Continuation: A closer look at the 5 initial Exist Programs.
NAIP Legal Research Charl Goussard
As mentioned in my previous article about Exist, the Exist initiate chose 5 initial regional programs to promote their initiatives. These were Bizeps, Dresden Exist, Get Up, KEIM, and Push!
Each of these programs focused on a different regional area and they have different organisational structures – the importance of which shows us the richness of diversity.
In this article, writer would like to have a closer look at each of the programs.
So what follow is a short summary of the nature of each of these programs, their initiatives and goals.
1. Bizeps
Bizeps operates through a polycentric network of higher education institutes, companies, credit institutes, a chamber of commerce and the media. The overall project is coordinated through the Wuppertal University’s Transfer Office.
The region which Bizeps represents has 1.7 million inhabitants of which 17,500 are university students. Within the region there are three universities.
Bizeps has contributed to the establishment of various incentives to promote collaboration between research, business and government. One such initiative was the drive to have “Entrepreneurship and Economic Development” accepted as an examination subject for students of Economic Science.
Further, Bizeps acts as a facilitator for start-up companies by supporting them through a systematic evaluation of the experience of their young entrepreneurs.
Additionally, Bizeps organizes 5 action oriented events to encourage and assist young entrepreneurs. These events include a start-up workshop for students, a start-up correspondence course, a continued training alliance involving 16 educational institutions and education sponsors, an “angel fund” – formed by Bizeps partners to invest in lucrative start-ups, and finally a start-up office building, which start-ups can use during their incubation phase.
Bizeps has also initiated a co-operation database as a support instrument for start-up companies. More than 150 young companies are represented in this database.
2. Dresden Exists
Dresden Exists is a university centered network, which focuses on the city of Dresden. The network includes universities, non-university research centers, some international corporations, as well as partners from financial institutions. The area which Dresden Exists represents has about 1.07 million inhabitants of which 31,400 are students.
The Dresden Exists programme has focused on bundling their network partners’ skill together in working groups to give support and guidance to young entrepreneurs.
Twice per semester, Dresden Exists organizes “Enterprise Foyers”. These events offer a platform for discussion, the exchange of expertise, as well as an opportunity for young entrepreneurs to establish business contacts.
Furthermore, the Universities in the Dresden Exists area are now lecturing courses in “Start-ups”.
Dresden Exists also oversees the mentoring of young entrepreneurs through various initiatives, which include:
Enterprise rooms: these are meeting rooms at universities, with office facilities, which is at the disposal of young entrepreneurs to use while they mature their business plans;
Enterprise Cards: these are quality certificates issued by Dresden Exists for the most promising start-ups;
Enterprise meetings: these meetings are organised by Dresden Exists to create a platform for entrepreneurs to help each other;
Guideline for Entrepreneurs: this is a valuable guideline which attempts to guide and answer some of the many questions start-ups may have.
3. Get Up
Get Up is located at 4 different universities, which are not spatially connected. However, through these universities, the Get Up programme can reach about 27,000 students.
The Get Up programme is been supported by a network of numerous participants – including academia, government, and various facades of the private sector.
The Get Up network offices are located at each of the participating universities. Get Up is involved in a business plan competition, aimed at motivating graduates with promising innovative ideas, but who lack business experience. Through the competition, Get Up provides guidance and business education.
Further, Get Up has also established the Jena Trading Model, which is a vacation academy lecturing on start-ups.
In addition, Get Up has info mobiles to interested young entrepreneurs, it has initiated a virtual start-up centre (www.getup-vez.de) and it is involved in various school projects to get teachers, parents and pupils involved in start-up initiatives.
4. Keim
KEIM is the Karlsruhe New Business Initiative, covering a large area which includes the Karlsruhe technology region, as well as the cities of Pforzheim and Enz.
KEIM is coordinated by its agency KEIM e.V and it is network centered on several higher education institutes and research institutes. Within this network is a university, two universities of applied science, as well as numerous non-university research organisations.
The KEIM programme has two main focus areas: the first being mobilizing and maturing potential entrepreneurs, thereafter promoting specific company start-ups.
During the first stage, mobilizing and maturing potential entrepreneurs, KEIM strives to increase an awareness among students, academic assistants, and professors. Next, KEIM selects and tests young talent through identifying potential young student entrepreneurs and testing their business ideas.
During the second stage, promoting specific company start-ups, KEIM starts with systematic preparation through start-up coaching and technical-and-economic feasibility testing. Next, innovative entrepreneurship is supported through various start-up support systems and finally, successful company development is supported for expansion.
By implementing this systematic support to identify, grow and mature business and technical talent, KEIM has turned out numerous successful start-ups.
5. Push!
The Push! initiative covers a large area, which is centered around the city of Stuttgart.
The programme serves two universities in the area, numerous universities of applied sciences, as well as numerous non-university research centres.
Push! is a network of participants from academia, government as well as business – promoting lucrative business ideas in varying degrees. The PUSH! initiative is however dominated by universities.
Push! is engaged in various projects cultivating innovative business brains. These projects include a Business Change Competition, in which students participate and promising innovations are cultivated. Further Push! also offers structured initial talks regarding start-ups as well as a guidance service for start-ups. In addition, PUSH! has developed coaching and development programs for promising students – these students receive a EUR 5,000 subsidy each!
Apart from university focused initiatives, Push! is also involved in numerous school projects, promoting young minds to be innovative entrepreneurs.
Conclusion:
Since the inception of EXIST, the initial 5 programs have expanded and met the objectives of the Federal government, which were to create a sustainable culture of entrepreneurship in education, to systematically exploit the commercial potentials of academic research, to foster the huge potential of business ideas and entrepreneurs at universities and research centers, and to increase the number of successful knowledge based start-ups.
