The engine of FUNKE media group
This is FUNKE Technology
“We aim to use technology better and more efficiently than our competitors so that FUNKE will be a winner of technological change and become the best national media group.” Heiko Weigelt, CIO FUNKE media group.
FUNKE Technology provides innovative, highly efficient and technology-driven application platforms for the entire FUNKE media group. We are responsible for the provision of information technology as innovation driver and implementation partner for our group of companies and beyond. Our solutions are the backbone for the processes and information technology of all FUNKE media group’s products and services.
Teams are the core of our matrix organization. These teams possess all the expertise needed to manage products, applications or projects. They take decisions independently to achieve the best solutions and assume responsibility for their own work. They are supported by our agile master team and executives, who help to eliminate potential obstacles. We work with each other as well as for each other. Every single individual is important to us and we aim to help them and their teams achieve their full potential.
We work at locations in Berlin, Braunschweig, Erfurt, Essen, Hamburg and Ismaning. Due to the efficient pooling of our competencies, we closely collaborate across locations and engage in an active dialogue. Our presence at all major locations of FUNKE media group enables us to maintain close contact with our colleagues in other parts of the business and contribute to the company’s success and further growth as a strategic partner.
Our ideas today are the technologies of tomorrow
Our Vision
THIS INSPIRES US
We approach our vision to become Germany’s best media IT by delivering the best publishing platforms and applications in combination with enthusiasm for technology, consistent effectiveness and efficiency as well as broad professional expertise. We are the competent consulting partner who thinks globally for FUNKE media group.
We can only tread this path by living up to our fundamental values. The entire FUNKE group is committed to the values of result, quality and respect. We all feel responsible for the result and growth of our media group. We develop new ideas and solutions with courage and foresight, and we consistently work for their implementation – we “do”. Instead of focusing on our past achievements, we move forward to new challenges and work constantly on improving our products’ and services’ quality. We feel responsible for each other and treat each other respectfully. We work with each other as well as for each other.
For us as the IT, this implies that we have created a culture in which every single team member is understood to be part of the greater whole and is shown appreciation. Our teamwork is based on trust and reliability. Only in this way can we meet new challenges and discuss problems honestly and frankly to develop the best solutions.
Bound to one location? Not by us – discover our locations throughout Germany
Our locations
WE WORK HERE
Commitment
OUR COOPERATIONS
Fabian (middle) explaining Python
HACKER SCHOOL: Inspiring Children and Adolescents for IT and Programming
We implemented our latest collaborative project in partnership with Hacker School. Hacker School has made it their mission to ‘[…] make digital education so inclusive that every young person has programmed before choosing their career path. Our motivation is to overcome inequalities in order to provide exciting and inspiring education accessible to everyone, regardless of gender or background.’
Following this guiding principle, FUNKE Technology, in collaboration with Hacker School, organized a two-day course on TikTok for 11 to 18-year-old teenagers at the FUNKE Hamburg location. Participants learned how the app suggests new cool videos through an algorithm and, in the process, were introduced to the fundamentals of Python with lots of fun and creativity.
Our consultants Fabian and Philip welcomed the young participants and served as instructors for 2 days. Fabian reports, ‘Shortly after I started the presentation, I already saw the first head heading towards the tabletop. I quickly realized that a lecture doesn’t necessarily work with children. They want to do something right away. So, I canceled my concept on the spot, and we started programming immediately. It’s all about learning by doing.’ His change of approach paid off, and everyone enthusiastically delved into the world of programming from the very beginning to ultimately create their own personal ‘TikTok’ algorithm. ‘The two days were a complete success. Everyone had fun, and the kids enjoyed it,’ Fabian concludes, wrapping up his assessment with ‘Hats off to all the teachers!’
BG3000: WORKING TOGETHER FOR DIGITALY LITERACY IN SCHOOLS
Since the Corona pandemic, the use of digital media has become more prevalent than ever. Nevertheless, corresponding teaching and learning concepts are still in short supply at many schools in Germany. We are therefore very pleased about our cooperation with the digital education initiative BG3000. Together, FUNKE media group has already organized almost ten “Smart Camps” (https://www.bg3000.de/projekte/smart-camps/), in which school classes as well as teaching staff are presented with important impulses for contemporary teaching and the prevention of media addiction. The most recent event took place in Ruhla near Eisenach in Thuringia. One of the speakers was FUNKE’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) Tim Estermann.
“Digital education is one of the most important key skills for our young generation,” says Julia Becker, Chairwoman of the Supervisory Board and publisher of FUNKE Mediengruppe. “As a media company, we are committed to the topic at all our locations with many different campaigns. The SMART CAMPS are a great opportunity for us to support teachers in one of the most important tasks at school: To accompany our children at a crucial point on their way into the digital future.”
Simone Stein-Lücke, founder of BG3000: “Digital education in Germany is still in its infancy. We haven’t picked up the pace at all, even after more than a year of pandemic. Teachers are left alone by the education policy. That’s why together with FUNKE we’re addressing not only students, but also parents and teachers.”
Presentations will be given on topics that illustrate not only the opportunities but also the risks and dangers of the Internet. The topics include fake news, cyber bullying, handling personal data, as well as the creative realization of one’s own ideas and projects, and even a health-conscious lifestyle in the digital world.
Tim, Chief Information Security Officer at FUNKE Technology
Heimo (left) and Heiko with a Raffelberg Tricot
Hockey-Club Raffelberg: GIRLPOWER
In sports as well as in the IT business, which are both dominated by men, we count on girl power. That’s why we are delighted about our new partnership with the hockey female youth B (under 16) of the Raffelberg Club.
Just in time for the West German youth hockey championship on 2020-10-11, the partnership between FUNKE Technology and the female youth B of Raffelberg Club began. At 10 a.m. the best female hockey players under 16 from West Germany met in Duisburg to play the qualification for the national championship.
“For us as FUNKE Technology it is a great opportunity to engage in youth competitive sports and we are glad to have found a partner in the chosen team of Raffelberg Club whose values like respect, commitment and responsibility perfectly match our own values and principles.” says Heiko Weigelt (CIO of FUNKE media group).
“The entire team of FUNKE Technology keeps its fingers crossed for the wJB of Raffelberg Club and wishes good luck for the weekend.” adds Heimo Krum (deputy CIO of FUNKE media group).
Stay tuned
