Creating infinite room 
for innovation

Whether you’re a leading scientist, an entrepreneur, or simply someone with a groundbreaking science-based idea:
Science & Startups empowers individuals with diverse backgrounds from Berlin and all over the world to transform their innovations into companies that will shape our tomorrow.

Venturing into the future implies facing real challenges—that is why we seek individuals and teams ready to make a significant impact:

For a world that still thrives 100 years from now.

Science & Startups transforms innovations into companies that shape our tomorrow
a rounded corner
a rounded corner

Talk to your personal Advisor!

Our team will love to support your startup journey. Make an appointment right away!

First class Services for
Founders & Talents

Have a look at our services to support startup founders and talents.

100% Free Support

Since we are publicly funded, our services are free of charge and free of equity to you. This is a key benefit for your future growth!

Access to infrastructure

Get access to the infrastructure of the three excellent universities in Berlin like labs, research facilities, tools, workspaces, and other resources.

Co-Founder Matchmaking

If you want to build your startup team and are looking to find co-founders, employees or supporters we'll support you on your way within our matchmaking platform.

Community

You’ll never walk alone: Our teams are embedded within our community to learn, share, and thrive together.

Guidance

As one of the most successful startup ecosystems in Europe we provide professional guidance through the process of starting your own venture.

Investor network

When ready for private funding we support startups with our network of investors like business angels and venture capital firms.

Startup Academy

Want to boost your startup skills in areas like market strategy, commercial law, GDPR compliance, pricing strategies, deal closing and much more? Take part in our academy!

Startup funding & public grants

We support founding teams and startups to get access to initial startup funding and public grants - equity free.

Community Membership

Be part of the Science & Startups Community through digital and analog networking within a committed community.

Individual Events

Opportunity to design individual event formats (e.g. corporate formats).

Partnership and Research

Clarification of needs regarding possible research topics and establishment of contacts with partner universities, startups, and established entrepreneurs from the network.

Marketing Opportunities

Increasing presence and reach through joint marketing activities.

Exclusive Event Access

Privileged access to exclusive events to gain valuable knowledge, insights, and networking opportunities.

Personal Key Account

Get a personal account manager where you can address business related matters.

Access to Talents

Get in touch with the entrepreneurial community, alumni, researchers, and other university talent to leapfrog your own activities.

Qualification

To develop the perfect skill set you receive tailored trainings in relevant subjects like marketing, business development, operations, and more.

Access to Incubation

A best-in-class incubation process provides streamlined startup support including mentoring, networking as well as access to funding and resources.

Employee Training

Advanced development opportunities for employees through trend-specific training programs.

Access to Premises

Access to premises such as laboratories, prototyping facilities, and offices.

Networking and Cooperation Opportunities

Matchmaking based on shared interests with science-based startups, industry partners, alumni, and experts.

Access to science-based startups

Promoting cooperation/partnerships with innovative startups from the university environment.

Incorporating the latest Scientific Advances

Incorporating the latest scientific advances and technologies, such as leveraging the capabilities of IPs, to stay at the forefront of innovation in research and development practices.

Enhancing Innovation Capacity

Enhancing innovation capacity to encourage entrepreneurship in generating fresh business concepts and models, fostering the creation of novel ventures and approaches for progressive economic growth.

Networking and Collaboration

Creating opportunities for networking and collaboration based on interests: connecting with science-based startups, industry partners, alumni, and experts through matching processes.

Programs for founders

No matter if you’re ideating, working on a prototype or want to assess your market fit: There’s probably the right program for you.

EXIST Women

Empowers women through mentoring, coaching, and financial support on their path to entrepreneurship and professional independence.
Facts & Figures
  • Qualification support
  • Non-repayable grant of €3,000/person
    • Three months + €2,000 for material cost
    • Personalized coaching, counseling, training, workshops
    • One-on-one mentoring
    • Access to workspaces, events, and a peer-learning program
  • Get additional €150/month for each child when you're a parent.

Bridge-to-Market Program

Assesses the viability of AI-based products or startups by focusing on market validation and technical feasibility.
Facts & Figures
  • Validation support
  • Non-repayable grant of up to €3,000/person/month
    • For 6 months
    • For up to 3 people
    • Up to €10,000 for materials
    • Free co-working space at S&S universities' startup hubs
  • Get additional €150/month for each child when you're a parent.

Berliner Startup Stipendium

Supports founders planning to launch their innovative, knowledge-driven, science- or technology-based business ideas in Berlin.
Facts & Figures
  • Startup support
  • Non-repayable grant of €2,200/person/month
    • For up to 12 months
    • For 2 to 4 people
    • Co-working space on campus
    • Access to business, finance, and mentoring network
  • Access to labs, technical equipment, workshops, master classes

EXIST Startup Grant

Supports founders from universities and research institutions in the initial stages to transform their startup ideas into successful businesses.
Facts & Figures
  • Startup support
  • Non-repayable grant of up to €3,000/person/month
    • For 12 months
    • For up to 3 people
    • Free office space
    • €35,000 material and coaching budget
  • Access to labs, technical equipment, workshops, master classes, coaching, and consulting

EXIST Transfer of Research

Supports outstanding, research-driven projects with a "proof of principle" that require further, cost-intensive development.
Facts & Figures
  • Two-phase startup support program
  • Phase I: Non-repayable grant for technical & business development.
    • up to 36 months
    • up to 4 full-time positions
    • up to €250.000 for material resources
  • Phase II: non-repayable grant for further development & initiating business operations.
    • up to 18 months
    • up to €180.000 for project costs

GO-Bio next

Supports life sciences startup projects by advancing R&D concepts to enable spin-offs and sustainable company development.
Facts & Figures
  • Two-phase startup support program
  • Phase I: Non-repayable grant of at least € 2.500.000 for technical & business development.
    • over 30 months
    • more than 4 full-time positions available
  • Phase II: non-repayable grant for further development & initiating business operations.
    • up to 36 months
    • private co-financing is required

K.I.E.Z. Accelerator

The K.I.E.Z. Accelerator offers 6 months of dedicated support to help incorporated AI startups achieve faster growth and success.
Facts & Figures
  • Program for incorporated AI startups
  • 6 months growth support incl. mentoring, desk at Merantix AI Campus Berlin
  • Connections to industry partners
  • Access to K.I.E.Z. investor network
  • Receive up to €15.000 de-minimis funding
Milestone Alert: Porelio is Officially Founded!
We congratulate Porelio for  now officially being a GmbH! After intensive years of research at TU Berlin and nearly a year in the EXIST Forschungstransfer program, Poerlio can now take the next big step — one milestone closer to a greener future for chemistry.

Porelio

successful financing round
Our alumni start-up Green Fusion receives €12 million to optimize thousands of heating systems and set up its own unit for renewable energy systems.

Green Fusion

Seed financing round closed successfully
A quantum leap for preventive healthcare! The Adlershof-based startup Quantune Technologies has closed its seed financing round with an outstanding 13.5 million euros. The startup is developing a miniaturized, chip-sized laser spectrometer that can be used to non-invasively analyse and measure the smallest traces of substances at molecular level in laboratory quality.

Quantune Technologies

Science & Startups Clusters

Bringing together what belongs together: Every cluster focuses on one scientific field. As a result there’s always the best fitting infrastructure provided, specialized supporting teams who know your business and a matching network for the next leap ahead.

AI

K.I.E.Z.

At K.I.E.Z. (Künstliche Intelligenz Entrepreneurship Zentrum), we are dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence with a focus on entrepreneurship. Our mission is to empower AI startups by providing tailored support that fosters rapid and sustainable growth, enabling them to thrive in both European and global markets.

  • Identifying startup potential in AI research
  • Providing targeted support during the incubation phase
  • Offering an AI accelerator program

Quantum

Leap Quantum Technology Hub

Berlin's first Coworking and Event space for quantum technology innovators. At Leap, we aim to connect startups, researchers, corporates, investors, and policy makers to support the growing ecosystem in the region and to promote quantum science in society.

  • Dedicated workspace for startups
  • Event- and workshop space in Berlin Adlershof
  • Incubation/Acceleration programme BERLIN QUANTUM Pioneer

Communications

6G / xG-Incubator

At xG-Incubator we help innovative startups and founding teams in the realm of next-generation communication technologies succeed by providing access to funding, cutting-edge labs, technical, and business expertise. By closely collaborating with the 6G-RIC, we transform groundbreaking ideas into market-ready solutions and empower the future of wireless networks.

  • Connect entrepreneurs with experts, industry mentors, and coaches
  • Business model development, financial planning
  • Create compelling pitch decks for investors and get access to funding

GreenChem

Ecosystem for Green Chemistry

The greenCHEM mission is to create an ecosystem of innovation, which unfolds sustainability impact that is rooted in green chemistry. Characterized by an open culture and equipped with necessary technical infrastructure, we foster technology transfer as well as the realization of creative, forward-thinking ideas.

  • Providing chemistry specific infrastructure and analytics for transfer
  • Bringing together startups, industry, and researchers
  • Alumni network and mentoring for green chemistry startups

Science & Startups Academy

Science & Startups offers a variety of practice-oriented workshops for founders with the goal of acquiring new skills and expanding their capabilities.

01

First Phase

Validation

(Month 1-4 of incubation)

From refining your business model, developing a market strategy to team dynamics.

02

Second Phase

Investor Readiness

(Month 5-6 of incubation)

Legal aspects, pitch training and preparation to approach investors.

03

Third Phase

Access to Business / Finance

(Month 7-12 of incubation)

From commercial law, GDPR compliance to pricing strategies and the craft of deal closing.

Facts & figures

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Corporations
founded since 2010

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Professional talent in ecosystem

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Total funding amount

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Enterprise Value generated

Founding partners for an
impactful startup journey

Science & Startups is the association of the three startup support services 
of Berlin's universities: Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Technische Universität Berlin, in cooperation with Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin.



The partners behind Science & Startups foster innovation and entrepreneurship at the intersection of science and practice, creating a unique platform for the development of groundbreaking technologies and business models. The network focuses on a diverse range of topics, including sustainable business, social economy, circular economy, education, new work, smart city and digital solutions, chemistry, biotechnology, smart production, automation, raw materials, green tech and resource conservation, medicine, medical device approvals, medical technology, data protection and data donation, healthcare management, nursing and patient rights. Startups benefit from customized support to develop interdisciplinary solutions that combine scientific expertise, technological innovation, and societal impact. By pooling their extensive knowledge and resources, the partners strengthen the innovation ecosystem, driving the creation of sustainable and competitive solutions for the challenges of tomorrow.

For Businesses & Investors

Through our university startup ecosystem partnerships can lead to mutual benefits and drive innovation. Access to intellectual property and research as well as scientific or university talent. Getting support in development of new products, technologies or services through access to grants and access to innovation potential.

For Partners & Institutions

We offer startup support as a service for selected partners and institutions. If you’re aiming at facilitating your own startup support with best in class operations - get in touch with us.

Contact us

Talk to your 
personal advisor!

Our team would love to support your startup journey.
Schedule your appointment right away!