Exemplary entrepreneurial culture:
“Gründungsradar 2025” praises the University of Hohenheim [10.03.25]
Top ranking: Gründungsradar (start-up radar) 2025 sees the University of Hohenheim among the top 3 in Germany among mid-sized universities
The University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart is one of Germany's top universities in terms of start-up culture. This is confirmed by the current Gründungsradar of the Stifterverband and the Heinz Nixdorf Foundation, which compares start-up support at German universities for the seventh time. All information on the Gründungsradar and ranking at www.gruendungsradar.de
Detecting road damage with AI, making crackers from rescued vegetables, or reducing pesticides with drones: Many innovative start-ups have emerged at the University of Hohenheim in recent years. One of the university's declared aims is to systematically promote this burgeoning entrepreneurial spirit while students are still studying.
This approach has now also been praised in the latest Gründungsradar ranking. The University of Hohenheim has achieved a leading spot here: Among universities, it ranks third among all mid-sized higher education institutions in Germany – i.e. those with 5,000 to 15,000 students.
“The Gründungsradar describes the University of Hohenheim's support as exemplary overall,” said Prof. Dr. Julia Fritz-Steuber, Vice President for Research, Early Career Researchers, and Transfer at the University of Hohenheim. Of the nine state universities in Baden-Württemberg, only the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) was also able to achieve this. “We are delighted to receive this award and proud to continue supporting young founders in the best possible way.”
Campus as a hotspot for start-up culture
“The Gründungsradar particularly highlights how strongly we have structurally and institutionally embedded the topic of start-ups at the University of Hohenheim,” added Prof. Dr. Andreas Kuckertz, University of Hohenheim expert for start-ups and entrepreneurship. “At the same time, however, we still see potential: In particular, we want to expand our networking activities even further in the future.”
The University of Hohenheim will increasingly pursue this idea in the future as part of the INSPIRE2Start hub – an initiative of universities in the Stuttgart region and funded by the state of Baden-Württemberg. Together with the University of Stuttgart and the universities of applied sciences in Stuttgart, Esslingen, and Nürtingen, the University of Hohenheim places a special focus on promoting sustainable innovations.
InnoGreenhouse
The InnoGreenhouse remains a hotspot for start-up culture in Hohenheim – a lively entrepreneurship hub with its own premises in the middle of the campus. The project, which is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, is a showroom and co-working space for people interested in setting up their own business, offering funding advice, workshops, pitching events – and much more.
The InnoGreenhouse bundles the start-up activities at the university. In addition to INSPIRE2Start, this also includes the StartupBW state accelerator “FoodBRYCKE – Innovative from the field to the plate.” This joint project of the University of Hohenheim, the City of Stuttgart's Economic Development Agency and Crowdfoods – Food Entrepreneur & Startup Association supports and promotes innovative start-ups from the agrifood sector on their journey to becoming a start-up.
The InnoGreenhouse also hosts regular events on the topics of entrepreneurship, start-ups, and innovation, and there is a weekly opportunity to discuss and develop your own projects in the start-up consultation session.
Scholarships & support for women
Other projects are also dedicated to specifically promoting women. These include EXIST-Women, a vehicle of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection to support women at universities and research institutions who are interested in setting up a business in the phase prior to founding a company. One focus is on developing their entrepreneurial personality and advancing their start-up idea.
In the MentHo program, the University of Hohenheim brings together female students and graduates as mentees with mentors who have professional experience. It also provides support when setting up a company. The concept is complemented by a career bus that takes female students and doctoral candidates to female-led companies. Getting to know role model entrepreneurs often proves to be an important experience for the participants on their career-planning path.
BACKGROUND: Gründungsradar of the Stifterverband and the Heinz Nixdorf Foundation
An effective start-up climate is required in order to bring start-ups by students and researchers from universities into society. Embedded start-up promotion, awareness-raising, and various support services are crucial here. Since 2012, the Stifterverband, with the support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, has been compiling the Gründungsradar with the common goal of providing impetus for the further development of start-up support at universities. This is considered an essential driver for start-up activities and innovation in Germany. A total of 191 universities for whom the topic of start-up support is important took part in the survey. The data relates to the year 2023.
Additional information
Gründungsradar: https://www.gruendungsradar.de
Innovation Greenhouse: https://inno-greenhouse.uni-hohenheim.de/
Hohenheimer Start-ups: https://inno-greenhouse.uni-hohenheim.de/hohenheimer-startups
Text: Stuhlemmer
Contact for press:
Prof. Dr. Andreas Kuckertz, University of Hohenheim, Department of Business Start-Ups and Entrepreneurship,
T +49 (0)711 459 24820, E andreas.kuckertz@uni-hohenheim.de
