This year, in addition to start-up ideas from the fields of medicine and food, there is a strong representation of projects from the Faculty of Philosophy. Sandra Speer opened EXIST Women 2025 at the University of Bonn and encouraged participants to use this special program as a “safe space” while also engaging in early discussions with experts and potential customers. Motivation is high: “I'm on my way to getting the green flag,” said one participant, describing her expectations for the program. Others say that EXIST Women sows the first seeds, which will then grow into a lucrative business model. “I'm looking forward to EXIST Women because I hope it will help me grow and get started. What's also special is that we're starting out together with so many other women,” says one participant, emphasizing the unique atmosphere at EXIST Women.
Intensive start-up workshops and coaching
Participants can expect an intensive start-up phase with events and coaching to develop their business ideas and identify growth opportunities. The program provides comprehensive start-up-related expertise and support from experienced experts. There will also be many opportunities to network within the group, but also with other EXIST Women scholarship holders at the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences and with important key figures from the Bonn start-up ecosystem.
New offerings: Setting boundaries and the right negotiation strategies
In addition to the proven workshop offerings on topics such as business model development, financial planning, and pitch training, there are two new workshops this year: One is dedicated to recognizing emotions and setting healthy boundaries—an essential aspect for successful female founders. Another workshop offers targeted negotiation training to prepare participants for challenging conversations with investors, customers, and partners.
Intensive support from the Transfer Center
Anna Villwock, start-up advisor at the Transfer Center enaCom, coordinates EXIST Women 2025 at the University of Bonn and supports the women throughout the entire program: "Individual counseling is a central component of EXIST Women. The next milestones and steps are discussed. This regular reflection allows us to get a handle on the initial chaos that often prevails during the initial brainstorming phase and start the start-up process in an orderly manner." The Transfer Center enaCom has been offering the EXIST Women program at the University of Bonn since 2023, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection.
