Dresden/Leipzig, [July 10, 2025] An entrepreneurial future made in Central Germany: The Central German consortium boOst Startup Ecosystem was selected for the EXIST flagship competition “Startup Factories” launched by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE). The BMWE announced its decision at a press conference in Berlin. This outstanding success includes federal funding of up to ten million euros, which will be matched by, at least, the same amount from the industry project partners.

© Swen Reichhold / Leipzig University

TUD Dresden University of Technology and Leipzig University (UL) are coordinating the Central German universities that are already members of the Startup Campus Alliance and involved in boOst: Chemnitz University of Technology, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, University of Applied Sciences Dresden, Leipzig University of Applied Sciences, Mittweida University of Applied Sciences, HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, and Ernst Abbe University of Applied Sciences Jena.

boOst has a clear focus on semiconductor technology and chip design, photonics, and health tech, and is laying the foundation for the next generation of high-tech companies "Made in Germany."

Saxony's Minister for Economic Affairs Dirk Panter, who was represented today (July 10, 2025) in Berlin by State Secretary for Economic Affairs Thomas Kralinski, says: “Saxony is a thriving startup location with around 700 active startups, over a billion euros in investments since 2020, and two unicorns. We have outstanding opportunities, especially in the areas of deep tech and B2B. The successful application of the Saxony-Thuringia boOst network is another catalyst for Central Germany and the entire Eastern business location. The boOst initiative integrates various innovation ecosystems such as microelectronics, medical technology, optics, and photonics, setting in motion a new start-up dynamic. This strong momentum from the successful application significantly bolsters Saxony in positioning itself more internationally, attracting skilled workers and start-ups from all regions, and generating a new surge of growth.“

Prof. Ursula Staudinger, Rector of TUD: “The federal government's decision in favor of our boOst Startup Factory is a great success for TU Dresden and our partners in Central Germany. Following TUD's outstanding performance in the current THE Impact Ranking in the areas of transfer, start-up support, and cooperation with industry, this is another impressive confirmation that our efforts to promote entrepreneurial spirit and innovation are bearing fruit. We have created a solid foundation for this success by establishing the TUD|excite Center of Excellence and intensifying partnerships with the semiconductor industry in Dresden, Taiwan, and beyond. boOst will empower us to advance this potential and, in particular, to raise start-ups in the deep tech sector to an internationally competitive level. We are committed to continuing along this path with our partners – and to establishing TU Dresden as a driving force for both sustainable regional development and the advancement of regional innovation ecosystems.“

Prof. Eva Inés Obergfell, Rector of Leipzig University: “Today's success is both extremely gratifying and valuable. By establishing the Startup Campus Alliance in Leipzig in April, we have created a basis for significantly increasing the number of new startups in Central Germany via the boOst Startup Factory. Our alliance aims to strategically combine the strengths of universities in Saxony and Thuringia in the field of start-up promotion and to establish innovative support services for talented individuals and teams interested in starting their own businesses through joint teaching formats, shared infrastructure, and interdisciplinary cooperation in collaboration with boOst. In doing so, we are contributing to consolidating the business hub in challenging times, e.g. when plant closures are being announced.“

Prof. Andreas Marx, President of Friedrich Schiller University Jena (FSU Jena): “Friedrich Schiller University Jena is fully committed to the boOst Startup Factory – as we have excellent research approaches with great start-up potential, especially in the deep tech sector. This flagship project is a huge opportunity to translate scientific innovations from Jena and Central Germany into successful start-ups even faster. boOst brings together strong partners and bright minds – at the intersection where science, business, and entrepreneurial spirit must work together to secure value creation and future viability.“

Prof. Andreas Pinkwart, Director of the TUD|Excellence Center for Innovation, Transfer and Entrepreneurship (TUD|excite) and TUD project coordinator: “boOst gives us an excellent opportunity to better exploit the start-up potential of Dresden and Central Germany's unique scientific ecosystem with strong partners from industry and SMEs, to raise start-ups to a new level of quality and growth, and to produce the first unicorns.”

Prof. Utz Dornberger, Director of the SMILE start-up initiative at Leipzig University and Chairperson of the Startup Campus Alliance: “We will use the boOst Startup Factory to strengthen the cooperation between start-up initiatives at universities and the private sector in Central Germany in order to jointly launch start-up projects and enable their growth.”

Ambitious goals: Doubling the number of startups in the coming years

The boOst initiative aims to double the number of knowledge-based startups in Saxony and Thuringia from around 100 per year to 200 by 2030 – at least 50 of which having a deep tech focus.

Companies with top European production sites for microelectronics in Central Saxony such as Infineon, ZEISS, Bosch, ESMC, and X-Fab are participating in the Startup Factory in collaboration with the universities. Other high-profile partners include Volkswagen and the MADSACK Media Group. The owners of boOst Ecosystem gGmbH include TUDAG, SpinLab – The HHL Accelerator, and the Thomas Kirchner Foundation (YETI). In coordination with TUD and UL, they have appointed the boOst Ecosystem management team, which is based in Dresden and headed by Marco Weicholdt (CEO), Juliane Elsner, and Felix Hagleitner.

Marco Weicholdt, CEO of boOst Startup Ecosystem: We strive to establish a new start-up culture in Eastern Germany. Through the collaboration in the Startup Factory, we are empowering people to translate their own ideas and technologies into marketable products, facilitating access to industry and capital, building powerful interdisciplinary teams, and promoting the establishment of growth-oriented technology companies. Our goal is to build startups that excel in international competition and retain value creation in the region in the long term.

Background: EXIST Lighthouse Competition “Startup Factories”

The EXIST Lighthouse Competition of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) promotes the establishment of ten privately funded Startup Factories at university locations in Germany. The aim is to launch regional innovation centers with international appeal that systematically support technology-oriented start-ups – from research to global market success. The projects to receive funding were selected by an independent jury in the summer of 2025. Implementation is scheduled to begin on October 1, 2025.

* Persons in the title image (from left to right):

• Prof. Jacques Rohayem, Spokesperson of the Executive Board, TUDAG TU Dresden Corporation
• Juliane Elsner, CFO, boOst Startup Ecosystem gGmbH
• Thomas Kralinski, State Secretary at the Saxon State Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labour, Energy and Transport
• Oliver Haller, Senior Director Strategic Alliances, Infineon Technologies
• Felix Hagleitner, CPO, boOst Startup Ecosystem gGmbH
• Marco Weicholdt, CEO, boOst Startup Ecosystem gGmbH
• Katherina Reiche, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy
• Alexander Türpe, Managing Director, ExciteLab Dresden
• Prof. Ursula Staudinger, Rector, TUD
• Prof. Utz Dornberger, University of Leipzig / Chairman, Startup Campus Alliance e.V.
• Stephanie Reimann Izhak, Head of Innovation as a Service, Volkswagen Group
• Ede Möser, Coordinator, International Startup Office, University of Jena
• Dr. Susanne Schübel, Managing Director of Projects, SAXEED Startup Network
• Prof. Andreas Pinkwart, Director, TUD|excite, TUD

Contact:
TUD Dresden University of Technology
Matthias Fejes
Press Officer
Tel.: +49 351 463-32882
Email:

Leipzig University
Carsten Heckmann
Press Officer
Tel.: +49 341 97 35025
Email: