The Rheinfelden Economic Promotion Office got things started - Aargau Services assumed the role of detailed consultant. Instead of an office in a large Swiss city, the knowledge portal provider now resides in Rheinfelden. "We made the right choice", emphasizes Andreas Dittrich, CEO and founding member of this globally active company. He is responsible for company strategy.
"Without the commitment of the Rheinfelden Economic Promotion Office we wouldn't be here", says Andreas Dittrich. BRIDGE2THINK is a global company active in the area of Online Knowledge Transfer. It has offices in Germany, Great Britain, Scandinavia, and Australia. Its headquarters is now located in Rheinfelden. "Our office was smack in the middle of Kleinbasel. We discussed moving - mainly because of the space shortages here. At first, large Swiss cities were on our wish list. Then, Rheinfelden entered the picture and immediately convinced us. Here in Rheinfelden, we can work much more calmly and with greater concentration than previously in Basel. In addition, this mini-campus with its restaurant and conference rooms has a lot of service flair. It was this campus idea that finally persuaded us. First meetings and workshops then also revealed the inner qualities of the location. We are in very good hands here!"
Portals for the thirst of knowledge
The modern, functional rooms in Rheinfelden will hardly give you a clue regarding the company's activities. Little wonder, for BRIDGE2THINK brokers knowledge - digital information via Internet and Intranet. For one thing is critical to today's knowledge-based businesses: to know what one has to know - and where to find it quickly and easily.
Andreas Weiss, key account manager International Business Development, explains: "Our portals are supposed to keep managers updated. Information and learning content are available at all times. We have recently launched our I-Pad learning application, so people can learn 24/7."
Knowledge for management and leadership
"We develop knowledge applications for leaders in management and leadership. To do that, we pool worldwide sources. Videos play an ever-increasing role in that," Dittrich explains. "This is how we have at present accumulated 1,180 videos on our approximately 50 portals. Our principal customers are banks, insurance companies, pharmaceutical and consulting firms, as well as universities." The starting point was the investigation of how managers obtained their knowledge. The result: managers spend more time searching for relevant information than they spend reading. This recently conducted study revealed that managers spent, on average, four hours per week of their valuable and scarce time on it - and mostly without achieving the desired results. "For us, this was the incentive to found the company BRIDGE2THINK 9 and a half years ago," Dittrich stresses. "Managers and companies are dependent on knowledge. Knowledge is power and market strength at the same time. This knowledge must be available and applied efficiently - everywhere."
An unusually lean global player
BRIDGE2THINK is a globally operating, lean company. Only the team participates in the company. They work with their own capital exclusively. About 20 employees across the globe work on the more than 50 portals in German, English, Spanish, and Polish. Approximately 15 programmers take care of technology. "The e-learning industry is a big topic for us. Electronic, web-based forms of learning create completely new possibilities for companies to maintain, develop and distribute their knowledge. It is in precisely this industry that there are lots of opportunities and we are expecting big growth", explains Andreas Dittrich, the firm's strategist.
