New cooperation launched in Leipzig: 300,000 euros for innovative start-ups

Young, innovative companies in the fields of biotechnology, food technology and medical technology can look forward to new funding in the start-up phase of their companies in the future: Leipzig University's SMILE start-up initiative and Sächsische Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH (SBG) have signed a new co-operation agreement. This partnership, which was sealed on 30 May at the MACHN – Festival for Tech, Business & Art in Leipzig, opens up new funding opportunities for start-ups from the life sciences sector in Saxony.

Support for young companies in the start-up phase
The aim of this cooperation is to support innovative start-ups from the University of Leipzig and give them a decisive boost in the early development phase. As part of a structured competition process, three outstanding start-ups are selected each year to receive access to equity capital of up to 300,000 euros.

„This cooperation is an important milestone for Leipzig University and the local start-up system. It enables us to provide young companies with the urgently needed financial basis via the university network and thus offer better conditions for their early growth phase," emphasises Prof. Utz Dornberger, head of SMILE. From mid-June this year, Leipzig University will be organising a comprehensive application and selection process together with SBG and with the support of biosaxony Management GmbH. The aim is to identify the most promising young companies in Saxony and offer them access to financial resources as well as technical and infrastructural support. The selection criteria are an innovative business model, a convincing growth story and unique selling points in the technology. The start-ups must also have been on the market for no longer than one year.

First investments expected this year

Frank Tappert, Managing Director of SBG, says: "We assume that SBG will be able to make the first investments in selected start-ups by the end of the year and that they will then be able to take off in the new year. These collaborations as part of our Start-Up Lab programme, which we are implementing on behalf of the Free State of Saxony and the Sächsische Aufbaubank, focus specifically on university start-ups. The Technical University of Chemnitz and the Technical University of Dresden will also soon be launching their own thematic focal points.

This new funding opportunity aims to sustainably revitalise the start-up landscape in Saxony and offer young, innovative companies in the field of life sciences a basis for their success.

Source: Press release University of Leipzig from 31 May 2024