Starting a business at RPTU: how the start-up office supports you

The start-up office is the contact point for founders at RPTU and Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences.The team has already supported many successful spin-offs.Do you want to get something of your own off the ground and need tips for starting up?We asked Natascha Möller (Communication & Marketing, Female Entrepreneurship) and Bernhard Lorig (Crowdfunding & CrowdSourcing, Social Entrepreneurship) from the start-up office.

What is the best way to get started if I want to found a company?

Natascha Möller: If you don't have an idea for a start-up yet, we would like to invite you to our Ideenwald. Ideenwald is a service offered by the start-up office where thoughts, visions and approaches can be shared and developed in a network with different background knowledge. Here we offer space to creative and motivated people who think outside the box and are keen to try something new. Ideally, you will take something concrete away from the exchange for your start-up. This doesn't always have to be an idea for a company, but can also be for an association or a university group.

Bernhard Lorig: If you have already developed an idea, want to take the next steps and would like to concretize the founding process, simply get in touch with us directly at the start-up office. It doesn't matter where the idea comes from - from research, a study project or a hobby. Anything is possible. We support start-up teams that have already come to us with concrete concepts. But also those who do not yet have a concrete idea. Among other things, we then help with networking on the subject of property rights such as patents and trademarks, but also with numerous other valuable contacts or with applying for grants. We always start with a coaching call and find out together which path might be right for you.

How long do you support founders?

Natascha Möller: We provide support for as long as the founders want it. Even though we tend to focus on the (pre-)start-up phase, our support continues even after the official start-up. For example, if they need the right contacts for networking, have questions about scaling or need support in other ways. We regularly exchange ideas with the founders of RPTU and Kaiserslautern University of Applied Sciences. Their learnings are further experience for us, which we can pass on to others who also want to start up.

Is there a perfect time to start a business?

Natascha Möller: I wouldn't say perfect timing. It's more a feeling that tells you that you want to try something new. For some, it's after graduation, i.e. at the start of their career. For others, it's during their doctorate or after a few years in their job. Through our network, we have observed that the inhibition threshold is significantly higher if you are already employed somewhere and only then want to start up.

Bernhard Lorig: That's why we can only advise you to simply come to us and talk to us as early as possible as soon as you feel like starting your own business. Together, we will look at where the journey is going and provide support with all the next steps, from the pitch deck to coaching and further training through to applications for funding.

What about funding for start-ups?

Natascha Möller: Competitions attract attention, are sometimes well endowed and/or provide support in terms of coaching. Not only financial support, but also opportunities for further training ultimately contribute to success. Setting up a business is also about the learning curve and surpassing yourself. Of course, financial security plays an important role. That is why there is a development bank in every federal state. It is there to help with start-ups and grants favorable loans. In Rhineland-Palatinate, it is the Investitions- und Strukturbank ISB that invests in young start-ups.

Bernhard Lorig: Investors, funding programs and scholarships also help. There is a suitable instrument for every start-up project. For example, there is the EXIST funding program from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection. While the EXIST start-up grant is aimed at people from universities who are interested in setting up a business, research-based start-up projects are supported with the EXIST research transfer.

Natascha Möller: And specifically for female founders, there is the brand new “EXISTwomen” program to support female founders from universities and research institutions. The aim is to close the gap between women and men in the start-up landscape. This is because there is still a huge discrepancy between the sexes when it comes to starting a business. In 2022, women founded only 20 percent of German start-ups. There are many reasons for this - and they go beyond the scope of this interview. Studies show that diverse teams consisting of different genders, nationalities and cultures work better and are more successful.

What are your best tips for successful start-ups?

Bernhard Lorig: If you want to start a business, get in touch with us directly. We have experienced a wide variety of spin-offs and can support you with a wealth of experience. We also organize regular networking events, get-togethers and workshops. Here you can exchange ideas with others who can help you with your start-up project. Everyone has had different experiences and each contact can give you valuable tips. That's why the first step to success is to build up an individual network and exchange ideas with others. This is particularly helpful if you are starting up alone and not in a team.

Natascha Möller: Speaking of team, that's the second keyword. If you set up as part of a team, it's incredibly important that all members of the founding team also get on well in their personal lives. Investors say the same thing. They don't invest in the idea, but in the people. Because it is the people who make an idea a success. And that is the decisive factor: the cooperation within the team and the motivation behind the start-up.

Bernhard Lorig: That's also our third tip: always be aware of where the energy to start up comes from. This gives you the motivation to keep going even when things get difficult. So never lose sight of your vision. This brings me back to the first tip: If you want to realize your vision or want to get something of your own off the ground, come and visit us.

Text:Lisa Buu