to-be-now-logistics-research-gmbh

Their core work

TO-BE-NOW Logistics Research GmbH is a German research SME focused on freight transportation systems, with expertise spanning both global freight network architectures and urban last-mile delivery. In the ePIcenter project they contributed to advancing the Physical Internet concept — a vision for open, modular, interconnected freight networks — including analysis of emerging corridors like Arctic routes and Belt & Road. In the ULaaDS project they shifted to ground-level urban logistics, researching how freight deliveries in cities can be restructured as on-demand services with zero-emission outcomes. Their value is in translating strategic logistics theory into applied research with clear operational implications.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Both projects ran simultaneously (2020–2024), so the evolution is topical rather than strictly chronological: ePIcenter represents their macro-level work on global freight network theory (Physical Internet, long-haul corridors, disruptive technologies like Hyperloop), while ULaaDS represents a more applied, urban-scale focus on delivery-as-a-service and zero-emission outcomes. The shift in keywords from "synchromodality" and "belt & road" toward "on-demand economy" and "urban freight solutions" suggests a move from systemic freight architecture thinking toward practical, city-level service design. If this trajectory continues, expect their next projects to sit at the intersection of digital logistics platforms, last-mile sustainability, and urban mobility policy.

They are moving from strategic freight systems theory toward applied urban logistics, particularly where digital platforms and sustainability converge — making them a good fit for future projects on smart city freight, delivery-as-a-service, or green urban mobility.

How they like to work

TO-BE-NOW has exclusively participated as a consortium partner — never as a coordinator — across both projects, suggesting they operate as a specialist contributor rather than a project driver. Both projects are large RIAs with 65 unique partners across 21 countries, pointing to their comfort in large, diverse European consortia rather than tight bilateral arrangements. For a consortium builder, they offer focused logistics research expertise without the overhead of coordination ambitions.

With 65 unique consortium partners across 21 countries from just two projects, TO-BE-NOW operates within unusually broad European research consortia for its size. Their network spans well beyond Germany into pan-European and likely international logistics research circles, given the global scope of ePIcenter's freight corridor analysis.

What sets them apart

Few logistics research SMEs hold expertise across both macro freight network theory (Physical Internet, synchromodality) and urban last-mile operations — most specialize in one or the other. As a private research company rather than a university institute, TO-BE-NOW likely brings industry-adjacent applied research perspectives that complement academic partners in large consortia. Located near Bremen — one of Germany's main logistics and port hubs — they are well-positioned within the German and Northern European freight research ecosystem.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ePIcenter
  The larger of the two projects (EUR 228,500) and the broader in scope, covering Physical Internet theory, Arctic and Silk Road freight corridors, Hyperloop, autonomous vehicles, and environmental impact — an unusually wide thematic range for a single RIA.
• ULaaDS
  Focused on redefining urban freight as an on-demand, zero-emission service — directly aligned with current EU Green Deal priorities and the growing policy pressure on city logistics.