SpinLab - The HHL Accelerator

#BreakingNews: After successful ventures in #Leipzig and #Hannover RootCamp - A SpinLab Company, we are thrilled to announce our NEW LOCATION in 📍#Dresden: The Hightech #Accelerator ExciteLab - A SpinLab Company! Joining forces with Technische Universität Dresden/ (TUD|excite) and TUDAG TU Dresden Aktiengesellschaft, we’re expanding our support to startups working on #IoT, #semiconductors, #robotics, #sensors, and #quantumtechnology. Today, we received the grant approval from Saxony's Minister of Economic Affairs, Martin Dulig, signifying a crucial step in bolstering the #startup ecosystem in our region. Sächsische Aufbaubank - Förderbank - Sächsisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Verkehr. With strong partner companies by our side from the very beginning, ExciteLab is backed by industry leaders including VON ARDENNE, Infineon Technologies, Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Sachsen mbH, ZEISS Digital Innovation, Forvis Mazars in Germany, white IP | Patent & Legal, and SAP. We are very pleased to have Alexander Türpe on board as the Managing Director of ExciteLab - A SpinLab Company. He has been a dedicated mentor at SpinLab for years. Together, we will transform #ExciteLab into an international accelerator, positioning Saxony as one of Europe's leading #hightech hubs. The first batch will already kick off in October. (Link to the press release and website in the comments.) #SmartInfrastructureHub #EDIHSaxony #Sachsen

🌍 At SpinLab, we always strive to look beyond the typical #startup hotspots, exploring emerging ecosystems around the world. During #BakuID24, Eric Weber experienced firsthand how #SABAHHUB and #IDDA wants to becoming the premier startup hubs for the Caucasian region and beyond. #Baku is home to 99% of Azerbaijan’s startups and is ranked 25th in Eastern Europe according to the Global Startup Ecosystem Index 2024. Six universities in Azerbaijan are running innovation programs and there are four active #accelerators/ #incubators supporting local startups e.g. Startup Wise Guys, Viveka, and SABAH.HUB. 💸 The #VC scene in #Azerbaijan is still in its early stages, but there are signs of growth. News funds were announced. Head over to Eric Weber for more personal impressions. Thank you for the invitation Orkhan Abbasov, Talifa Isgandar, Igor Ovcharenko and Gunel Gasimli. #SmartInfractructureHub

SpinLab Startups are on a roll! Alongside #funding news, we are constantly receiving updates that our #startups are winning awards. 🏆 tenac.io GmbH (Georg van Husen) secured the 2024 #DigitalHealth Pitch Competition Award at the #DTA Summit in Washington, DC, and enaDyne (Philipp Hahn & Christian Koch received the futureSAX - die Innovationsplattform des Freistaates Sachsen Saxonian startup innovation award. Additionally, IO-Dynamics (Johann Olsen) has won the the Smarter E award in the category outstanding projects. We are also pleased that the Saxon startup scene was among the winners of the IQ Innovationspreis Mitteldeutschland yesterday, including two portfolio companies from our partner TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen: Katana Labs and ReViSalt. The overall winner of the 20th IQ Innovation Award is SaxonQ GmbH from #Leipzig. Congratulations to all the teams. 👏 ↪️ By the way, the open call for the Public Value Award for startups ends in a few days, recognizing startups that develop impact-driven solutions and tackle the challenges of our time. Apply until July 1st. #SmartInfrastructureHub #EDIHSaxony #InnovationmadeinSaxony

How to Create Media Buzz? 💥 At our first Alumni get-together, we had the pleasure of hosting Madita Lege, a #journalist from Gründerszene, one of Germany's most important business magazines. Securing media features is crucial for building brand awareness, attracting #investors, and gaining credibility. However, getting the attention of journalists is not so easy. Because: Not every news is a story. Times have changed and press releases are outdated. ❌ Madita gave us an look into the editorial process at Gründerszene and advised, "Put yourself in the journalist's position. Consider what their job involves." The story should provide value to the journalist and their audience. "Think about why the story matters and how it can benefit the readers." It was an incredibly informative session filled with a lot of practical, hands-on tips. Thank you Madita Lege for coming to #Leipzig. #SmartInfrastructureHub #EDIHSaxony #PR

Is your #startup making a difference in the world? 🏆 The Public Value Award is looking for startups whose focus goes beyond economic success. We seek ventures that address societal challenges and create a positive #impact on communities and the environment. 🏆Apply now for the Public Value Award and receive up to 50 hours of mentoring and consultation on the topics crucial to your #growth agenda with EY. Benefit from a strong network, including ZEISS Group, EY, HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, LF Gruppe, Leipziger Messe, and Stadt Leipzig. 🎤In November, the finalists will pitch on stage in #Leipzig. Applications are open until July 1st! More infos are linked below. #SmartInfrastructureHub #PublicValue #PVA24

How is the German startup ecosystem doing? 📊 The survey for the 2024 German Startup Monitor by Startup-Verband has started, and your input is needed! 🔵What challenges are you facing with your #startup? 🔵What support do you need from the government? Make your voice heard and participate in the survey by 📅 July 31. Link in the comments! #SmartInfrastructureHub #EDIHSaxony #StartupMonitor

SpinLab Goes Houston ✈️ #Leipzig and #Houston have shared a sister city partnership for over 30 years. Notably, the life sciences and biotechnology sectors in Houston are seeing significant advancements. Organized by Dezernat für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Digitales Stadt Leipzig and biosaxony e.V., we had the chance to experience this emerging sector firsthand. The aim of the trip was to initiate business partnerships 🤝. Houston is home to the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world 🌎, featuring over 25 #Research & #Innovation centers. Additionally, with more than 1100 life sciences companies and research institutions, Houston is a powerhouse in medical research and biotechnology 🧬. The Leipzig delegation was warmly welcomed by Houston’s Mayor, John Whitmire. Over the next few days, SpinLab Health Coach David Blazek explored advancements in cancer treatment at Texas Medical Center and MD Anderson Cancer Center 🏥, discussed cell and gene therapy and infectious disease research at Baylor College of Medicine 🧪, and delved into innovative training and educational programs in biomedicine, bioinformatics, and data security at Texas A&M University. After a 40-hour return flight, David is back with lots of input and impressions. Invest Region Leipzig Universitätsklinikum Leipzig AöR Fraunhofer IZI Germany Trade & Invest Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen GmbH #SmartInfrastructureHub #EDIHSaxony #Healthcare

Yesterday, we had the honor of welcoming Udo Philipp, State Secretary at the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Klimaschutz (BMWK) with Matthias Koehler, Digital Hub Initiative into SpinLab. It was a great opportunity to present the Central Germany startup ecosystem with presentations from startups like SnoreFree® Health App & Sunfire, and to discuss the challenges we face. Here are our highlights and lowlights: 🔵 Strong #Research Base: East Germany boasts robust research capabilities with several patent-strong universities and excellence clusters. Among the top 15 in the patent rankings are: TU Dresden, Technische Universität Ilmenau, TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT BERGAKADEMIE FREIBERG and Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena. 🔵 Growing #Accelerator Network: The region hosts numerous accelerators, such as SpinLab, R42 Accelerator, and Medical Forge, supporting the growth of startups. 🔵 #EXIST Programs: A significant proportion of EXIST - Existenzgründungen aus der Wissenschaft and scholarships are allocated to the region. 🔵 Potential #Unicorns: There are notable unicorns and potential "soonicorns" like Staffbase, or Sunfire emerging in Central Germany. 🔴 #Startup Density: Only 4.8% of all German startups are in East Germany, despite representing about 10% of the population. 🔴 #Venture Capital: The region lags significantly in venture capital investment, with only 3.4% of #VC-financed startups and about 1% of VC volume in 2023. 🔴 #Scaling Gaps: There are considerable gaps in scaling, including the number of new startups, VC rounds, and the presence of regional representatives in national startup associations. #Policy Representation: East Germany is underrepresented in key political and economic advisory boards, impacting the visibility and influence of its startup ecosystem. 🔴 A challenge in Germany is the need to enhance conditions for #spinoffs and reform the processes for intellectual property (IP) transfer. Thanks to our guests and BMWK for the discussion and the opportunity to share our thoughts. Marco Weicholdt MACHN Festival Jan Alberti bmp Ventures Michael Petrosjan FlyNex Susanne Rost Anja Hähle-Posselt Stadt Leipzig Utz Dornberger Universität Leipzig Udo Werner TUDAG TU Dresden Aktiengesellschaft Jan Thomas Alter TGFS Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen Sigismund Gänger Filip Schaffitzel Max Lehnert Smart Systems Hub Tobias Voigt Birgit H. Steve Sarfert #SmartInfrastructureHub #EDIHSaxony #Mitteldeutschland

"We can’t solve tomorrow’s problems with software alone," stated Philipp Semmer (Earlybird Venture Capital). This statement set the stage at this year’s HHL SpinLab #InvestorsDay, where we explored the shift from #software to #hardware #startups. The startup world has traditionally been dominated by software ventures, characterized by their lower initial costs, faster iteration cycles, and scalable digital distribution. Hardware startups, on the other hand, face longer development cycles due to the need for extensive testing, regulatory approvals, and manufacturing setup. 🎤 Moderated by Dirk Frohnert, CFA (Smart Infrastructure Ventures ('SIVentures'), our panelists: Philipp Semmer (Earlybird Venture Capital), Stefan Albers (XAnge), Maxi Pethö-Schramm (HV Capital), and Andreas Winter-Extra (KOMPAS VC) delved into the challenges and opportunities in the hardware sector. Check out our latest blog article to learn more about strategies for investing in and scaling hardware startups (Link in the comments.) ⤵️ #SmartInfrastructureHub #EDIHSaxony 📸: Fabian Thüroff

This week, marketing professionals gathered in Düsseldorf for the #Marketing Award 2024 🏆. Head of Marketing, Swantje Jung, was recognized by absatzwirtschaft as one of the top marketing talents of 2021. As an emerging talent, she was invited to participate in McKinsey & Company's State of Marketing in Germany study, with results to be published next month. Deep dive sessions offered insights into the implementation of #AI in marketing, the latest trends for marketing decision-makers, and brand management with a focus on social responsibility. Thank you for the invitation absatzwirtschaft Christa Catharina Müller. Photos: Foto Vogt GmbH