Supporting young founders is an important element of the Savings Banks’ business development programme. The establishment and operation of start-up centres is a particularly useful funding instrument here: these facilities offer young start-ups the necessary infrastructure for their first entrepreneurial steps and access to a helpful network of other local companies, associations and institutions.
Economic development and innovation
New times, new founders
New topics and fresh concepts for young entrepreneurship
One exciting example of this is the “Startup Village” in Jülich, which was founded last year with the support of Sparkasse Düren. Under the new “S-Pioneer” brand, Sparkasse Düren is bundling customised offers for start-ups and established companies that are actively shaping structural change in the region.
The structural change in the district of Düren, out of lignite and into primarily technology-oriented companies, is an opportunity of the century for the region and for Sparkasse Düren, explains Dr Gregor Broschinski, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Management of Sparkasse Düren. With its own contact and advice centre in the “Startup Village”, the savings bank offers short distances, personal advice and quick decisions – just what innovative startups need.
The “Startup Village” is closely linked to the “Brainergy Park”, also located in Jülich, a research network that includes RWTH Aachen University, Forschungszentrum Jülich and the German Aerospace Centre. As a result, the “Startup Village” offers economically interesting ideas and projects a professional infrastructure, simplified access to investors and business partners as well as a creative and innovation-friendly environment. It is located in the centre of the Euregio, the German-Dutch-Belgian economic area, and therefore not far from important business locations such as Cologne, the Ruhr region and Amsterdam.
8,940
start-ups were launched by savings banks in 2024
€1.4 billion
in funding flowed through savings banks into start-ups
20,480
new jobs have been created as a result of the subsidised start-ups
Comprehensive start-up support
Infrastructure and networking opportunities are also the focus of the “360° BASE”, a centre for start-ups and succession that Sparkasse Mainfranken Würzburg opened last year. The name says it all, as the new centre is intended to promote innovative ideas from all sectors and industries. It also offers an all-round package with a wide range of services such as training programmes, workshops for managers, support for innovative succession models and much more.
It is a “marketplace for makers” and sees itself as a meeting place for innovative and creative minds, explains Benjamin Blumberger, Head of Corporate Clients at Sparkasse Mainfranken Würzburg. This is because there is also close cooperation with universities and research: the University of Würzburg, the TH Würzburg-Schweinfurt and the TH Aschaffenburg use the premises for teaching events with their “ZENTRIA.Hub”. At the same time, students can get a taste of start-up life in the “360° BASE”.
The start-up centre is located directly in the Würzburg head office of the savings bank – this ensures proximity and shows that the promotion of innovative concepts is a core concern of the savings bank.