Collaboration between Bavaria and Flanders for the support of start-ups from Antwerp

Submitted by Cristina Murillo on 15 May 2019

Helping start-ups from Antwerp to enter the German market thanks to the collaboration set-up between Bavaria and Flanders within the SmartCityTech partnership.

Thanks to the collaboration between two SmartCityTech clusters, DSPValley from the Flanders region and BICCnet from Bavaria, they have helped to the city of Antwerp and the innovation centre UnternehmerTUM in Munich to establish a collaboration activity which will give the opportunity to 5 new companies from Antwerp to explore the German market within 4 months.

The selected companies will count on:

  • Soft landing package of 4 weeks: 
    • use of facilities and flex desk at UnternehmerTUMs with LandingPad for 1 person, incl. Free WIFI; 
    • connection with the local start-up ecosystem through participation in events, introduction to local start-ups, ...;
  • Various adapted coaching sessions focused on the German market approach;
  • Adapted workshop day for the 5 start-ups including introduction to local entrepreneurs and venture capital providers.

 With this activity, the city of Antwerp stimulates digital, innovative start-ups and scale-ups in their expansion to Germany. In 2019, the city of Antwerp offers the opportunity to expand into this foreign market thanks to interactive guidance at the UnternehmerTUM innovation centre in Munchen. UnternehmerTUM is affiliated with the Technical University of Munich. As a result, the incubator has broad experience in tech manufacturing. They also have a wide network in the vertical markets such as e-health and the Internet of Things. They also offer access to various Venture Capital funds and have a close partnership with UnternehmerTUM Venture Capital Partners, an early-stage venture capital company focused on investing in technology-based start-ups in Europe. Finally, UnternehmerTUM offers start-ups the opportunity to refine their prototypes during a high-tech workshop MakerSpace

Participating start-ups/scale-ups

This call is for Antwerp start-ups and scale-ups which are:

Participating companies must have at least one working prototype and preferably also a first paying customer in Belgium; the start-up is younger than 7 years, this can be deviated from provided thorough argumentation; the start-up is located in the city of Antwerp or one of its districts; the focus of the company's activities is on the development of an innovative product, with an investment of risk capital; those start-up which do not yet have a branch in Germany but does have a clear vision of entering that market; start-up  active in one of the following sectors: Tech manufacturing, Digital health / Health tech or Internet of Things; knowledge of German is an added value but not a necessity.   For more information and appliction, check the event website: https://www.ondernemeninantwerpen.be/nieuws/call-start-ups-prospecteren-de-duitse-markt-bij-unternehmertum

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