Geisenheim, September 30, 2020 – Since March 1, 2020, Hochschule Geisenheim University and EBS University have been operating a joint start-up center to motivate and qualify students and employees of both Rheingau universities to venture into entrepreneurship. By launching the sponsoring association, the two partners of the initiative – Rheingauer Volksbank and the town of Geisenheim – are providing a sound basis for the future growth of the initiative. “The most important part is to get regional companies on board to provide further financial support for future projects in addition to federal funds,” explains Christian Aßmann, newly-elected chair of the association.

The idea of a start-up center was already presented to the public in 2018 by Andreas Zeiselmaier, Chairman of the Board of Rheingauer Volksbank, Christian Aßmann, Mayor of the Geisenheim and Prof. Hans Reiner Schultz, President of Hochschule Geisenheim University.

In 2019, Hochschule Geisenheim University and EBS University of Economics and Law successfully acquired federal funding from the EXIST Potentiale program of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi), and officially launched the Gründungsfabrik in March 2020. Funded with almost 1.3 million euros, the project has received the necessary start-up funding to cultivate a start-up culture at both universities. Thanks to the sponsoring association, regional companies now have the opportunity to strengthen the project, play an active role and lay the foundation for the project to become a well-established part of the regional start-up culture.

What does the Gründungsfabrik Rheingau offer? The Gründungsfabrik Rheingau offers all students and employees of both universities who are interested in founding a joint space to generate, develop and implement ideas. Whether it’s innovative start-ups, self-employment or business succession, founders and start-ups receive tailored support and advice. “You can use the fully equipped co-working spaces, participate in targeted programs around the topic of entrepreneurship or get individual advice on scholarships and competitions – according to the motto: Where your idea starts!” explains Rama Suleiman, Project Coordinator from Hochschule Geisenheim University. The Gründungsfabrik Rheingau is located in the Waas.schen Fabrik in Geisenheim, which offers a unique atmosphere and provides the perfect setting for founders to be creative. Regular events (partly organized online at the moment) offer founders the opportunity to get to know the Rhine-Main start-up ecosystem, to network and to make valuable contacts. Of course, the doors of the Gründungsfabrik are also open to regional start-up enthusiasts. “The vision is to coordinate the local ecosystem of business and science in a joint start-up center in order to promote entrepreneurial thinking and to qualify talents so that they have the confidence to venture into entrepreneurship,” says Christoph Munck, Project Coordinator from EBS.

Gründungsfabrik Rheingau – Contacts

Rama Suleiman

E-Mail: rama@gf-rheingau.de

Christoph Munck

E-Mail: christoph@gf-rheingau.de