Minister of Science awards two Hessen Ideas Scholarships to Kassel

The Hessen Ideen Stipendium (Hessen Ideas Scholarship) is aimed at start-up ideas from university students and graduates in Hessen who are in the early stages of developing an entrepreneurial business idea. For six months, the scholarship holders receive monthly funding of 2,000 euros per person. On July 1, 2019, the third funding round will begin and run until the end of December 2019. In the run-up, an expert commission selected the founding teams from a total of 31 applications.

The start-up ideas come from all areas. They include technical innovations such as a virtual reality program for use in care and therapy, an Internet platform for IT services or the development of high-performance battery systems for tomorrow's aviation/e-aeronautics. The portfolio of Hessen Ideen scholarship holders also offers social and ecological business ideas, e.g. from the fields of wind power, nutrition and cosmetics, as well as product developments. The creative ideas demonstrate the innovative know-how and potential that Hessen's universities have to offer.

The scholarship presentation took place in a festive setting at the Hessen Ideas Summer Festival on June 25, 2019 at Geisenheim University of Applied Sciences. To kick off the evening, the patron of the scholarship program, the Hessian Minister of State for Science and the Arts Angela Dorn, gave a welcoming speech: "Good ideas are needed to solve the complex challenges of our time. They are generated at our universities, among other places, whether it's basic research or applied science. And business ideas also germinate at our universities. We have set ourselves the goal of promoting such ideas, making them known beyond the region and strengthening Hessen as a location for innovation. That is why we have launched the 'Hessen Ideas Scholarship'. With it, we support university members and graduates on their way to entrepreneurial independence, not only with money, but also with know-how in developing the content of their business idea," explained Dorn. The scholarships are financed from the budget of her ministry. So far, the new round of funding through the Hessen Ideen Stipendium has already supported more than 40 start-up ideas from 87 Hessian university members or graduates. 

In addition to the scholarship presentation, the current scholarship holders of the 2nd funding round (duration 1.1.-30.6.19) presented their ideas in a Gründerslam. Unlike "classic" presentations or investor pitches, in the slam they were challenged to present their start-up idea in an entertaining and equally understandable way. A jury voted on which team presented its idea best in the slam. Afterwards, there was the opportunity to exchange ideas with actors from the Hessian start-up scene over a barbecue buffet and drinks.

From the University of Kassel these teams are supported:

Shards - Tiles made from construction waste

Shards are the first tiles made without additives and 100 percent from recycled building materials. They show the potential and beauty that lies in urban mining. Colors range from cream, ochre and black to a rich palette of greens and turquoise. The surfaces can be glossy or rough.

deltaEMPOWER

Through intelligent decentralized use of renewable energy, deltaEmpower aims to electrify rural global regions in particular. The concept goes beyond the technical challenges and considers social aspects. In addition to the energy supply, the production of the plants is also to be decentralized.

During the scholarship period, the founding teams receive not only a financial grant but also support in terms of content as part of an accelerator program. The teams are assisted by a coach at their respective universities, and the Hessen Ideen organization team also supports the young founding teams. In various workshops, the participants also get to know experienced founders and business partners.

The Hessen Ideen scholarship is financed by the Hessian Ministry of Science and the Arts under the patronage of Minister of State 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, and participants in the program will be 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 run are open until September 30, 2019, with scholarships starting on January 1, 2020. In addition to the Hessen Ideen scholarship, there has also been a statewide ideas competition under the Hessen Ideen label for the past three years, in which the best startup ideas from all of Hessen's universities can participate.

Contact Hessen Ideen:

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