What are the first steps in founding a business? Where can I find co-founders? How do I finance my project? There are many hurdles to overcome on the way to starting your own company. Talking to other founders quickly shows: no one has to face these challenges alone. That’s why the Transfer Center enaCom, together with Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (H-BRS) and the Digitalhub, is organizing the Bonn Start-up Roundtable for the second year in a row. Once a month, founders and those interested in entrepreneurship meet to exchange experiences, celebrate successes, and share concerns.

A research team at the Department of Neuroradiology at the University Hospital Bonn (UKB) has received over half a million euros from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research for the development of an intelligent interaction system for epilepsy patients and their caregivers. This will enable the implementation of the AI project epi-center.ai, which optimizes the digital networking of patients and epilepsy centers and improves the search for the origins of epileptic seizures, knowledge of which is crucial for treatment.

The University of Bonn is kicking off the second round of the EXIST Women program and welcomed the new scholarship recipients at the kick-off event last Tuesday. The Transfer Center enaCom will support them for nine months with an intensive workshop and mentoring program as well as numerous networking opportunities. The 13 participants come from various faculties at the university and want to use the program to take the step toward founding their own companies. EXIST Women is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

The young company Taxpeer, a spin-off from the University of Bonn, has won first place in the “Start-ups” category of the prestigious Taxcellence Award 2024. With its AI-based learning platform for future tax experts, the team impressed not only the expert jury but also received the most votes in the public ballot. The award marks another milestone in the success story of the start-up, which was founded in August 2024.

Get 2025 off to a flying start with inspiring workshops and events from the Transfer Center enaCom and immerse yourself in the world of start-ups, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Here you will learn useful methods and tools for developing your own ideas, managing innovation, and creating business plans. All students, researchers and alumni of the University of Bonn are invited to attend. Participation is free of charge. The Spring School (March 10–14), for example, offers a crash course in founding a start-up, where you can get your own business off the ground in just five days.

The Start-up School organized by the Transfer Center enaCom and the Start-up Manufaktur at the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (H-BRS) will take place again this spring. From March 10 to 14, participants will work on their own start-up ideas. All students, scientists, employees, and alumni of the University of Bonn and H-BRS are welcome to participate. No start-up idea is required to participate. Those interested can register until February 28.

"Women's networks provide that special support and energy for prospective female founders," said Özlem Doger-Herter, founder and coach, at the closing ceremony for the first cohort of the EXIST Women program from the Transfer Center enaCom. At the event in the DIGITALHUB, the participants from the University of Bonn looked back together on a successful year. The program offered the necessary know-how, workspaces, mentors and networking opportunities to prepare for self-employment or a start-up. EXIST Women is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection and will enter the next round in 2025: applications can be submitted by 5 January 2025*!

The start-up project Sweethoven Biotech is developing a sweet-tasting fiber that can be consumed instead of sugar. It is a genuine alternative, as fiber is much lower in calories and healthier than sugar or conventional sweeteners. The team led by Dr. Marcel Hövels and Dr. André Neff from the Institute of Microbiology and Biotechnology (IFMB) impressed the judges at the innovation sprints held by DATI – the German Agency for Transfer and Innovation of the BMBF – in the summer and will receive funding of just under €180,000. In addition, the team won numerous awards and prizes in the fall, including third place in the BioRiver Boost! and first place in the Bio-Gründerwettbewerb (Bio-Startup Competition) of the Bio-Security Competence Center. These placements secured the team membership in BioRiver e.V. and prize money totaling €4,000.