The new "innoclub" brings start-ups and established companies together. The grand opening took place on 24 January 2025 at the TechnolgieZentrumDortmund (TZDO) with NRW Science Minister Ina Brandes.
Around 130 guests attended the opening event in the 300 square metre rooms - the "Clubhouse" - in the TZDO, including Minister Ina Brandes (photo from left): Prof. Tamara Appel (Rector of Dortmund University of Applied Sciences), Sefa Yildiz (Creative Director, Koala&Fox), Heike Marzen (Managing Director of Dortmund Economic Development), Achim Dries, (Managing Director of Paul Vahle GmbH & Co. KG in Kamen), Haris Yalcinkaya (Managing Director of Ziya GmbH), Prof. Manfred Bayer (Rector TU Dortmund), Ina Brandes (NRW Science Minister), Dirk Stürmer (Managing Director TechnologieZentrumDortmund), Ilirjan Bytyqi (Managing Director Ziya GmbH), Dr Ronald Kriedel (Managing Director CET Centrum für Entrepreneurship und Transfer), Prof. Audrey Mehn (Vice President for Teaching at ISM), and Stefan Schreiber (Managing Director IHK zu Dortmund). Photo: Dortmund Economic Development Corporation / Andreas Buck.
Science and business are moving even closer together
"I am delighted that the innoclub is bringing science and business even closer together in Dortmund. The networking will help both universities and start-ups as well as established companies to develop new innovations and accelerate the transfer from research to application. I congratulate everyone involved and look forward to the positive results for our city and beyond," says Ina Brandes (left). Photo: TZDO / Roland Kentrup.
The innoclub, which was founded by the Dortmund Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Dortmund Economic Development Agency, the Technical University of Dortmund, Dortmund University of Applied Sciences and Arts and the International School of Management (ISM), is pursuing precisely these ambitious goals. "We are very encouraged by the great response from the business community. With the innoclub, we are creating an exclusive network to strengthen innovation in Dortmund and the Westphalian Ruhr region," says IHK Managing Director Stefan Schreiber.
Accelerating innovation in and from Dortmund
Andrea Schubert (left) and Dominik Stute (right) from innoclub with the sponsors (centre from left) Prof. Tamara Appel (FH Dortmund), Stefan Schreiber (IHK zu Dortmund), Heike Marzen (Wirtschaftsförderung Dortmund), Prof. Manfred Bayer (TU Dortmund) and Prof. Audrey Mehn (ISM) on stage. Photo: TZDO / Roland Kentrup.
"With the innoclub, we are creating a new instrument that will further drive the transformation of Dortmund's economy and accelerate innovation in and from our city," says Heike Marzen, Managing Director of the Dortmund Economic Development Agency.
Established contact point in the TZDO for start-ups
Prof. Manfred Bayer adds: "The innoclub combines our proven start-up programmes at TU Dortmund University with a strong network of Dortmund partners. In this way, we are creating another important building block for the region's innovation landscape and continuing the established contact point at the TZDO for start-ups."
Enrichment of the Dortmund start-up ecosystem
"As a university of applied sciences, knowledge transfer and business start-ups from science are part of our FH Dortmund DNA. At the same time, we provide sustainable impetus for the city and the region. For us, the innoclub represents a significant enrichment of the Dortmund start-up ecosystem," explains Prof Tamara Appel.
Sustainable benefit for the region
"As a private university of applied sciences with international AACSB accreditation, ISM is impressed by the great interest shown in innoclub by Dortmund's start-up scene and local companies. We expect this to be a lasting benefit for the region and look forward to continuing to contribute our expertise, networks and project experience to the innoclub's start-up support," says Prof Audrey Mehn, Vice President for Teaching at ISM.
Partner company
The guests were able to get to know the partner companies that are already part of the innoclub: GREEN IT, Conciso, VAHLE, Murtfeldt Group, audalis, Diagramm Halbach, Sparkasse Dortmund, Techniker Krankenkasse and TechnologieZentrumDortmund. Photo: TZDO / Roland Kentrup.
Start-up Time
The first six start-ups selected for the innoclub Fellowship presented themselves at Start-up Time: SLAPStack, Valoon, CUNA, ANTmachines, Building Information Cloud and Cybersense. During the subsequent pitch time, the five start-ups ZIYA, Dr.Q, luminous algorithms, NexusLab and PartikelART Solutions battled it out for another place in the programme. After an exciting pitch, Ziya was finally selected. Photo: TZDO / Roland Kentrup.
How does the exchange work?
In the innoclub, SMEs and corporations meet a curated selection of excellent start-ups to inspire each other and share experience, knowledge, skills and resources. To this end, "Corporate Partners" on the one hand and "Start-up Partners" on the other are part of the club.
The rooms in the TZDO - the "Clubhouse" - benefit from the proximity to innovative companies and excellent research and science. The Clubhouse provides coworking, meeting rooms and office space for start-ups. All exclusive events also take place there.
Target group of mature start-ups
Start-up partners must apply for admission to the club. Only the best start-ups are accepted. The target group is mature start-ups that already have several employees and are active on the market.
In the first year, accepted start-ups receive a wide range of services to help them grow at the location, just like in a classic start-up accelerator. They have 10,000 euros at their disposal, which they can invest individually in consulting, office space or national/international travel and trade fair appearances, for example. They also receive mentoring and exclusive events via the innoclub.
Advantages for corporate partners
Corporate partners must pay an annual fee for their participation, which varies depending on the size of the company and the service package. The benefits for companies and reasons for getting involved are many and varied:
* On the cutting edge: companies have access to the latest technological trends and innovations right on their doorstep, enabling them to broaden their horizons and transfer new ideas.
* Exclusive exchange: In various formats, you come into contact with start-ups and innovation managers from other companies and exchange ideas in a spirit of trust.
* Visibility/marketing: As an innoclub partner, you position yourself as an innovative, attractive company to other companies and future employees.
* Supporting the region: With their own contribution, companies specifically help start-ups to grow and thus support the start-up and innovation ecosystem in the region.
Further information
