Industrie 4.0 is one of the future projects adopted in the "Action Plan High-tech strategy 2020“.
The Federal Government thereby adressed the rapid social and technological development in this area and put structures for cooperation between all actors of innovation in Germany.
The working group Industrie 4.0 set up by the Research Union Economy - Science of the BMBF shed a light on the requirements for a successful start into the fourth industrial age. In October 2012, the working group handed over its report entitled "Implementation of recommendations for the future project Industrie 4.0".

The associations BITKOM, VDMA and ZVEI - they account for more than 6,000 member companies – acted on the suggestion of a continuation and further development of the project Industrie 4.0 and in April 2013 concluded a cooperation agreement to run – in the form of an ideal thematic cooperation beyond association boundaries – the Plattform Industrie 4.0. The launch of the platform was officially announced at the Hanover Fair 2013.

In April 2015, the Plattform Industrie 4.0 was expanded - more actors from companies, associations, unions, science and politics were added.