Three Hessen Ideas Scholarships Go to the University of Kassel

"The scholarship teams tackle problems they have encountered in their everyday academic or private lives and offer solutions to them - very often these are also resource-efficient and sustainable," said Science Minister Angela Dorn. "Ideas are bubbling up at Hessen's universities. This is also shown by a study recently presented by the Stifterverband and the Heinz Nixdorf Foundation. According to this study, Hessen is among the top 5 in Germany in terms of patent applications filed by universities per 1,000 scientists. We support this development. Both the "Hessen Ideen Stipendium" and the "Hessen Ideen" competition are part of the "Hessen Ideen" initiative, with which we motivate potential founders from universities to embark on the path to entrepreneurial independence and provide concrete support in the transition from an initial entrepreneurial idea to a convincing business concept. We are funding this initiative with €2.9 million."

The "Hessen Ideas" scholarship was announced for the fourth time. It is aimed at university staff with an affinity for start-ups and university graduates who are in the early stages of developing their knowledge-based business idea. From a total of 43 applications, twelve start-up projects were selected for funding by an expert commission. The fourth funding round runs from January 1, 2020 to June 30, 2020.

For six months, the creative minds will receive a living allowance while they work out their knowledge-based business idea. In parallel, the fellows go through the "Ideen Akzelerator", a coaching and qualification program. In addition to a coach at the respective university and program support from the Hessen Ideen organization team, the founding teams attend various workshops and get to know experienced founders and business partners. This prepares them for the start of their self-employment.

Since the launch of the Hessen Ideen scholarship in 2018, 43 start-up projects have already been supported with the scholarship. In the meantime, the first start-ups have been founded by participants.

Among this year's funded teams are start-up ideas from a wide variety of fields. The ideas supported are as diverse as the universities they come from.  In addition to technical start-up projects such as the use of bio-based materials for 3D printed prostheses and an innovative digital donation system, the portfolio of Hessen Ideen scholarship holders also includes social and ecological business ideas, for example from the fields of energy, nutrition and textiles. The diverse creative ideas show the innovative know-how and potential that comes from Hessen's universities.

"It has been shown that participation in the Hessen Ideen Stipendium program offers enormous added value for start-up teams from Hessen's universities - in addition to a wide range of information on all aspects of the start-up process, it is above all the networks that are established as part of the scholarship program that pave the way for further entrepreneurial progress," says Jörg Froharth, head of UniKasselTransfer, the central transfer office of the University of Kassel.

The following start-up teams from the University of Kassel will receive funding:

SoLocal Energy

Household electricity is expensive, opaque and harmful to the climate. But the energy system change is turning this traditional energy world upside down. SoLocal Energy is taking advantage of the upheaval in the energy industry and bringing decentralized and digital green neighbor power to neighborhoods. The result is an innovative citizen power company where customers can make their own decisions about their electricity. SoLocal Energy creates the framework for generating electricity together as neighbors.

Superimposition

"Superimposition" develops customizable/modular/neutral constellation figures including accessories for use in the growth market of non-medical, psychotherapeutic counseling and coaching. The objects serve as a bridge to the knowledge that is always present subconsciously. Thus, Superimposition offers different consulting institutions an innovative tool to initiate an intuitive reflection process of clients*. So far unnoticed solution spaces can be opened up with Superimposition .

Tofufaktur

Tofufaktur produces fresh, regional organic tofu by hand. The taste of fresh tofu differs significantly from that of preserved tofu from large-scale production. The guiding principles are 100% regionality and zero waste. The tofu is to be marketed exclusively locally. In addition, Tofufaktur will hold seminars to demonstrate how local soy cultivation, residue-free processing and marketing of the products on site can be used to implement a resource-saving, climate-friendly circular economy.

The Hessen Ideas Scholarship is funded by the Hessian Ministry of Science and Art under the patronage of Mrs. Angela Dorn. The program is coordinated and implemented by the University of Kassel in cooperation with the Technical University of Darmstadt. The scholarship program runs until December 31, 2020. The participants of the program are selected in a total of five seasons. A maximum of three people per founding team can be funded. The founding of a corporation must not yet have taken place. Applications for the next program round can be submitted until March 31, 2020, with the scholarship starting on July 1, 2020. In addition to the Hessen Ideen Stipendium, there has also been a statewide ideas competition under the label "Hessen Ideen" for the past three years, in which the best start-up ideas from all of Hessen's universities can participate.

To find out more about the Hessen Ideas Scholarship or the Hessen Ideas Competition, interested university members should contact the start-up advisory service at their university directly.

Contact UniKasselTransfer:

Gabriele Hennemuth
0561 804 1859
hennemuth@uni-kassel.de

Contact person Hessen Ideen:

Katja Walther
0561 95379 606
info[at]hessen-ideen[dot]de
www.hessen-ideen.de