shanghai (China).

China is not only one of the the BMW Group’s largest market – it’s also a global innovation leader, especially in electromobility, platform services, and user experience. The Shanghai Technology Office connects BMW to China’s dynamic tech ecosystem via partnerships with startups, universities, platforms, and tech firms. Focus areas include digital services, battery tech, smart city solutions, and customer-driven applications. Local insight and market proximity help BMW identify trends early and implement scalable innovations with global relevance.

World map with a network of blue lines and dots. Tel Aviv is highlighted in orange.

Technology Office Tel Aviv (Israel).

Tel Aviv is a global hotspot for cybersecurity, sensor innovation, and deep tech. The BMW Group Technology Office is embedded in this dynamic ecosystem, collaborating with startups, VCs, universities, and accelerators. The team focuses on secure vehicle communication, data processing, sensor fusion, autonomous driving, and computer vision. Early-stage partnerships and scalable pilots from Israel provide key innovation impulses for secure, data-driven mobility in BMW’s global strategy.

World map with a network of blue lines and dots. Tokyo is highlighted in orange.

Technology Office Tokyo (Japan).

Japan’s strong innovation culture – especially in robotics, materials science, sensors, and manufacturing – makes Tokyo a key hub for the BMW Group. The Technology Office collaborates with top universities, research institutes, and tech companies to explore sustainable materials, lightweight construction, energy efficiency, and human-machine interaction. Its culturally rooted approach emphasizes precision, reliability, and user-centric design, contributing to BMW’s global innovation strategy.

World map with a network of blue lines and dots. Seoul is highlighted in orange.

Technology Office Seoul (Korea).

South Korea is known for its strengths in semiconductors, display tech, mobile networks, and connected services. The Seoul Technology Office leverages this landscape for the BMW Group, partnering with local tech leaders, universities, and startups to advance materials, sensors, displays, and infotainment. It plays a key role in shaping next-gen in-car experiences – from flexible OLEDs to smart human-machine interfaces – linking Korean innovation with BMW’s global development network.

World map with a network of blue lines and dots. Greenville is highlighted in orange-white.

Technology Office Greenville (USA).

The BMW IT Tech Office Americas is a vital hub for innovation, collaboration, and technological leadership, positioning us as a key player in the industry for the past two decades. Established in 2004, the office maintains strong connections to the Americas region with dedicated focus on Financial Services, BMW of North America, and—through its proximity to the largest BMW plant in Spartanburg—manufacturing operations. Embedded in a dynamic ecosystem, the office leverages strong ties to universities and its proximity to major technology players and innovative startups. These connections foster partnerships that drive large-scale innovation and enable swift responses to emerging technological trends.

World map with a network of blue lines and dots. Nanjing is highlighted in orange.

Technology Office Nanjing (China).

China is renowned for its rapid progress in artificial intelligence, multi-agent systems, deep research, and humanoid robotics. Building on this dynamic environment, the BMW Group IT Technology Office Nanjing develops innovative solutions that make everyday work easier and enable new kinds of user experiences. By collaborating with local technology leaders, universities, and startups, the office benchmarks emerging technologies and explores their potential to create value for the company. With its strong position in China’s technology market, Nanjing offers the ideal setting to drive these forward-looking initiatives.

World map with a network of blue lines and dots. Singapore is highlighted in orange.

Technology Office Singapore.

Singapore has established itself as a leading hub for finance and technology. The IT Technology Office Singapore specializes in developing AI solutions within the FinTech and digital governance sector, meticulously designing solutions to meet the unique demands of this evolving environment and the broader Asian market. By prioritizing innovative approaches, the office plays a crucial role in enhancing financial services and driving digital transformation throughout the region.

IT Hubs: Global Digital Enablers
in BMW's Innovation Ecosystem.

The BMW Group’s global hub network currently encompasses six countries – from the USA to Portugal, Romania, South Africa, India, and China. There, experts work on digital solutions for all areas of the company, including future technologies such as cloud-based services and artificial intelligence. In doing so, they are not only advancing the BMW Group’s digital transformation but also securing the company's position as an innovation leader in an increasingly connected world of mobility.

The BMW Group’s IT and Software Hubs

Shaping the Future Through Academic
& Research Partnerships.

The BMW Group collaborates with leading universities, technical institutes, and research centers around the world – from Munich to Stanford and Shanghai. These academic partnerships play a key role in accelerating breakthrough innovation in fields such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, next-generation materials, sustainable mobility, manufacturing and circular design.

Through joint labs, funded projects, endowed chairs and interdisciplinary think tanks, we bridge academic excellence with real-world impact. These partnerships help us to stay ahead of the curve – combining cutting-edge science with industrial application to create future-ready mobility solutions.

Team of Computer Engineers Lean on the Desk and Choose Printed Circuit Boards to Work with.

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Open innovation at the BMW Group.