Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse: Together for the future of startups!

Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse: Together for the future of startups!

In a significant step to promote startups in the region, Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse have joined forces to support the Future Factory as a central platform for innovation in the Rhine-Main area. On April 1, 2025, a cross-border exchange took place in Mainz, organized by Mayor Nino Haase and Holger Follmann, the startup representative for the state of Hesse. The aim of this meeting was to strengthen the dialogue between the two federal states and expand the Future Factory innovation network. High-ranking guests, including Economics Minister Daniela Schmitt and Digital Minister Prof. Dr. Kristina Sinemus, underlined the importance of this project.

Futury's Managing Directors, Charlie N. Müller and Melissa Ott, emphasized the importance of collaboration across disciplines and national borders. “We have to pool our potential to develop a dynamic startup region,” says Müller. In his speech, Prime Minister Alexander Schweitzer emphasized the networked start-up culture, which is supported by targeted funding programs. Daniela Schmitt also emphasized the economic relevance of startups for the innovative strength and dynamism of the region.

The role of the Future Factory

The Future Factory was described as a platform for innovation with regional roots and cross-border appeal. Mainz is ideal for this project as it can look back on a long tradition of innovation and a strong scientific foundation. An example of this innovative strength is BioNTech, which has its origins in the University Medical Center at Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) Mainz.

JGU is also planning to introduce a start-up certificate to promote entrepreneurial skills among students. This is part of a broader approach that also includes close collaboration with other Rhine-Main universities such as the Goethe University Frankfurt and the Technical University of Darmstadt. Futury's partners, which also include the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, make it possible to accelerate innovation processes and facilitate access to knowledge, capital and pilot projects.

Innovation and support for startups

Futury, founded in 2015, specializes in promoting value-oriented innovations and actively shaping social change. Comprehensive support is offered for talents and startups across the entire life cycle - from idea development to scaling.

In addition, transfer centers such as HIGHEST, the Unibator, the Startup Center Mainz and the Entrepreneurship Center of the Frankfurt School are involved in the initiative. This collaboration promises to further develop the innovation potential in the region and to decisively shape the future of the startup landscape in the Rhine-Main area.

For further information about developments in the startup scene in Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate, the reader can visit Starting hub Hesse and up Press University of Mainz access.