Business Development at Vector: Starting Where There Are No Answers Yet
How do new business areas take shape when there are no ready-made answers? How do technologies become market-ready solutions? And how do you spot opportunities before they turn into entire markets? That is exactly where business development at Vector begins. It makes new technologies visible, translates conversations with customers into specific ideas for the future, and connects customers, technologies, and business ideas. The role extends far beyond traditional sales – we tap into new markets, develop business potential, identify future trends, and bring customers, technologies, and business ideas together. And with so many different topics at play, one question naturally remains at the end of the day: What is a sensible business model for the solution we are aiming to create? In industries such as railway, avionics, robotics, IoT, work vehicles, and defense, we bring extensive expertise to the table – and actively shape the very standards that will define these markets in the future.
From Technical Expertise to Greenfield Territory
For Samuel Kuttler, that is exactly what makes his role so appealing. After spending several years in technical and project-based roles, he switched to business development for software-defined vehicles. The assignment at the time was deliberately open-ended: “We didn’t yet know exactly where the journey would lead. But one thing was clear. We had to get closer to our customers, understand their points of view better, and be more present wherever new opportunities were emerging.”
What may sound like ambiguity at first is, in Samuel’s words, one of the greatest advantages of the role. He believes that business development is all about shaping topics before they are fully defined. There aren’t always fixed processes, clear requirements, or definite answers. Instead, his job is to recognize potential, understand connections, and shape the future together with customers and internal experts.
Why Business Development Matters Right Now
Customers today are operating in an environment that has become far more complex than it was just a few short years ago. The focus on software has been intensifying for years – driven by consumer demand for more software and greater connectivity in their devices, or by regulatory requirements such as the Cyber Resilience Act. That is why companies are homing in more on software capabilities, existing markets are changing, and new application areas are emerging. In many places, the days when customers knew exactly which product they needed are over.
Instead, they are looking for partners who identify challenges early on and develop solutions in close collaboration with them. This is precisely where business development comes into play: listening early, providing guidance, bringing new opportunities to light, and carrying technological expertise over into new markets.
Working in Ambiguity
Business development often involves thinking far ahead into the future. Not everything that customers will need in the future exists as a product or solution today. Customer requirements often aren’t yet fully articulated, new business areas are evolving dynamically, and many decisions are made over a period of several years.
Samuel describes this as “working in ambiguity”. That makes it all the more important to listen attentively, recognize connections, and incorporate different perspectives.
- What challenges will emerge in the future?
- What market potential will arise?
- Which technologies will become relevant?
- How can Vector contribute its strengths in a targeted manner?
From a Customer’s Problem to an Idea for a Solution
This is what gives Business Development its special role within the company. It connects customers, Product Management, Marketing, Sales, and teams of technical experts. Anyone working in this role is constantly moving between different perspectives and bringing together people who can develop new solutions as a team.
A large part of the work involves shedding light on opportunities and providing the right incentives. That starts with customer workshops and market conversations, extends over go-to-market strategies and product ideas, and goes all the way to the question of which target groups will become relevant in the future. The focus is not just on a product’s technical performance but, above all else, on the value it delivers to the customer: “It’s not just about what the product can do, but why that’s actually good for a customer”.
Demos and Workshops Reveal What Solutions Customers Will Need Tomorrow
So business development doesn’t just happen at a desk. It particularly takes place in dialog with customers and partners. Our showroom is one example of this. It is far more than just an exhibition space. It is a place for experimentation and discussion, where new technologies are explored and evaluated together with customers. It often becomes clear through direct dialog which challenges will become increasingly significant tomorrow and where new market opportunities are emerging.
Creating Visibility and Shaping Business Areas
Business development also means actively influencing the future of products and business areas. The people working in this role help shape strategic decisions, develop new positionings, and support market initiatives, and also help Vector tap into new industries.
Visibility on the market is part of the job too. Industry events, conferences, customer-facing formats, websites, videos, and strategic communications initiatives are key building blocks for successfully establishing new topics.
What makes the role so special is the tremendous freedom to shape things. No two days are alike. One day the focus is a customer workshop, the next the development of a market strategy, and the day after that a discussion of new product ideas or preparations for an industry event. This is exactly where the “greenfield” image comes from: an environment where not every single step is prescribed, and where your own ideas, initiative, and entrepreneurial mindset are required.
Is Business Development at Vector Right for You?
Short answer: yes – if you think that technology and strategy go hand in hand. In Business Development at Vector, you don’t just analyze markets from a distance – you play a decisive role in shaping them. You identify market opportunities, tackle the topics of tomorrow head-on, and, working in close contact with our customers, build the business areas of tomorrow. In short: you make innovation tangible. Your mindset:
- Complexity excites you: Technical depth doesn’t intimidate you; it spurs you on.
- Strategy is your compass: You never lose sight of the big picture or the market.
- Customers are your focus: You communicate on an equal footing and build strong networks.
- Ambiguity motivates you: You don’t need rigid guidelines; you chart your own course.
- Building from the ground up is your thing: You’re keen to conquer new industries and establish a presence for Vector there.