About us

Our mission, structure, team and partners

Team

Image: AdobeStock 341130953, bearbeitet K1-Gründungsservice

Logo of K1-Gründungsservice

Image: Universität Jena / Servicezentrum Forschung und Transfer

We are your central point of contact for all university members interested in entrepreneurship or developing concrete business ideas.

Our tailored services guide you through every stage of your journey, from brainstorming to launching your company.

Here, you can explore your ideas, enhance your start-up skills, and take your plans to the next level.

No matter how far along your idea is, we provide personalized advice and coaching, assistance with funding and venture capital applications, as well as access to valuable networks and infrastructure—including free office space.

Mission

The K1-Startup Service is the central point of contact for all students, graduates and scientists of the Friedrich Schiller University who are interested in the topic of starting a business or want to implement a concrete business idea. Former university members can also take advantage of our support, regardless of how long ago they studied or worked at the Friedrich Schiller University.

University members with an idea for which it is not yet clear how it can or should be implemented are also supported (founding a company, selling to companies, non-profit association, cooperation with external partners, social entrepreneurs, etc.).

In addition, the startup service supports university teaching through practical offers in the field of entrepreneurship.

Since 2011, the K1-Startup Service has coordinated the Thuringian University Startup NetworkExternal linkExternal link, to which all Thuringian universities belong. In addition, at the Jena site, there is also close cooperation in the area of start-up support with the University Hospital, Ernst Abbe University Jena and non-university research institutions, which is to be further intensified and expanded.

Structure

The K1-Startup Service is part of the Service Centre for Research and Transfer, together with the Nucleus Jena project, promotes knowledge and technology transfer between science, business and society.

Since 1999, when the EXIST program began, extensive support structures and services have been established in a targeted manner, including entrepreneurial teaching programs, which were initiated to a large extent through the funding of the individual EXIST program phases (EXIST I, III and IV). Currently, the funding of the International Startup CampusExternal link as part of EXIST V is expanding the startup support to include an international orientation. This is being done in cooperation with the University of Leipzig and the Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.

With the establishment of the startup center at Kahlaische Straße 1 in 2008, the K1-Startup Service, the Property Rights Service and the Patent Information Center were combined and space was created for startup teams.

Team

Hesche, Kristin Founding Services | Founding Consulting | Coordination EXIST Women | Marketing (EXIST) SZ Forschung u. Transfer
- kristin.hesche@uni-jena.de
- +49 3641 9-402141
Möser, Ede Founding Services | Founding Consulting | Coordination International Startup Office SZ Forschung u. Transfer
- ede.moeser@uni-jena.de
- +49 3641 9-402123
Image: Ede Möser
Piontek, Matthias Founding Services | Founding Consulting | Coordination of the Thuringian University Startup Network (StarTH) SZ Forschung u. Transfer
- matthias.piontek@uni-jena.de
- +49 3641 9-402121
Image: Anne Günther (University of Jena)
Schindek, Ralf Founding Services | Founding Consulting SZ Forschung u. Transfer
- ralf.schindek@uni-jena.de
- +49 3641 9-402120
Schwarz, Torsten, Dr Founding Services | Entrepreneurial Basic Training | Professionally-Oriented Further Education SZ Forschung u. Transfer
- torsten.schwarz@uni-jena.de
- +49 3641 9-402124
Image: Anne Günther (University of Jena)