Enduring Genius: LOGICDATA celebrates the Da Vinci 500 Event

As the crow flies, the picturesque Italian town of Vinci – birthplace of Leonardo – is less than 500 km away from LOGICDATA’s Austrian headquarters. However, on a spiritual and philosophical level, his relevance to the company and its culture lies far closer to the heart. But how have a developer of mechatronic furniture components and the “Universal Genius” of the renaissance become so intrinsically linked? We look at LOGICDATA’s unique relationship to Leonardo Da Vinci and the ways in which his spirit lives on in Deutschlandsberg.

A Legacy of Innovation

Genius is eternal. Although May 2, 2019 marks exactly 500 years since Da Vinci’s death, many of his life’s works have transcended the vast gap in time to remain relevant today. While his legendary paintings – including the Mona Lisa, the Last Supper, and the Vitruvian Man – still attract millions of visitors to Europe’s cultural hubs each year, his many inventions have also stood the test of time. From devices we take for granted today, such as the parachute and the armored car, to more left-field creations like the giant crossbow and the “Robotic Knight”; Da Vinci’s foresight, creativity, and brilliance was unrivalled in his era and is unlikely to be repeated.

Reasons to Celebrate

Such an incredible life deserves to be celebrated, and it is to mark the five centuries since the passing of the original Renaissance Man that LOGICDATA has launched the Da Vinci 500 Event. This company-wide observance encourages employees both in Austria and at the firm’s global subsidiaries to consider the legacy of Da Vinci, especially the ways in which his attitude to innovation and creativity can be translated into the day-to-day operating of the company. If you are going to learn from someone, why not the best?

The Legacy Continues

Yet as Da Vinci said, “to be willing is not enough, we must do it.” The correct mindset is only a start on the road to the development of truly revolutionary technological concepts: access to the tools and resources required to bring inventions to life is often far harder to find.

This is an issue that LOGICDATA takes seriously. Since 2017, the company has invested over €100,000 into innovation and technological development through the opening of the Da Vinci LAB: a state-of-the-art facility filled with the technologies of tomorrow.

Located at the company’s headquarters, the LAB has provided over a third of the LOGICDATA’s employees the opportunity to master futuristic industrial technologies, including 3D printing, soldering, laser-cutting, and robotics. It has also welcomed the inventors of tomorrow from universities and technological colleges in Graz and beyond, providing a valuable service for students across the region.

This commitment to inventiveness and creative spirit makes LOGICDATA unique in Styria: the Da Vinci LAB is the only corporate-sponsored makerspace of its type in the region and one of very few in Austria.

The importance of the LAB is not lost on the company’s employees. Among the many LAB regulars is the Arduino Programming Expert Silvester Jaksa, who talks enthusiastically about the facility:

“The Da Vinci Lab is extremely well equipped, the perfect place to realize your engineering ideas. I just love the inclusiveness: whether you’re an expert or a beginner, you can find something there that suits you.”

Da Vinci and the LOGIC Spirit

LOGICDATA’s love affair with Leonardo extends far further than the LAB: depictions of his many inventions, his artworks, and his many poignant quotes cover the walls of the company’s offices. A culture of creativity is deeply ingrained into the fabric of the entire company, but perhaps no single person embodies it more than LOGICDATA Chairman and Owner – and self-confessed Da Vinci superfan – Walter Koch, who has thrown his support behind the Da Vinci 500 Event:

“With his inventions, Da Vinci defined not only his own era and the society around him, but shaped attitudes for adventurous and creatively-minded people for centuries afterwards as well. With the Da Vinci 500 Event, we’re bringing this spirit to Deutschlandsberg and the LOGICDATA subsidiaries around the world. He is the perfect role model for our employees and the ‘godfather’ of our corporate culture.”

Raising the Bar

The Da Vinci 500 Event is a reaffirmation of the principles that have made LOGICDATA a significant global player in the adjustables industry. At the company, creativity is not just a “nice-to-have”: it is demanded daily from each and every employee, with a distinct emphasis on excellence and leadership. As a figurehead, this is what Da Vinci provides: a benchmark for brilliance, a shrine for inspiration, and an embodiment of timeless genius.