Start-ups of TU Berlin : Charlottenburg reinvents itself

The Dust has not settled yet. A young artist draws on the walls of a large event area, wall color and materials for a prototype workshop. A few meters further, the young people have moved into the large room office: founders. "You want to be economically successful, but also social and sustainable impulses", says Florian Hoos, head of the Centre for Entrepreneurship (CfE) at the Technical University of Berlin. The Uni in the West of Berlin opened in these days the new Coworking Space. 80 people, about 14 to 16 Startups that will work here daily, depending on the scholarship program for 12 to 18 months. "We filter out the technical innovations and ideas, and to promote this," says Hoos in January during a tour of the new Location at the Ernst-Reuter-Platz with the house number 1.

What describes Hoos, the TU Berlin not new territory. For many years, the University runs a start-up support. With its 20 employees, the CfE, promotes every year, approximately 30 Tech Start-ups. 135 start-UPS has brought in the past ten years. "The survival rate of these Start-ups is extremely high," says Hoos. 30 to 50 sketches to land every month in the CfE, only three to four of them will be promoted. You will receive a scholarship with advice, training programmes and Workshops. The CfE establishes the start-up phase important contacts. "In the selection process is very strict criteria apply. The selected Startups often bring technologies and innovations, the on a year long research based and not easily replicable,“ says Hoos.

The approach is holistic

At the TU the young Teams benefit from a mix of teaching, research, and Foundation support. "The CfE is a unique combination of practical start-up support and the area of expertise ,Entrepreneurship and innovation management' – a unique feature," says Hoos. Skills used later to start a business, are already in the lecture and seminar room taught, for example, in the Master in Management, Entrepreneurship and sustainability.

Now the System should be further developed. The new Coworking Space offers more than Wi-Fi and a material infrastructure. The approach is holistic: "We want to create an open and transparent space, where young entrepreneurs and external actors to come together, work together and exchange ideas," says Hoos. This should increase not only the Inspiration, but also Opening up the University to the outside. "Berlin has everything it can bring to the company with ideas." It is a question of what Start-ups, always fall back on two words: "triple impact". "The core competence of the economic, entrepreneurial success of the green remains, of course, start-UPS. The company should also satisfy other claims, and in addition to the economic social and ecological value pens.“

The companies in the start-up phase, Hoos, are fed into the Coworking Space for a long time. The Team of "Hedera", for example: Natalia Realpe, 33, and two Co-founders work in the Location at the Ernst-Reuter-Platz on a platform, the development organizations, financial institutions, scientists, and consultants in developing countries to help to build your network. "I've seen in my work in developing countries, such as ineffective and the high cost of actors interact, the basic needs of people, such as education, water, or energy. As we come in,“ said Realpe.

breeding ground for Innovation

Since October, the Team in the promotion of the CfE. "The Coaching and the Workshops have brought us on a good path and help in important decision-making processes. Also, the exchange with other Start-ups is very valuable,“ said Realpe.

Jacek Zawisza estimates of these benefits also. "The Coworking Space promotes communication and helps us to generate us questions and new ideas. The promotion is a breeding ground for Innovation," says Zawisza, managing Director of the "Kamioni". For half a year, the 35-Year-old and his three comrades-in-arms from the EXIST-gründerstipendium of the Federal Ministry for economic benefit. According to the founders, to trucks, to construction sites snake and the city traffic, clogging, belong to the past. The Team wants to digitize logistics processes in the construction industry and a platform for the coordination of trucks between construction companies, trucking companies and construction material suppliers to develop.

The Software prototype is built, in 20 logistics companies, the Team was able to test him and know how he works there. Now, the Team is on the verge of founding. It's the follow-up financing. "We benefit from a highly experienced environment," says Daniel Dancs. "The Connections and contacts of the CfE, is about to Start-up investors, are very valuable." Dancs and Zawisza feel prepared.

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