BRYCK Startup Alliance Becomes One of Germany’s Startup Factories
- UA Ruhr
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The BRYCK Startup Alliance will receive funding of up to €10 million over several years. It has set itself the goal of accelerating trailblazing deep-tech innovations in Germany and establishing a top-performing, university- and industry-oriented startup center with international appeal. This will not only strengthen the Ruhr as an important location for startups but also make the region a model for Germany’s industrial future. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy is funding 10 Startup Factories nationwide, which were the winners from among two dozen initiatives in a two-stage competition.
The BRYCK Startup Alliance bundles the strengths of the Ruhr region, namely the highest density of universities in Europe and the economic power of one of the continent’s most important industrial hubs. It is based on strong regional collaboration between academia, industry and capital: In the shape of the University Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr), the three universities Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), TU Dortmund University and the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), which are all very strong in research, are central partners in the alliance. The industrial side is represented by the business association Initiativkreis Ruhr with over 70 leading regional companies and institutions. RAG-Stiftung (a foundation) is also contributing to the alliance in the shape of the BRYCK innovation and startup center it initiated as well as its powerful network and private sector capital.
The BRYCK Startup Alliance plans to establish a top-performing startup factory in the heart of the Ruhr region over the next five years. The aim is to mobilize at least 1,000 spinoffs, over 200 scaling deep-tech startups and more than €1 billion in venture capital in the local ecosystem by 2030. The alliance will systematically support the following three business areas: Future Industry, Future Life Science and Future Cities. These include, for example, intelligent systems in production and logistics, renewable raw materials, personalized medicine and smart cities. The alliance is planning various programs along the different phases of setting up a company, including scalable accelerator programs for deep-tech startups.
The three universities intend to continue sensitizing their 100,000 students and 14,000 researchers toward startups as well as expand and synchronize their corresponding courses and training portfolios. They will also make it possible for startup entrepreneurs to take leave of absence, and the procedure for assigning patents is to be accelerated. To identify role models, advisors and potential clients, the alumni network will be engaged. The Center for Entrepreneurship & Transfer (CET) at TU Dortmund University, the WorldFactory at RUB and GUIDE, the Center for Start-ups and Innopreneurship at the University of Duisburg-Essen, have already been working together successfully in this area for several years.
For their part, the business partners involved help with market analyses, product enhancement and access to finance. The aim is to help startups tap into over €10 billion in venture capital. The Colosseum, a former industrial workshop and listed building in Essen, will become the home of the BRYCK Startup Alliance.
Statements on the Startup Factory
“This is a historic decision. It is an opportunity to reinvent the Ruhr region — from its industrial legacy to the forge of Europe’s future. Germany’s new industrial motor is evolving here in the shape of the Startup Factory — with a focus on deep tech supported by true regional strength.”
“This decision is a milestone for the BRYCK Startup Alliance and the University Alliance Ruhr. Together, we can show what potential lies in close collaboration between academia, business and startups — and how universities can make an active contribution to Germany’s industrial transformation.”
“With the BRYCK Startup Alliance, a new hub for innovation and entrepreneurship is evolving in the Ruhr region — powered by a strong regional coalition. To actively co-shape this transformation and further strengthen Germany’s industrial heartland, the Initiativkreis Ruhr brings the strength of its over 70 partner companies to the table.”
“With the distinction as a Startup Factory, the BRYCK Startup Alliance is becoming a visible symbol of a new awakening in the Ruhr region. This initiative is a figurehead for renewal and transformation, inventiveness and entrepreneurial ability. Being selected as a Startup Factory validates the path we embarked on with the launch of BRYCK — and it shows that we are not the only ones who see the huge potential in this region.”
About the BRYCK Startup Alliance
The BRYCK Startup Alliance comprises the following partners: RAG-Stiftung (one of Germany’s largest foundations), the University Alliance Ruhr (Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University and the University of Duisburg-Essen), the business association Initiativkreis Ruhr with over 70 companies and institutions, and the BRYCK innovation and startup center. The initiative’s goal is to create a leading European innovation hub as a hotbed for high-growth deep-tech startups. In the future, the BRYCK Startup Alliance will provide targeted support for science-based spinoffs and accelerate the transfer of innovative technologies from leading-edge research to industry.
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