RWTH celebrates 25 years of EXIST and Startup Factory grant

Last week, we had the pleasure to join universities and research institutions from all over Germany in celebrating 25 years of research-based start-up support at the EXIST Congress in Berlin organized by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). And there was another reason to celebrate: "Gateway FACTORY Startup", a joint proposal by RWTH Aachen University and University of Cologne, was selected as one of 15 projects to make it into the first phase of the new "Startup Factory" funding initiative.

Since its beginnings in 1998, EXIST has supported numerous university start-ups in getting off the ground. Over the "EXIST Business Start-up Grant" and the "EXIST Transfer of Research" have become indispensible vehicles in translating groundbreaking research into innovative start-ups, and continue to be the instrument of choice for excellent researchers aiming to turn into impactful entrepreneurs. With "EXIST Potentials", a third funding line was established to further strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems at selected German universities.

RWTH Aachen University has been actively supporting entrepreneurial transfer along all EXIST initiatives. Not only do researchers with an innovative idea receive support in applying for the "EXIST Business Start-up Grant" or the "EXIST Transfer of Research"; with Stage Two, we have also created an international university start-up community across Europe. Initiated as part of "EXIST Potentials" initiative, Stage Two has become the largest pan-European university start-up competition. The strong bond between EXIST and Stage Two was also present at the pitch battle during the 25th anniversary gathering in Berlin. The BMWK awarded start-ups aisencia and Pixel Photonics with a Stage Two EXIST Wildcard and visitor ticket, respectively.

In 2023, the BMWK issued an open call to submit concepts for a new funding line that supports supraregional "lighthouse" projects building on public-private partnerships for the first time. At the EXIST Congress in Berlin, Robert Habeck, Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, announced the selected projects for the concept phase. As one of 15 selected proposals, RWTH Aachen University and University of Cologne now have the chance to submit a more refined application for their project "Gateway FACTORY Factory Startup".