Independent social CRM receives Red Dot Award 2023

SmartWe and We.Network honored

Karlsruhe, September 25, 2023. CAS Software AG is delighted to receive the Red Dot Award 2023: The award recognizes the fusion of the first fair.digital social network We.Network and the cloud-based solution SmartWe into a stand-alone social CRM. Viewed as a measure of design quality worldwide, the award qualifies the Karlsruhe-based software house’s claims of being consistent developers of outstanding business software from the customer and user perspective.   

• The seamless combination of CRM and social network enables new forms of networking with customers, partners, interested parties and other communities.
• Transparency, data protection and the digital sovereignty of users are fundamental components of the software design.
• Design-oriented development takes place in-house at the medium-sized software manufacturer's WeCampus in Karlsruhe - based on the globally unique SmartDesign® technology.

The Red Dot Design Award is one of the best-known and largest design competitions in the world, with its origins dating back to 1955. Under the motto "In search of good design and innovation", a jury of around 50 international experts evaluates all submissions and awards prizes to products that embody outstanding design.

"We are honored to receive this international award for outstanding product design for SmartWe and the We.Network ", says a delighted Martin Hubschneider, CEO of CAS Software AG." The Red Dot Award allows us to further raise awareness of our sophisticated, uniquely engaging user experience. The entire CAS team is delighted that both the employees and clients of our medium-sized customers draw daily inspiration from using our globally unique SmartDesign@ technology."

Benefits for users, communities and companies

In the "Digital Solutions" category, the jury was won over by the world's first seamless combination of a cloud-based CRM solution with We.Network, the newly developed platform for community building. It is precisely this interaction that enables a new way of communicating and networking with customers, partners, interested parties and other communities. News can be shared with specific target groups in the so-called channels. Companies and offers in the respective area can be found in geochannels. And groups and chats are available for personal exchange - to name but a few of the functions of the current beta version of We.Network.

Digital sovereignty and digital freedom

The transparency and data protection requirements of companies and organizations are a central part of the overall software design. Intrinsically, CAS Software's solutions were designed to bolster digital sovereignty and the freedom of citizens, companies and organizations in Europe. Now, with a combination of social network and CRM, CAS Software AG combines its passion for user-centered innovation with social awareness. "Our goal is to enable the digital freedom and sovereignty of each individual with our solutions and to open up new opportunities for digital exchange in communities through our data protection-compliant alternative to the existing platform oligopolies," emphasizes Martin Hubschneider.

WeCampus offers space for joint development

The technological core of both solutions is the globally unique SmartDesign® technology. Design-oriented development takes place entirely in-house at the medium-sized software manufacturer: The company's own WeCampus in the Karlsruhe Technology Park provides the right climate and the necessary creative freedom to develop. A UX unit set up at an early stage focuses on the user-centered aspects of software and is directly involved in its development. In CAS's own Future Labs, the focus is firmly set on future innovations and trends. The company is also in constant contact with research institutes, universities and development partners, as well as users and customers themselves, who play an active role in shaping the future of CAS Software solutions. "In this respect, the Red Dot Award is also an award that we share with our customers," says Hubschneider, "The success at this year's Red Dot Design Award inspires the whole CAS team to continually design consistent software that is not just customer-, future- and design-oriented, but also adaptive."

About CAS Software AG

CAS Software AG has been managed by founder and CEO Martin Hubschneider since it was founded in 1986. More than 470 co-creators work together on market-leading software solutions at the CAS Campus in Karlsruhe. The product portfolio includes CRM + AIA® solutions, as well as quotation and product configurators (CPQ) and industry solutions that enable companies and organizations to build successful and sustainable business relationships, make better use of corporate knowledge and increase the efficiency of their employees. Over 520,000 users in 42 countries use CAS Software solutions every day.

The Karlsruhe-based CRM + AIA® specialists are involved in numerous research projects at national and international level. The company has received several awards and prizes for its innovative product range and commitment to SMEs, including being named Germany's most innovative SME 2023 by WirtschaftsWoche, Innovator of the Year® 2022 by TOP 100, the German Design Award 2018 and the "Great Place to Work" seal for the exceptional corporate culture on the CAS Campus.