NRW relies on digital start-ups: Innovative talents in focus!

NRW relies on digital start-ups: Innovative talents in focus!

The University of Witten/Herdecke (UW/H) has initiated a strategic partnership with DIGITALHUB.DE in Bonn, which opens up numerous perspectives for students and founders. This cooperation aims to reconnect the areas of teaching, research and entrepreneurial innovation. The focus is particularly on cyber security, digital health and sustainable technologies, which are becoming more important than ever these days. During the collaboration, young talents are given the opportunity to develop digital solutions for social challenges, according to [uni-wh.de] reports.

DIGITALHUB.DE will play a key role by offering founders access to an extensive network of investors, research institutions and companies, including Telekom. Students from the Faculty of Business and Society benefit from this network, which provides insights into different company sizes and cultures - from start-ups to established corporations. As part of the cooperation, numerous events such as hackathons, innovation labs and workshops are planned in order to integrate the topics of start-ups and digital innovations into teaching in a practical way.

Events and research projects

A particularly outstanding event will be the annual “Digital Impact Day”, where student project solutions will be presented. This day is intended to promote exchange between students, investors and company representatives. Together with DIGITALHUB.DE, the Reinhard Mohn Institute for Business Management (RMI) is also planning research projects that aim to strengthen successful business start-ups in North Rhine-Westphalia. On August 27th, the faculty will also take part in the STARTUP OPEN AIR in Bonn, where a conversation between Prof. Dr. Hendrik Wilhelm and Lara Daniel, founder of the influencer marketing agency Pulse Advertising, will take place.

The UW/H is committed to promoting digital skills and entrepreneurship. Smaller learning groups and practical content offer students the opportunity to immerse themselves directly in the world of start-ups. This commitment is also reflected in the high number of alumni who start their own companies after completing their studies.

Cybersecurity in focus

In addition to the UW/H's efforts, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia has set up a cybersecurity competence center, which will be supported with around three million euros for three years. The sponsor of this project is CYBERSEC-NRW gGmbH, a joint venture between eurobits e.V. Bochum and the Cyber ​​Security Cluster Bonn e.V. The center will provide information and practical instructions on cybersecurity that are essential for small and medium-sized companies to be able to arm themselves against cyber attacks, as [wirtschaft.nrw] reports.

Minister of Economics and Digital Prof. Dr. Andreas Pinkwart emphasizes the importance of cybersecurity as a fundamental component of business success. The center will act as a first point of contact for companies needing assistance in identifying needs for basic IT protection. The offer includes specialist events and the targeted preparation of cyber security topics for various target groups.

Support for start-ups

Another component in supporting start-up ideas is the “Start-up Competition – Digital Innovations”, which is aimed at those interested in starting a business and young start-ups with digital business ideas. Creative ideas are welcome from all economic sectors, from healthcare to the digital economy to the agricultural sector. Founders can take part in the competition twice a year and have the chance to win up to 32,000 euros as start-up capital. In addition, award-winning ideas are supported through coaching and mentoring, which further lowers the entry barrier for founders, as [bundeswirtschaftsministerium.de] shows.

By April 2021, over 1,500 idea sketches had already taken part in the competition. The support from the competition is also reflected in the fact that award-winning start-ups have since acquired more than 600 million euros in external financing. These initiatives not only contribute to strengthening digital innovation, but also ensure that North Rhine-Westphalia remains attractive as a location for creative start-ups and innovative companies.