Innovation pre-programmed
Company with a distinctive image
Since 2005, we have been absolutely passionate about developing intelligent software platforms for transport and delivery companies. However, at its very core, DAKO GmbH is characterised by eye-level interactions with clients, partners, managers and employees; in simple terms, it’s all about an appreciation of human-to-human contacts.
Our ever-growing team of 130 employees tries its level best to design products in a user-friendly, open and future-oriented manner. Customer requirements play a critical role at all levels of the development process. Modern workplaces help us develop and promote ideas.
In such an environment, innovation is an important part of the corporate culture, and it stimulates us to attain an ambitious objective: A software platform whose intelligent transport management system even enables it to support the autonomous controlling of vehicles.
Research & innovation
Our vision of a sustainable approach towards the handling of resources is reflected in our research into futuristic technologies. For many years now, we have been engaged in the development of new mobility concepts, as well as other innovative domains of the transport sector.
Sustainable logistics concepts
For several years, we have been pursuing the major goal of using IT support to shape the electromobility associated with delivery traffic in a manner that ensures that it is economically usable. In addition to facilitating cost optimisation through the use of renewable energies, future-proof concepts can also ease environmental problems such as air and noise pollution. We therefore work closely together with partners from the scientific and industrial sectors within the framework of various research projects.
Active networking
New technologies and concepts require instigators that actively promote their general dissemination. We therefore advocate for a strong network in the domain of emission-free economic transactions. In case of the SMART CITY LOGISTIK conference series, we have collaborated with project partners to set up an interdisciplinary electromobility forum whose influence extends far beyond the borders of Thuringia, and which promotes nationwide (i.e. throughout Germany) networking in order to attain sustainable transport operations. As a partner in the eMobilityCity network, we use our expertise in telematics solutions to help users implement sustainable transport concepts.
Agile shaping of the future
By initiating research projects and actively committing ourselves to network offers, we ensure that we always remain a step ahead of sectoral trends. Our solutions that are meant to be used in the present therefore keep an eye on tomorrow’s technologies as well. Our agile working concept thus forms a fertile breeding ground for the growth of forward-looking technologies, which have a direct influence on our product development operations.
Responsibility
We as a company are part of the society and bear responsibility.
INTERFACE PROJECT
The current rapid economic growth in many African countries and the increasing emergence of a middle class give hope for an improvement in the standard of living for large sections of the population. In recent years in Cameroon, there has been particularly strong growth in demand for complex products or services in the area of information and communication technology. When we consider development in India or, more recently, in Kenya, we can see that this sector could also develop as a driver of economic growth in Cameroon “from the inside”.
Interface is a work experience program for students and graduates of ICT courses, which is carried out at the École Nationale Supérieure Polytechnique in the Cameroonian capital, Yaounde. In collaboration with the Yaounde-based company Megasoft SARL, participants have the chance to gain experience of performing specific tasks from their sector’s professional practice under authentic commercial conditions and with qualified supervision. They thus increase their chances of finding employment in this still new sector in Cameroon, which depends greatly on qualified personnel.
Six students of between 22 and 26 years of age from the École Nationale Supérieure Polytechnique take part in this project. Women must always make up at least 25 % of the project group.
In this way, DAKO supports the qualifications of young Africans and creates a bridge between the emerging African continent and a Thuringian firm.
DAKO SPONSORS SCHOOL BUS
At the end of 2014, the leadership of the primary school “Schule an der Trießnitz” in Jena announced that funding for their free school bus was no longer available. This prompted the parent representatives to launch a fund-raising campaign, which DAKO supported with a donation of 800 euros.
In the past, the primary school used to provide a school bus. It could be used by all, and especially by disabled children. The bus was used for transport to and from school, for day trips and class trips with all the luggage, as well as holiday outings and excursions, but also for transport to sports events such as swimming and football. This took a lot of work off the hands of parents and teachers.
The school bus is not funded by the school, the booster club or the council, but was an initiative of the school leadership and funded by donations.
With the donation from DAKO and other sponsors, future use of the bus is assured. Instead of making generous Christmas gifts to customers and suppliers, DAKO prefers to be active in social projects in the region.
DAKO BUILDS BRIDGES
We support the association “Parents’ Initiative for Children with Cancer Jena” (Elterninitiative für krebskranke Kinder Jena e.V.). This association is a support center for families with a child who is suffering from cancer and who is or was being treated in the children’s clinic of Jena University Hospital.
With a donation of eight tablets, we made it easier for children in hospital to keep in touch with their friends and family. The tablets have an Internet flat rate, which allows the children to contact classmates, family and friends through Skype and social media.
There is a tablet for the child in hospital and one for the classmates, so that the child can take part in class by video chat and keep in touch with friends.
This measure strengthens social skills and lets each side take part in the life of the other. It considerably improves the child’s quality of life and supports recovery. In this way, we help make sure the children do not lose contact with their social environment.
DAKO says: “Thank you for allowing us to support you.”
From a family start-up to an innovation partner with <3
In 1992, a technically adept visionary by the name of Achim Becker laid the foundation of the company upon which we built DAKO GmbH.
Our zero hour originated from the conflict-prone era in which computers had already ‘learned’ to see and read, and in which compliance with social legislation pertaining to the domain of transportation had presented dispatchers with a problem that was practically unsolvable. On the threshold of digitisation, our scanners tirelessly read data from speedometer discs and stored the resultant data in well-sorted databases.
The massive technological breakthroughs of subsequent years were fully embraced by the next generation of the Becker family, Thomas Becker, and our products were developed from tachograph-speciality items into vehicle fleet management all-rounders. The key technology in this area is telematics, which we use to link gigantic quantities of data in an intelligent manner.
Our team now uses the SCRUM method to develop successful products. Our clients and partners are thus integrated into the development process in a more robust manner. The creative space necessitated by our ambitious plans is provided by our new main building; in addition to ultramodern workplaces, this new main building also features the latest communications technology.
For us, success is the sum of the eye-level interactions between managers, employees, clients and partners. On this basis, we have set ourselves a goal that can only be reached through motivated teamwork and robust networking: A software platform that controls not just the transport process, but the vehicles as well.