Building the Future Side by Side:
The Story of CIKONI’s Engineering Journey
Our story began in that earlier chapter, when two engineers, Jan-Philipp Fuhr and Farbod Nezami, met during their doctoral research at major automotive manufacturers. The expected path was clear. But both felt drawn less to the predictability of corporate engineering and more to the freedom of solving problems at the source. They stepped into self-employment equipped only with technical curiosity, a handful of early sketches and an entrepreneurial instinct. Those first workshops—structured but improvised—set the foundation for what we would later become.
CIKONI grew steadily from there. Clients rarely approached us with ready-made specifications. More often they arrived with unresolved problems, early ideas or simply a direction they wanted to explore. Together, we shaped complete solutions: concept definition, component design, simulations, experimental validation, automation concepts, machine design, assembly, ramp-up and handover. Working this way established our identity early on. We were not observers; we were partners—working eye-to-eye with our clients, absorbing their challenges as our own.
Over time, our work spanned industries and continents. Lightweight design for oil extraction systems one quarter, composite aerospace components the next. Clients from Japan, Korea, Brazil, the United States. These projects demanded a combination of experience and agility—iterating fast, learning quickly, balancing engineering rigor with entrepreneurial speed. Our team grew into a group shaped by diverse backgrounds, people who had touched nearly every layer of composite engineering, from simulation details to automation cells.
As our capabilities matured, new fields unfolded. Composite pressure vessels became a central discipline. What began as simulation work expanded into in-house winding technology and a strong focus on process quality: fiber orientation, resin uptake, real-time monitoring. These developments positioned us to support nearly all major hydrogen pressure vessel manufacturers worldwide—from East Asia to North America—by turning complex ideas into stable, manufacturable systems.
In parallel, we built compositeOS, a tailored MES and ERP platform that addressed a recurring customer need. Many manufacturing teams required faster quoting, clear scheduling and production tracking suited to the realities of composites. Because we had lived those realities ourselves, the system grew into a globally deployed solution adapted for each production environment.
High-volume automation became another important building block. In the aerospace and drone sectors, we enabled industrial-scale composite manufacturing through customized preforming solutions and RTM process routes. These automation systems weren’t theoretical exercises; they were designed, built, assembled and commissioned until they reached stable serial output. Our clients valued that we followed the work all the way into real production.
Innovation never stayed confined to a single path. Some developments flourished, others taught us equally important lessons. Dynapixel—a reconfigurable mould with individually adjustable cells—allowed efficient mass-customization and was delivered to clients including BMW, Walt Disney, and customers in the USA and France. AdditiveCarbon, our attempt at robotic reinforcement of 3D-printed parts, completed only a handful of projects before the market signaled it wasn’t ready. Even so, each of these efforts expanded our technical horizon and deepened our dialogue with clients who shared our curiosity.
Throughout this history, innovation has been part of our internal rhythm. Many of our team members have received recognition through some of the industry’s most respected awards—ranging from the Alumni Prize of TU Dresden in 2012 to the AVK Innovation Award, ThinKing, ESAFORM Industrial Prize, the SPE Award and most recently the CAMX Award. These acknowledgments never defined our work, but they reflected the exploratory mindset that shaped our development and helped set expectations for what our customers could count on: new ideas turned into real solutions.
Across all domains—pressure vessels, automation, MES systems, experimental technologies—the same principles have guided us. We iterate quickly because customers need speed. We work transparently because trust is a technical requirement, not a courtesy. We innovate because better solutions rarely emerge from standing still. And above all, we take responsibility for realization. Engineering is only complete when a system runs, a component holds, an automation line reaches stable output. With our network of partners, we push concepts all the way into reliable operation.
Looking back, our history has been shaped less by strategic forecasts and more by staying close to our customers’ challenges. They come to us with problems or ideas, and together we carry them from first concept to functioning reality. Experience, agility, customer focus, innovation and full realization are not slogans for us—they are simply the way we learned to work.
And as Stuttgart continues redefining its industrial future, our own story remains rooted in the same founding instinct: refusing to wait for change, and instead working alongside our customers to create it.
Our Management Team
At CIKONI, we translate the intricacies of composite materials into feasible, real-world applications every day. Our team includes design engineers, FEM simulation specialists, automation experts and other composite-focused disciplines. Our leadership guides these developments with a holistic lightweight-design philosophy that reaches far beyond isolated domain expertise and connects the entire engineering chain.
Managing Partner
Dr. Jan-Philipp Fuhr
Simulation, Testing and Software
Dr. Jan-Philipp Fuhr is a leading expert in composite materials, trained at the University of Stuttgart. He began his career as a research associate at the Institute of Aircraft Design, working in close cooperation with Audi AG and completing his doctorate with distinction. Over the years, he has gained extensive experience in developing digital process chains for composites and testing – capabilities that have made him widely recognized in the industry.
Dr. Fuhr is a frequent lecturer and seminar instructor on CFRP simulation, a topic he presents for multiple industry associations and training organizations. His expertise is comprehensive, with a particular focus on composite simulation, including process and structural simulation, material characterization, testing and software development. His work is not limited to academically grounded analysis; it also extends to hands-on project execution with renowned companies such as BMW, DLR, Audi, Delmia, Airbus and Daimler.
What distinguishes Dr. Fuhr is his pursuit of technical precision – a mindset that has also led him to invest in several technology companies. His commitment to innovation and excellence has made him a respected figure in the composites industry. His contributions to advancing composite materials and their simulation are of significant value to the field, and his vision continues to push the boundaries of what is possible. Dr. Jan-Philipp Fuhr stands for dedication, expertise and the continuous drive for improvement that shapes the world of composites and beyond.
Managing Partner
Dr. Farbod Nezami
Design, Automation and Business Development
Dr. Farbod Nosrat Nezami is an accomplished mechanical engineer with a summa cum laude doctorate in composite automation, distinguished by innovation and entrepreneurship. His career has been recognized with numerous prestigious awards, including the Prize of the International Lightweight Construction Symposium (2012), the AVK Innovation Award (2014), the ThinKing Award and the ESAFORM Scientific Research Award (2017). These honors underscore his commitment to groundbreaking solutions in the field of composite materials.
As Managing Partner of CIKONI, he focuses on composites, manufacturing technology, and research and development management. His extensive expertise has been sought by leading automotive manufacturers and industries such as oil and gas, aerospace, automation, and sports, resulting in successful collaborations with companies such as BMW, Porsche, Siemens and Daimler.
His academic background, shaped at TU Dresden and the University of Stuttgart and complemented by a cooperative doctoral program with Daimler AG, forms the foundation of his professional trajectory. With more than 30 patents in composite technology, Dr. Nosrat Nezami has played a decisive role in advancing the state of the art in this field.
For those interested in turning ideas into reality or taking on entrepreneurial challenges, Dr. Farbod Nosrat Nezami stands as an experienced and knowledgeable point of contact in the areas of composites, entrepreneurship and innovation.
Our Customers:
Leading Technology Companies
We deliver lightweight solutions for companies that move the world. From start-ups to global corporations. From consulting to series production.
Our lightweight engineering services
Product development in multi-material design: It doesn’t always have to be carbon fiber.
Material selection, material combinations and function-oriented synthesis are part of our daily work: discover how our innovative solutions can give your product a decisive competitive advantage. We combine metallic materials, composite structures and additive manufacturing / 3D printing to create cost-effective, application-oriented solutions. Especially with fiber-reinforced composites, we approach design systematically from a manufacturing perspective – and vice versa. Our product development will inspire you, because we question established approaches in a structured and targeted way.
Structural simulation and numerical optimization:Robust design and meaningful analyses
Step-by-step refinement in design and simulation allows us to assess cost, lightweight performance and functional fulfillment at an early stage and take targeted action. We apply state-of-the-art analysis methods and meaningful evaluation models.
Our core expertise in structural simulation lies in the field of composites. Learn more about structural simulation.
Process development and special-purpose machinery,including preforming and filament winding
Our core focus in process development lies in preforming and filament winding. In both areas, we have built extensive references for complex geometries and developed tailored technologies that enable cycle-time-capable, cost-efficient and high-quality automation – even for medium production volumes.
Learn more about the possibilities in filament winding process development.
Process simulation and validation
Early simulation of manufacturing processes accelerates process development and provides valuable input for realistic structural analyses. We support you from material characterization to draping simulation and all the way to 3D validation of your simulation models to achieve the best possible results. For more details on process simulation, we would be happy to discuss your specific needs in a personal conversation.
Robot based quality inspection
The concept of quality and the implementation of quality assurance are complex topics in fiber-reinforced composites, shaped by interactions between material properties, process parameters and structural performance. We support you in defining suitable criteria and measures in the area of preforming, implementing optical 3D inspection systems and optimizing your processes to enhance quality.
Strategy and Technology Consulting
Hybrid lightweight design offers advantages in a wide range of applications, advantages that can be directly translated into market benefits. In addition to technical aspects and know-how, organizational structure, customer orientation and competitive analysis play a decisive role. We support you in shaping your strategic position and base our product and process development on clear guiding principles.
Expertise On Demand.
We would be happy to discuss your challenges in CFRP lightweight design with you. Get in touch with us today – without obligation – to receive your tailored solution proposal.
