In the last 20 years, the number of entrepreneurs in Germany has decreased by more than 60%.*
At the same time, the German economy lacks 533.000 skilled workers ( 100.000 of them in Berlin-Brandenburg alone).**
*DSM 2022 (Deutscher Startup Monitor)
**As of December 2022, Federal Employment Agency
In 2023 only Berlin was leading in new startups being founded and companies being valued as unicorns; it's Germanys' VC capital.*
Meanwhile, more than 250.000 students and researchers in Berlin-Brandenburg are solving meaningful challenges.**
*Analysis by Dealroom
**Statista and SenWPG
So far, synergies between scientific innovation and commercial growth opportunities are underutilized.
Science, business, and society too rarely focus their forces for this purpose.
Together, we aim to change that
A resourceful consortium of science and research
And strong partners of business and society.
What we have set out to achieve
- We will triple spin-offs from academia in the next 5 years
- We will increase the female founder quota to 40% in the next 5 years
- Together with the business sector and society, we will qualify 50,000 entrepreneurial talents per year
- We will attract and retain entrepreneuerial talents to/in Berlin
- We prioritize addressing societal challenges in entrepreneurial actions
- We accelerate the innovation and startup phases
- We enhance the amount and likelihood of (follow-up) financing for our startups
How we will implement this
- We are establishing a joint, highly digital center for science-based startups
- We are creating agile legal vehicles along the innovation and startup phases
- We develop a digital twin of the ecosystem to accelerate innovation processes and network effects
- We are establishing an Entrepreneur-Immigration Office
- We are mobilizing the alumni of Berlin's and Brandenburg's scientific community as innovation and startup agents
- We eliminate institutional and bureaucratic barriers
- We are establishing joint startup clusters in areas such as AI, GreenTech, and Health
What we'll create for this purpose
To achieve the mission and objectives, UNITE will be established in the form of a Public-Private-Partnership
Agile and efficient entrepreneurial structures will be created along the innovation phases for participation and shareholding
For business sector partners we offer
- A central point of contact for startups and entrepreneurial talents from Berlin's academic institutions
- Access to and recruitment of entrepreneurial talents
- Support and solutions for current innovation challenges
- Investment and co-financing opportunities
- Scouting and deal flow
- Targeted establishment of new technology clusters (such as Urban Technologies, Health, Social, or GreenTech)
- Involvement in existing clusters like KIEZ (AI) or Leap (QT)
- Employer branding with impact and reach
What we expect from our partners
Time Commitment
(Financial) Resources
Know-How
Every euro will be doubled
-
The federal government will match private seed funding for UNITE with up to 10 million euros -
Internationally visible startup factories will be established as flagship ecosystems in Germany -
We aim to jointly apply with a concept for this
Next Steps
We will build UNITE over the next two years. Become a partner now to strengthen your own future and competitiveness, and to make the entire innovation ecosystem more resilient.
Deadline for concept phase applications (April 12, 2024)
Selection process involving the jury (May 2024)
Commencement of funding for the concept phase
Deadline for implementation phase applications
Selection process involving the jury
Commencement of funding for the implementation phase
Press information
Contact
