Offers for those interested in founding a company at the HSWT
We support HSWT students, staff and professors in realising their innovative ideas and developments. With our start-up network, advice and programme offerings, we help start-ups to bring the enormous potential and expertise of the HSWT to society.
Starting a business while studying: support for students
The SUN at the HSWT aims to sensitise students specifically to the topic of entrepreneurship and promotes business start-ups and the planning of company takeovers even during their studies. At SUN, the entrepreneurs of tomorrow will find the support they need. In addition, the infrastructure of the Food Startup Incubator Weihenstephan (FSIWS) is available to all university members for their start-up activities in the food sector.
Nothing suitable? Talk to us at our networking events, the STARTUP TALKS, in Freising and Triesdorf. We are also happy to advise you by email and arrange personal meetings sun@hswt.de.
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Mind Makers Masterclass
The certificate programme for innovation, entrepreneurship and shaping the future
The Mind Makers Masterclass is the certificate programme of the Gründungshub Oberbayern for students who are interested in innovation, entrepreneurship and shaping the future. Over two semesters, you will (further) develop ideas together with other talents, learn to think entrepreneurially and work on solutions for the challenges of tomorrow.
What is the Mind Makers Masterclass?
The Mind Makers Masterclass is a cross-university certificate programme for students from the universities of the Gründungshub Oberbayern. It combines academic learning with practice, interdisciplinary collaboration and entrepreneurial thinking.
You will analyse future trends, develop viable ideas and translate them into initial prototypes. You will work in an inspiring environment with students from different disciplines and benefit from the strengths of several universities of applied sciences.
Who is the programme for?
The Mind Makers Masterclass is aimed at students from the universities of the Gründungshub Oberbayern who want to take on responsibility and are keen to actively shape innovation.
The programme is particularly exciting for you if you
- want to help shape social, technological or economic issues of the future,
- are interested in entrepreneurship and innovation,
- want to develop your own ideas,
- want to work together with other students in an interdisciplinary way &
- want to combine theory with practice.
What you can expect
The Mind Makers Masterclass is more than just a certificate programme. It is a learning space, network and experimental field all in one.
You can expect
- A cross-university learning environment,
- exchange with motivated students from different disciplines,
- practical methods and project-based work,
- the combination of innovation, entrepreneurship and social responsibility,
- online and face-to-face learning &
- a certificate upon successful completion of all modules.
Why participation is worthwhile
With the Mind Makers Masterclass, you will strengthen your ability to actively shape the future. You will learn to recognise opportunities at an early stage, develop ideas further and put solutions into practice.
At the same time, you will become part of a growing community of students, universities of applied sciences and practice partners in the Upper Bavaria start-up hub.
The Upper Bavaria start-up hub
The Gründungshub Oberbayern is a cross-university initiative to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary collaboration. Students, universities of applied sciences and practice partners come together here to develop new ideas and actively tackle future topics.
The Mind Makers Masterclass is the central educational offering of this network and combines the strengths of the participating universities of applied sciences in a joint programme.
Application and admission
The Mind Makers Masterclass is a selective certificate programme for particularly committed students.
All students who are enrolled at one of the following universities for the duration of the programme are eligible to apply: Rosenheim University of Applied Sciences, Munich University of Music and Theatre, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Ingolstadt University of Applied Sciences.In the selection process, it is not only performance that counts, but above all motivation, initiative, entrepreneurial thinking and a willingness to take on responsibility.
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Ideas competitions
The creative potential of students extends across a wide range of subject areas and competences. Idea competitions give students the opportunity to present their ideas for the first time and receive feedback - often the first step towards founding their own company.
These are the winners of recent years:
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Food start-up module
Students in the Bachelor's programmes Food Technology, Agribusiness and Organic Food & Business have the opportunity to work on their own startup during their studies in supplementary modules for the (further) development of their own food idea. They receive specialist support from food technologists and have access to the laboratories and technical centre at the Food Startup Incubator Weihenstephan (FSIWS).
Foundations for researchers
Innovations should also find their way into the economy: The HSWT therefore supports researchers in setting up a company - both through strategic considerations on how to deal with the HSWT's intellectual property (IP) and through proactive counselling for inventors and founders. A variety of funding programmes help with spin-offs from research. There is targeted support for the development of viable business models from innovative research results. It is best to get information early on. The SUN team provides support in choosing the right funding programme and submitting an application.
Founders interested in further training
Non-students can also benefit from HSWT's expertise. We offer a fee-based academy course Food Start-up Foundation over several weeks, in which participants can intensively develop and test their business idea in the food sector. Neither a university degree nor a general higher education entrance qualification (certificate) is required to take part in the course. After a successful application, interested participants receive professional guidance in founding their food start-up.
Gründungsbotschafter:innen
Network for entrepreneurship
The start-up support team at HSWT is involved in numerous networks and can establish helpful contacts to other founders or to targeted funding programmes.
Financing of founding teams and start-ups
In addition to advice and expertise, the HSWT also provides further information on funding programmes and loan options for founders and start-ups. If you have any questions about the application process or individual funding programmes, please contact us.
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EXIST start-up grant
Here we have compiled comprehensive information and the exact guidelines for the EXIST start-up grant collected here.
- For WHOM?
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For students, graduates and scientists interested in founding a company
- WHAT is supported?
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- innovative technology-orientated start-up projects.
- Innovative knowledge-based services that are based on scientific findings
- HOW is promoted
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- Securing personal living expenses through a scholarship:
- Founders with a doctorate 3,000 euros/month
- Graduates with a university degree 2,500 euros/month
- Technical staff 2,000 euros/month
- Students 1,000 euros/month
- Child supplement: 150 euros/month per child
- Material expenses: up to 10,000 euros for individual start-ups (max. 30,000 euros for teams)
- Coaching: 5,000 euros
The maximum funding period is one year.
- Securing personal living expenses through a scholarship:
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WINGS
Interested parties can find further information on the FLÜGGE programme from the Bavarian State Ministry here.
- WHO can apply for funding?
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Submissions can be made via the technology transfer centres or technology transfer officers at any state university of applied sciences in Bavaria.
The Bavarian University of applied sciences
- nominates a person for mentoring
- makes the necessary resources (laboratories, workshops, rooms, computer centres and other infrastructures) available free of charge to the start-up applicants
- administers the funding
Start-up applicants
- must be members of the applying University of applied sciences.
- If they are employed by the University of applied sciences, this employment may not exceed 50 per cent of their time.
- If they are still students and do not yet have a Bachelor's degree, they must have completed at least half of the standard period of study and, if applicable, the mandatory practical semester/ semester abroad.
- Teams consisting mainly of students without a Bachelor's degree can only be supported in exceptional cases.
- At least one person willing to found a company must be a holder or co-holder of the utilisation/property rights.
- are responsible for their own social security and other contributions.
The phase before and at the beginning of an innovative start-up, in particular the development of marketable innovative products and business models as well as the preparation of the start-up.
Specifically, this includes supporting those wishing to set up a business,
- in securing their innovative, including digital, business model, which could lead to a sustainable business start-up
- who were unable to finalise their start-up project as part of the EXIST funding programme due to particular technological challenges and have not yet been able to establish a company
- whose technologically innovative, challenging and high-risk project was denied funding in the EXIST start-up grant programme
- HOW is funding provided?
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- Scholarship for start-ups: 2,500 euros per month plus 150 euros per dependent child
- Assumption of material expenses for the project of up to 50% of the scholarships awarded
- HOW can I apply?
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Participation in the competition procedure
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Start-up loans, credits & investors
Every start-up requires individualised financing. It may be necessary to set up your own production, in which case a lot of capital is required, or you may choose the right partner at the right time. We support founders in all phases!
The table below provides an overview of possible funding or loan programmes and provides further links
- LfA Förderbank Bayern
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The LfA promotes the establishment of commercial and freelance businesses, including business takeovers and active participation.
Information from the LfA Förderbank Bayern - KfW Bank
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KfW supports companies that go one step further and make their own company fit for the future. Both innovative projects and the financing requirements of innovative companies are supported, for example with the ERP start-up loan.
Information from KfW Bank - BMWK
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On 27 July 2022, the Federal Cabinet adopted the first comprehensive startup strategy of a federal government. It is to be expected that there will be further programmes and funding in the future.
- INVEST
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INVEST brings together start-ups and private investors who believe in bold ideas. The funding programme mobilises more private venture capital from business angels and thus helps start-ups to find investors more easily.
Information on INVEST - Subsidy for venture capital - Funding database of the federal and state governments
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The federal funding database provides an overview of federal, state and European Union funding programmes: The search function helps you to browse through the current funding offers and find the right one for you.
Information on federal, state & EU funding programmes
