Gründen@Ostfalia
GO! Get your start-up off the ground at Ostfalia
Do you have an idea you'd like to turn into something bigger? At GRünden@OSTFALIA, we support you from your first idea to launching your venture. Benefit from expert guidance, a strong network and the freedom to explore, test and develop your ideas.
Your entrepreneurial journey starts here. GO FOR IT!
Is GO right for you?
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For Students
For Students
Great ideas often start on campus - in lectures, over coffee, or while working on a project or thesis. At GRÜNDEN@OSTFALIA, you'll find the support, expertise and space to explore your ideas and turn them into real-world ventures.
What you'll get:
- Expert coaching: Develop your idea with experienced start-up advisors.
- Funding support: Get guidance on funding opportunities, including programmes such as the EXIST Start-up Grant.
- Spaces & facilities: Use co-working spaces, labs and technical infrastructure to develop and test your ideas.
- Academic recognition: Depending on your faculty, you may be able to earn academic credit for your entrepreneurial activities.
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For Faculty & Staff
Innovation thrives when entrepreneurship becomes part of everyday teaching, research and campus life. GRÜNDEN@OSTFALIA helps faculty and staff inspire entrepreneurial thinking, identify promising ideas and connect students with the right support.
What you'll get
- Teaching resources: Ready-to-use teaching materials, workshops and guest lectures on entrepreneurship and innovation.
- Regional network: Connect with start-ups, businesses and regional innovation partners for collaborative projects.
- Professional development: Explore training opportunities in areas such as design thinking, innovation methods and business model development.
- Advisory support: Get practical guidance when supporting students with entrepreneurial ambitions.
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For Researchers
Research creates knowledge. Innovation creates impact. GRÜNDEN@OSTFALIA supports researchers in translating research results into practical applications, commercial opportunities and research-based ventures.
What you'll get
- Commercialisation support: Assess the market potential of your research and identify suitable pathways to application.
- Intellectual property advice: Guidance on patents, intellectual property and commercialisation strategies in collaboration with the relevant university experts.
- Funding support: Advice and assistance with funding applications for research-based start-ups, including programmes such as the EXIST Research Transfer.
- Team building: Find entrepreneurial and business expertise to complement your research team.
GO! Ready when you are.
You don't have to have all the answers before you get started. You just have to get started. GRÜNDEN@OSTFALIA helps you take the next step - at your own pace.
GO! is for you if you...
- ...have an idea but aren't sure where to start.
- ...want to find out whether your idea has real potential.
- ...are looking for expert guidance and honest feedback.
- ...want to connect with like-minded people and expand your network.
- ...are ready to turn your idea into action.
Ready to GO!?
Let's take a look at your idea together and figure out the next steps. It's completely open-minded and starts right where you are, with no strings attached.
Get in touch now!
Our Offers
International Affairs
- Information on entrepreneurship events and programs at partner universities.
- Opportunities for developing intercultural competency and receiving training.
- We promote and support international mobility programmes for university students and faculty staff.
Infrastructure
- We provide coworking spaces and high-tech equipment for prototype development.
Grant Advisory Services
- Help with applying for scholarships (for example, the EXIST Startup Grant) to cover living expenses during the startup phase.
Startup Support
- Workshops, feedback on ideas, and assistance with creating business plans, as well as AI-based support and networking opportunities.
Startup Events
- Networking events, regular get-togethers, startup pitches.
Foundational Theory
- Teaching modules for integration into elementary education in both German and English.
Awareness-Raising
- Accessible formats for people interested in starting a business, such as events, short presentations, and podcasts.
Experience GO! in Action
Join us at the next Ostfalia Startup Lunch
28 October | 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. | Wolfenbüttel
Whether you're exploring your first idea, already working on a start-up, or simply curious about entrepreneurship, the Ostfalia Startup Lunch is a great place to meet like-minded people, exchange ideas and grow your network.
Register now using the form below. ↓
Ostfalia Startup Lunch, October 28th
Insights into Gründen@Ostfalia
Founding Events at Ostfalia
Ostfalia Startup Lunch
Inspiring Start-up Stories
The Ostfalia Startup Lunch brings together aspiring entrepreneurs and local business leaders. In a relaxed setting, our guests share their experiences of turning ideas into reality.
It’s not just about successes, but also about challenges, doubts, decisions, and the many experiences along the way. Participants gain practical insights, can ask questions, and engage directly with the guests.
Taking place twice a year in Wolfenbüttel, the Startup Lunch is the ideal opportunity to discover new perspectives, expand your network, and draw inspiration from others’ stories — whether you’re already working on a start-up or are simply curious about entrepreneurship.
Here’s what you can expect:
• Fascinating founders sharing real-world experiences
• Honest insights into startup journeys and entrepreneurial decisions
• Pitch sessions and panel discussions
• Inspiration for your own ideas and projects
• Networking with others interested in starting a business
• Lunch together in a relaxed atmosphere
Ostfalia Barcamp
Exchange on equal footing. Focus on ideas.
Do you have any questions about setting up a business, becoming self-employed, or becoming an entrepreneur? Would you like to discuss your ideas with others, share experiences and gain new perspectives? If so, our Startup Barcamp is the perfect event for you.
Unlike traditional events, there is no set agenda and no long presentations here. The topics are suggested by the participants. At the beginning, we work together to compile a list of questions, ideas and challenges, which are then discussed in small groups.
Whether you’ve already started a business, are in the process of launching one, or are just starting to consider your own idea, the Startup Barcamp is for you. You can benefit from the experiences of others, make valuable connections, and find inspiration for your next steps.
What to expect
• Open discussion on all kinds of startup topics
• Networking with people interested in starting a business and startup teams
• Peer discussions instead of lectures
• Time to ask your own questions and share your ideas and challenges.
• New perspectives and practical insights
• A relaxed atmosphere with plenty of networking opportunities
Gründen@Ostfalia Team
We are a motivated and dynamic team who are eager to generate ideas, make progress and implement them. Some of us have started our own businesses, while others have supported projects in innovation and entrepreneurship for years.
What unites us is more than just our job. We believe that good ideas have the potential to make a difference, and that they require the right support to achieve this.
In doing so, we take a broader view of entrepreneurship. Whether it’s an innovative startup or traditional self-employment, whether it’s your first business model or a concrete plan for your own business: We’ll support you every step of the way.
We work openly, as equals, and without unnecessary hurdles. For us, this also means communicating with each other in a straightforward and direct manner, preferably on a first-name basis.
We listen, ask the right questions, and help you organize your thoughts. For us, it’s not about perfect concepts, but about real progress.
Our goal is to make our start-up service Gründen@Ostfalia visible, accessible and achievable for anyone who wants to make a difference. We want to encourage you, provide guidance and work with you to take action!
A joint research funding program of the Lower Saxony Ministry of Science and Culture and the Volkswagen Foundation.
Now is your moment: GO!
Ideas don't wait. And you don't have to go it alone.
Take advantage of the opportunities at Ostfalia and launch your entrepreneurial future.
