Turbo for knowledge-based start-ups

Success for Berlin and Brandenburg: The concept proposal for the Startup Factory UNITE has successfully advanced in the first round of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs' EXIST Lighthouse Competition for excellence funding and can now expect funding for concept development. Brandenburg's Minister of Science, Manja Schüle, and Minister of Economic Affairs, Jörg Steinbach, who support the application, describe the success as a "turbo for knowledge-based spin-offs."

Minister of Science Dr. Manja Schüle:

"Research and science contribute significantly to the development of our country: Knowledge-based startups bring innovations to the economy, contribute to economic development, and create highly qualified jobs – exactly what Brandenburg, the capital region, and Germany need. We aim to significantly expand and accelerate this with Startup Factory UNITE. We are not starting from scratch: In recent years, numerous exciting and successful new companies have emerged from our universities in Brandenburg, developing solutions for current problems. Examples include the startup Voize from the University of Potsdam, with its innovative AI-driven app for the care sector, and the company PFABO from TH Wildau, with its novel reusable deposit system for retail. The development of a new digital center for startups is the right response in times of multiple crises: We are shaping the future. In Brandenburg, and now together with Berlin."

Minister of Economic Affairs Jörg Steinbach:

"Startups from the scientific community have enormous potential to bring innovative technologies and products to the market. The states of Brandenburg and Berlin want to leverage the potential of the cross-state research and science structure with the joint Startup Factory UNITE project. The aim of the partnership between science, business and society is to create an internationally leading innovation and start-up ecosystem. In order to support spin-offs and make them visible, the focus can be on offerings in particularly promising future fields such as energy, digitalization and the circular economy. UNITE offers an opportunity to practice the cross-border approach to start-up funding and to strengthen existing funding structures with private funds."

Startup Factory UNITE: Establishing a Leading Innovation Center for Berlin and Brandenburg

Berlin and Brandenburg aim to establish a cross-border startup ecosystem with the joint project Startup Factory UNITE. The goal of the partners from science, business, and society is an internationally leading innovation and startup center for the capital region. The project is being implemented by a consortium currently involving 18 Berlin and 15 Brandenburg universities and scientific institutions. Numerous companies have also signaled their support. On the Brandenburg side, all eight state universities, the Helmholtz Centers Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum (GFZ) Potsdam and Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) Zeuthen, the two Fraunhofer Institutes for Applied Polymer Research (IAP) and for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), the Hasso Plattner Institute (HPI), and the MediaTech Hub Potsdam are involved – coordinated by Potsdam Science Park. The concept phase starts on July 1, 2024. By February 28, 2025, the project application and proof of necessary private funds must be submitted. The federal government provides up to €150,000 for this purpose. If the application is successful, the federal government will provide up to €10 million for five years, with another €10 million to be raised privately.

Lighthouse Competition Startup Factories: Promoting Knowledge-Based Spin-Offs

The federal government aims to significantly increase the number and quality of knowledge-based spin-offs through the Lighthouse Competition Startup Factories. This includes establishing regionally and internationally visible startup factories as lighthouses that:

• Have strong connections to startup-focused universities and non-university research institutions with high innovation and talent potential,
• Contribute to strengthening universities and research institutions in the transfer area through the establishment of public-private partnerships,
• Are entrepreneurially organized and establish sustainable business models,
• Found a high number of growth-oriented startups.

Out of around 30 applications, 15 projects were selected to develop their projects from their concepts by the end of February 2025. From these, five to ten projects will be selected to implement their projects within the framework of multi-year funding starting in June 2025.


For further information about the growth industries, economic development, business and technology support for companies, investors and scientific institutions in the Airport Region Berlin Brandenburg please contact:

Sandra Koletzki ​​​​​​ | sandra.koletzki(at)airport-region.de

(Source: Ministry of Science, Research, and Culture, 06|07|2024 | “Turbo for knowledge-based start-ups”)