Investor Journey Begins for StartRaum GL, Originating from Student Status
In the heart of Rheinisch-Bergisch, a new hub for startups and entrepreneurs has emerged, aiming to foster a connected ecosystem that boosts regional economic development. **StartRaum GL**, a joint venture by the Rheinisch-Bergisch Technology Center GmbH (RBTZ) and the Rheinisch-Bergisch Economic Development Society mbH (RBW), officially launched in May 2025.
The mission of StartRaum GL is threefold: to create innovative workspaces and community spaces, provide active support and networking opportunities for founders and startups, and enhance regional innovation by connecting startups and established businesses to foster collaboration.
The hub is structured around three complementary innovation locations: the TechnologieZentrum Bergisch Gladbach, offering professional offices, shared meeting rooms, and services for tech-oriented startups; the Zanders-Areal Bergisch Gladbach, an urban location for networking, events, and workshops with innovative formats; and the Rhombus-Areal Wermelskirchen, a future-oriented site for innovation and creativity.
At a recent event held at the Rheinisch-Bergisch Technology Center, over 70 people from the regional startup scene gathered to discuss various topics, including Investor Readiness, Leadership, IP Protection, Storytelling, Remote-First, and more. Notable attendees included Jan Offermann, a 20-year-old from Refrath, who is working on a digital booking process for influencer marketing campaigns, and Fynn Ludwig (17) and Nick Brunke (18), among the youngest participants who reached second place nationwide at business@school with their app "ClearPath Cancer," an app for doctors to navigate through medical guidelines for cancer therapy.
Dr. Markus Gick, Managing Director at the accelerator xdeck, offered potential startups venture capital and personalized 1:1 support, while Markus Gick, founder of xdeck, advised startup founders to pitch their ideas everywhere, fund a first round, and network extensively. Frank Blase, CEO of igus GmbH and founder, emphasized the importance of love for the product, innovation, and customer focus for founders.
In addition to the talks, workshops consisted of three tents, each with a speaker, and three groups that switched tents and speakers every 15 minutes. Alessandro Becciu explained his decision to make himself independent with AI for security in autonomously driving buses, while Sebastian Schmitz presented his app "HofFloh" for organizing private flea markets, with the goal of reducing waste and promoting a lively neighborhood.
Ronny Yvonne Strasser, the StartRaum GL community manager, was pleased with the event's turnout, and along with Slawomir Swaczyna, distributed questionnaires to startups to gather feedback on topics for future events. Many ideas, spirit, diversity, and a real desire for a network were present at the event.
Looking ahead, Gwendolyn Rothstein aims to establish community locales in various districts through the Bergischer Women's Hub network, while Markus Gick finds startup support to be the most beautiful thing he can do. StartRaum GL continues to strive towards its mission of creating a future-oriented startup ecosystem, actively supporting founders in their ventures, and strengthening the innovation power of local medium-sized enterprises.
[1] Source: StartRaum GL website
- The new hub, StartRaum GL, aims to merge finance, technology, and education-and-self-development in the regional business ecosystem, providing support and networking opportunities for startups to foster innovation and collaboration.
- To further its mission, StartRaum GL offers venture capital from accelerators like xdeck, promoting technology-driven business ideas and encouraging self-development, thus supporting the economic development of the Rheinisch-Bergisch region.
