Paderborn University produces an above-average number of founders, according to the latest Start-up Monitor, which was recently published by the German Start-up Association. For the first time, Paderborn University is among the top 10 start-up universities in Germany. This puts it just behind the well-known start-up locations of Munich, Berlin and Aachen.
The Start-up Monitor is a comprehensive study by the German Start-up Association and provides current figures on the development of the start-up scene in Germany every year. This year's focus is on the decline in the proportion of female founders, the focus on sustainable business models and technological innovations from science as well as the question of which universities in Germany produce the most start-ups.
According to the survey, most start-up founders (84.2 per cent) obtained their highest academic degree in Germany. In comparison, the Technical University of Munich and RWTH Aachen University produce the most founders. Just under 1.5 per cent of the start-up founders surveyed stated that they had studied at Paderborn University. This makes it one of the TOP 10 start-up universities in Germany.
‘Within a very short space of time, Paderborn University has succeeded in moving up into the top league of Germany's universities with the most start-ups. The economically strong region of Ostwestfalen-Lippe offers ideal conditions for start-ups. With a strong network of technology-oriented businesses, investors and the support of start-up centres of excellence, the region has become an attractive location for start-ups. The prospects are promising,’ emphasises Prof. Dr Sebastian Vogt, Director of garage33, Paderborn University's start-up centre. According to the survey, the proportion of start-ups that received support from a university when they were founded rose to 55.1 per cent in 2024. Good networking opportunities with important network partners and potentially important stakeholders are cited as the main reason for this.
Ten years ago, Paderborn University opened its own start-up centre, and garage33 has been operating as a start-up incubator for almost seven years. The Start-up Campus OWL was opened at the beginning of the year. The ultra-modern property of Paderborn University offers the start-up scene in East Westphalia-Lippe a new home on around 7,000 square metres and aims to sustainably strengthen the start-up culture in Paderborn and beyond.
This text was translated automatically.
