University Startup Factory: New grants for founder teams

Beside the innovation content of the undertaking, important criteria include a “proof of principle”, for instance a mock-up or a laboratory pattern, as well as the founders’ technical and economic know-how. Those being sponsored must spend a minimum of 60 hours per month at their workplace. The application is open to graduates – provided that they are supervised by a scientific mentor from one of the four members of the consortium. During the funding period of six months, the teams are encouraged to complete their prototype.

Interested founders will receive the necessary application form at one of the startup services of the four universities, following initial consulting. Selected teams are expected to receive funding as of November. Based on an interim presentation, a jury will decide whether the grant will be extended by another six months.

Overall, 855,000 EUR are available from funds provided through the European Social Fund and the Senate Department for the Economy, Technology and Research.

Contact persons at the universities:

Freie Universität Berlin:
Katja Brunner
Tel.: 030 838-61555
Mail: katja.brunner@fu-berlin.de 

Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin:
Marcus Luther
Tel.: 030-450 570 348
Mail: marcus.luther@charite.de 

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin:
Arne Meyer-Haake
Tel.: 030 2093-70762
Mail: arne.meyer-haake@hu-berlin.de 

Technische Universität Berlin:
Karin Kricheldorff
Tel.: 030 314-78580
Mail: karin.kricheldorff@tu-berlin.de