On Friday evening, the Innovation and Startup Campus Central Hesse (StartMiUp) will present the Innovation Funnel Central Hesse for the first time at the University Library in Marburg. This new project promotes innovation and transformation in Central Hesse by connecting companies with research institutions and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and technologies. It is being implemented in cooperation with the Central Hesse Regional Management and with funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
After more than four years of successful work, StartMiUp is thus developing strategically: from a start-up network exclusively for members of the Justus Liebig University Giessen , the Philipps University Marburg and the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen to an open innovation hub for the entire region.
Under the guiding question, "How can we jointly create new momentum for the innovation ecosystem in Central Hesse?", the kick-off event brings together more than 100 guests from science, business, and politics. Among them is Kaweh Mansoori, Hessian Minister for Economic Affairs, Energy, Transport, Housing, and Rural Areas. He emphasizes the political relevance of the project: "In recent years, an active start-up ecosystem has emerged in Central Hesse: a network of
successful start-ups that are once again involved as mentors and investors, medium-sized companies that collaborate with start-ups, and universities that contribute their considerable innovation potential."
With the Innovation Funnel Central Hesse, we are taking this to a whole new level and laying the foundation for marketable innovations from the region and for Hesse as a whole. The project provides support in the crucial initial phases of the innovation process: from
problem identification and idea generation to product and business model development. In this way, we are creating structures that can specifically promote ideas from the region and transform them into marketable solutions. An innovative project that we are pleased to support with approximately €2.3 million from the ERDF.”
When entrepreneurial spirit and research converge, true innovation emerges – a potential that Central Hesse has so far underutilized. "StartMiUp's new project is a crucial step towards strategically strengthening synergies in Central Hesse," emphasized Prof. Dr. Gert Bange, Vice President for Research at Philipps University of Marburg, in his opening address. "Excellent research unfolds its full potential when it
is translated into application and value creation. The Innovation Funnel Central Hesse promotes this transfer by creating structures for regional networking and enabling targeted matching between science and industry."
To jointly unlock innovation potential, StartMiUp offers needs-based formats in addition to networking and matching. These include workshops for developing, testing, and validating ideas, an annual innovation festival, and practical coaching. From the companies' perspective, these offerings are crucial for transforming initial ideas into concrete solutions. "By bridging the gap between research and industry, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular are supported in becoming even more innovative and competitive," says Dr. Stefan Lock, Head of the Regional Representation of the European Commission for North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, and Saarland.
The more stakeholders utilize the growing innovation structures in Central Hesse, the greater the benefit for the entire region. The goal is to increase Central Hesse's competitiveness in business and research, strengthen the culture of cooperation, and provide long-term impetus for new startups.