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Ecosystem

Learning and Exchange Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Practice

We support startup factories and drive innovation across Germany together.

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About Us

We support startup factories and drive innovation across Germany together. Our goal is to strengthen the German startup landscape by developing a network of impactful, sustainable, and university-affiliated startup factories. These startup factories bridge the gap between science and industry, translate scientific findings into successful commercial enterprises, and position Germany as a leading startup nation.

  • 25+ Ecosystem Visits
  • 12 Workshops
  • 9 Roundtables
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We Connect Startup Factories
and Share Expertise and Best Practices

Germany leads in research, but lags behind in commercializing and scaling innovations.

To close this commercialization gap (see figure, 2021) and to foster more knowledge-based spin-offs, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) launched the EXIST lighthouse competition “Startup Factories”. The Learning & Exchange Center (LEC) supports as a central partner by connecting the Startup Factories and sharing the expertise and best practices of UnternehmerTUM.

More at startup-factories.de
Helmut Schoenenberger 2023
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Dr. Sabine Kunst, Vorstandsvorsitzende Joachim Herz Stiftung

Prof. Dr. Helmut Schönenberger, CEO UnternehmerTUM, Chair of the Expert Group of the Lighthouse Competition

If a successful startup center emerges at each of the ten locations, Germany will become one of the world's leading startup nations. All the prerequisites are in place.

Our funding in science and research aims to achieve systematic impact. One of the LEC's core objectives is to establish a tailored impact measurement framework for startup support in Germany.

What We Offer for Startup Factories & Universities

Get in touch
Learning & Knowledge Exchange

We host benchmark visits at UnternehmerTUM and capture our insights in best practice playbooks. We also organize peer-to-peer exchanges and workshops in which participants learn directly from each other. We measure the impact of our work and develop suitable KPIs for it. Regular newsletters and other communications keep everyone involved up to date.

Community Building

We hold regular CEO calls and host the Startup Factory Summits. We are present at key startup events and conferences and develop startup programs together with our partners.

Improving Framework Conditions

We contribute to the German startup and scaleup strategy and organize roundtables with German family offices and foundations. We also advocate for reducing bureaucracy and fostering internationalization.

What We Offer
for Foundations & Partners

Become a partner
Network & Visibility

You gain access to a nationwide startup ecosystem and build connections across industries. We position you as a trusted partner and ensure that your needs are heard, considered, and implemented.

Knowledge Transfer & Impact

We organize cross-industry expert formats and develop practical guides for universities, incubators, and ecosystems. In doing so, we embed impactful formats for the long term.

Our Valued Partners
Driving Innovation Together

Resources & Insights

Our Contact

Have questions about the Learning & Exchange Center or want to explore partnership opportunities? Reach out to us, we’d love to hear from you.

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