KickStart of the Start-Up Centre - Challenge your idea!
The KickStart of the Start-Up Centre is an exclusive challenge of the Start-Up Centre for start-up ideas at HNEE. Whether it's a technical brainwave, a socially sustainable beer coaster idea or an ingenious perpetuum mobile - WE are looking for YOUR ideas!
You can find out how the KickStart works in the FAQs...
To apply, submit your idea sketches by email to the Start-Up Centre at gruendungszentrum@hnee.de by the application deadline.
All eligible applicants and their ideas will be officially welcomed to KickStart 2025 in mid-November.
In the following weeks, workshops will be held exclusively for participants to develop their ideas. Together with experts from various fields of practice, we will support you in creating a professional pitch deck.
As part of an online voting process, we will publish the submitted start-up ideas in order to obtain initial 360° feedback from the region.
Based on the results of the online voting, we then draw up an individual development plan for each start-up idea up to a possible start-up. Support from the start-up centre is planned until 31.12.2026.
For university members interested in founding a company who would like to use KickStart to accelerate and expand their ideas and take them to the next level of development.
The idea sketch should not exceed 3 to 4 pages (A4). The outline conveys the "first impression" and should arouse the reader's interest. It should contain initial information about
- the product or service
- the unique selling proposition
- the customer benefits
- the target group
- the competences of the individual/team members and their areas of responsibility
This also includes a concise statement on the topic of "sustainability" (one or two sentences per question):
- Which social or environmental sustainability challenges (education, health, climate protection, resource efficiency, etc.) do your products or services contribute to?
- How do your products or services contribute?
- What sustainability goals are you aiming for with your start-up idea?
By presenting your start-up idea clearly and coherently, you are also demonstrating your expertise. Have you really filtered out the essentials of your business idea and formulated them concisely and precisely?
- Exclusive access to workshops and expert knowledge
- Expand your own methodical expertise
- Become part of the KickStart community
- Exchange with other start-up ideas from the KickStart community
- Visibility with potential stakeholders
- Participation in the public online voting
- 360° feedback from the region
- Expert feedback from the KickStart jury
- Individual counselling and coaching
- Exclusive access to the HNEE StartupLab
- Students, alumni or employees of the HNEE
- Individuals or teams
- Applicants must not have previously been self-employed
Product & service description
- What is your product/service (software, device, service)?
- What competing products/services are there?
- What unique selling proposition sets your offer apart from the competition?
- What is sustainable about your product/service and/or its development?
Customer benefits & target groups
- What problem or need do your future customers have?
- What particular benefit does your offer have from the customer's perspective?
- Which potential customers can you address with your product or service?
- How do your potential customers feel about sustainability (willingness to pay, status awareness, etc.)?
Founding team
- What characterises the founder or the individual members of the team? (training, practical experience, previous knowledge, successes, professional qualifications, entrepreneurial experience)
- What commercial, professional, technical and personal skills and experience are relevant to the success of the company?
The KickStart is an exclusive challenge of the Start-Up Centre for start-up ideas at HNEE. Participation, including all services and offers, is free of charge!
Participation does not result in any obligation to found a company. There is no entitlement to any rewards in kind that may be offered.
Every idea is welcome at KickStart, regardless of the sector in which the business idea is based and whether it is a start-up or a business succession.
Requirements for participation:
- Participants are students, alumni or employees of HNEE
- The idea has not yet been founded in the form of a company
- Participants are not yet self-employed
- The idea sketch was created by the submitting persons or teams themselves
- The idea outline was submitted on time by the respective submission deadline and any additional deadlines granted
- The business is planned to be located in Germany, ideally in Brandenburg
Start-up ideas that also submit a pitch deck in the further course of Kickstart agree that this will be published online for evaluation in order to obtain 360° feedback.
In the event of a company takeover or succession, participation is also possible under the above-mentioned conditions.
If an idea has already participated in one of HNEE's previous KickStart Challenges, this idea unfortunately cannot participate in KickStart 2025. Unless it is a business expansion or the product or service has changed significantly.
The team of the Start-Up Centre reserves the right to refuse participation in KickStart in justified individual cases.
Do you still have questions about the KickStart Challenge?
Then write us an e-mail or book an appointment. You can find us near the Stadtcampus and on the Waldcampus.