Companies in Stuttgart

In 1886, Robert Bosch opened a 'Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering' in Stuttgart — and in 1902 his company invented the high-voltage spark plug, the product that made the gasoline engine practical and Bosch's fortune. What makes Bosch genuinely unusual among global industrial giants is ownership: 94% of the company is held by a charitable foundation, meaning no shareholders demand quarterly profits, and the company famously reinvests most of its earnings. The business spans mobility (fuel injection, braking systems, ADAS sensors, and now EV powertrains), industrial technology (hydraulics, packaging machinery), consumer goods (power tools, home appliances under the Bosch and Siemens brands), and energy & building technology. Bosch is the world's largest automotive supplier, and its common-rail diesel and ESP stability systems became industry standards. With about 420,000 employees — making it one of the world's largest private employers — and annual revenue near €92 billion, Bosch is in the middle of its largest transformation ever: restructuring around electrified mobility and software-defined vehicles. Its foundation ownership lets it make decade-long bets that public competitors cannot, a structural advantage that shows in its willingness to keep investing through downturns.