Millions for Central German Startup Factory

Entrepreneurial future made in Central Germany: The Central German consortium »boOst Startup Ecosystem gGmbH« is one of ten projects nationwide to be selected as part of the EXIST lighthouse competition »Startup Factories« organised by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE). This was announced by the BMWE at a press conference in Berlin on 10 July. This outstanding success is associated with millions of euros in federal funding of up to ten million euros, which will be supplemented by at least the same amount of funds from the project partners in industry.

Dresden University of Technology (TUD) and Leipzig University (UL) are coordinating the Central German universities that have already joined forces in the "Startup Campus AllianceExternal link" and are participating in »boOst«: Chemnitz University of Technology, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Dresden University of Applied Sciences, Leipzig University of Applied Sciences, Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Ernst Abbe University Jena.

With a clear focus on subject areas such as semiconductor technology and chip design, photonics and health tech, »boOst« is laying the foundations for the next generation of high-tech companies »Made in Germany«.

Friedrich Schiller University Jena is fully committed to the Startup Factory boOst—because we have excellent research approaches, especially in the deep-tech area|field, which have great start-up potential. This lighthouse project is a huge opportunity to turn scientific innovations from Jena and Central Germany into successful start-ups even more quickly. boOst brings together strong partners and bright minds—and starts exactly where science, business and entrepreneurial spirit need to work together to ensure value creation and future viability.

Prof Andreas Marx, President of Friedrich Schiller University Jena

Ambitious goals: Doubling the number of start-ups in the coming years

The »boOst« initiative aims to double the number of knowledge-based start-ups in Saxony and Thuringia from around 100 at present to 200 start-ups per year by 2030—at least 50 of them with a deep-tech focus.

In addition to the institutions of higher education, Infineon, ZEISS, Bosch, ESMC and X-Fab, companies with top European production sites for microelectronics in Central Saxony are participating in the Startup Factory. Other high-calibre partners include Volkswagen and the MADSACK media group. The shareholders of boOst Ecosystem gGmbH include TUDAG, SpinLab—The HHL Accelerator and the Thomas Kirchner Foundation (YETI), which together with TUD and UL form the management team of boOst Ecosystem gGmbH based in Dresden under the leadership of Marco Weicholdt (CEO), Juliane Elsner and Felix Hagleitner.

Marco Weicholdt, CEO of boOst Startup Ecosystem GmbH, says: »We want to establish a new start-up culture in eastern Germany. With the Startup Factory, we empower people to translate their own ideas and technologies into marketable products, facilitate access to industry and capital, build powerful interdisciplinary teams and promote the founding of high-growth technology companies. Our aim is to build start-ups that excel in international competition and keep value creation in the region in the long term.«

Background: EXIST lighthouse competition »Startup Factories«

The EXIST Lighthouse CompetitionExternal link organised by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy supports the establishment of ten privately funded startup factories at university locations in Germany. The aim is to create regional innovation centres with international appeal that systematically support technology-oriented start-ups—from research to global market success. The funded projects were selected by an independent jury in summer 2025 and implementation is scheduled to start on 1 October 2025.