Hamburg's "Startup Port" launches

3 September 2020

Hamburg Metropolitan Region's Startup Port promoting start-ups by young scientists

The Startup Port opened its doors Tuesday (August 25, 2020) to advance the transfer of knowledge and technology at universities in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region. The transnational project promotes the establishment of science-based start-ups and boosts talks between business, science, politics and society. Initiated by seven north German educational and research institutions, the "port" brings movers and shakers together and creates synergies.

Promoting knowledge-based start-ups

Katharina Fegebank, Senator for Science, Research and Equality, remarked: "The Startup Port initiative offers the many bright and creative minds at our universities valuable infrastructure and contacts for turning scientific findings and innovative ideas into new products." Michael Westhagemann, Senator for Economics, added: "The 'Startup Port' will further expand and position Hamburg and the metropolitan region internationally as a centre of knowledge-based start-ups and highly qualified workers."

Brand of Hamburg Metropolitan Region

The Startup Port will bundle and supplement existing schemes at universities and institutions and create transparency for prospective founders. The plans also foresee establishing the Startup Port as the Hamburg Metropolitan Region's brand and which is synoymous with a sustainable start-up culture. Its services will be developed to improve start-ups' opportunities on the market. The regional community will gain an opportunity to hold vibrant talks with stakeholders in science, business and politics. The Startup Port's initial activities will involve the launch of a website and social media channels over the coming months.

Promoting business start-ups from universities

1. The Startup Port Academy offers a certificate programme for students and scientists, further training, developing founders and advice centres for start-ups.

2. The Startup Port Mates gives start-ups at all universities and research institutions in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region networking opportunities.

3. The Startup Port Business links up start-ups with commerce, provides access to seed investors, markets and promotes the transfer of knowledge between start-ups and economic stakeholders.
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Sources and further information

Startup Port

The following institutions are involved in the new institution: Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) which is co-ordinating the project, the University of Hamburg, the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW), Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces Hamburg (HSU), University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Leuphana University of Lüneburg (Leuphana), Wedel University of Applied Sciences (FH Wedel), Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht (HZG) as well as Nordmetall and ContiTech. The partners include Hamburg’s Ministry of Economics and Innovation, and the Ministry for Science, Research and Equality and Districts as well as Lower Saxony’s Ministry for Science, Research and Art, which is among the joint funders of the project.