The following text has been machine translated from German.
A total of 41 teams comprising around 100 founders joined the first cohort of the Startup Launchpad. Over the course of twelve weeks, they completed a programme featuring more than 20 workshops and expert sessions, coaching, mentoring opportunities, and numerous networking opportunities with companies, investors and industry experts.
The Startup Launchpad builds on the experience and successes of the Saarland Accelerator and develops them further in a targeted way. With input and support from the Startup Factory Southwest X, it has been possible to create an even more structured and internationally oriented support programme for early-stage founding teams. A particular focus is placed on technology-driven ideas.
The range of business ideas spans artificial intelligence and software solutions, medical technology and industrial applications, as well as education, food innovation and sustainability. The entire programme is free of charge for participating teams. Particularly promising and growth-oriented teams have the opportunity, following the Startup Launchpad, to transition into the programmes offered by Southwest X, the Startup Factory for southwest Germany.
Saarland Minister for Economic Affairs Jürgen Barke, who opened the Demo Day with a welcome address, emphasised the importance of technology-driven startups for the transformation of the region’s economy: “Technological innovation is crucial to the competitiveness of our business location. Startups play a particularly important role in this process: they turn new technologies into concrete applications, business models and companies. This is exactly the kind of momentum we need in Saarland. The Demo Day demonstrates the ideas and entrepreneurial potential that are emerging here.”
The focus on technology- and growth-oriented innovation was also reflected in the awards presented:
Several teams were recognised as “Most Promising Startups”. Each will receive a pre-incubation package worth €10,000 from Southwest X, the Startup Factory for southwest Germany, together with the option of full incubation worth up to €100,000. In recognition of their promising technological approaches and the high quality of their pitches, Tello, Chromamos and Carboslag received this newly introduced award.
Awards were also presented for the most compelling pitches – the Best Startup Pitches:
The Tello team also impressed the jury with its idea of turning children’s books into interactive learning companions and won the main prize of €2,000 sponsored by Sparkasse Saarbrücken. In addition, the team will take part in a workshop provided by Ergosign, also valued at €2,000.
Second place went to the Ascle team, which is developing a solution for automated, AI-based intracranial pressure measurement using ultrasound. The prize includes €500 from SIKB/SWG Saarländische Wagnisfinanzierungsgesellschaft mbH, as well as a workshop of the same value provided by the August-Wilhelm Scheer Institute (AWSI).
Third place in the Best Startup Pitches went to the n3tz team with its solution “Griffi”, an AI system for skilled-trade businesses that handles calls and enquiries and prepares the steps through to invoicing as reviewable drafts.
Griffi also won over the audience, which was able to award its own prize for the first time at this Demo Day. The n3tz solution secured a clear lead, followed by Chromamos and Telaiscope. The Audience Award was not solely about technical excellence, but also about likeability, team spirit and the persuasiveness of the pitching teams. Startup n3tz will receive a professional photo shoot as well as a workspace for six months at the Innovation Center or Starterzentrum at Saarland University.
“With the Startup Launchpad, we have deliberately developed our support offering further. Our aim is to support founding teams at a very early stage and provide them with the knowledge, contacts and feedback they need for their next development steps. The strong response and the quality of the projects presented demonstrate that innovative startup ideas are finding fertile ground in Saarland and beyond,” says Michael Jung, Managing Director of Triathlon.
The teams at a glance:
Ascle automates intracranial pressure measurement using ultrasound and AI and integrates the solution into devices already in use in hospitals and emergency departments.
CarboSlag develops site-specific materials from regional steel slag to accelerate the remediation of former mining areas and mine water.
ChromaMOS is developing a mobile measuring device that performs gas analyses for quality control directly in production environments instead of sending samples to a laboratory.
Fuelbite is developing a savoury, nutritionally complete meal bar without sugar or sweeteners for convenient meals on the go.
Griffi by n3tz is an AI system for skilled-trade businesses that handles calls and enquiries and prepares all steps through to invoicing as reviewable drafts.
TelAIscope provides AI-powered demand forecasts for purchasing, inventory and production and translates them into concrete planning recommendations for SMEs.
TeLLO turns printed children’s books into interactive learning companions. Children read aloud, talk to TeLLO and receive responses – entirely without an additional screen.
ternfold makes AI controllable in real-world business processes and creates interfaces in which employees can view, adjust and approve every action.
Background information on the Startup Launchpad:
The Startup Launchpad is a new support format for aspiring founders. The twelve-week programme is aimed particularly at technology- and growth-oriented startup projects. Participating teams receive support through workshops, individual coaching, mentoring and access to companies, investors, and experts from the startup ecosystem. The aim is to systematically develop startup ideas and prepare teams for the next stages of their company development.
The format was initiated as part of Startup Factory Southwest X and implemented as a pilot for the first time within the Impuls 2.0 project. In the future, it may also be rolled out at other higher education locations across the region.
Impuls 2.0 is implemented by Triathlon – Ecosystem for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Transfer and FITT gGmbH and is funded by the Saarland Ministry for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy. During the Demo Day, Minister for Economic Affairs Jürgen Barke also officially presented the funding notification for the continuation of the project to the project partners. This secures continued support for founding teams and the further development of innovative support programmes for Saarland’s startup ecosystem.
About Triathlon:
Since 1995, Saarland University has systematically supported founders from the academic environment. This long-standing experience was consolidated in 2023 within the central institution “Triathlon – Ecosystem for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Transfer”.
Triathlon provides comprehensive support and guidance for startup, technology-transfer and knowledge-transfer ideas and helps translate them into commercial and operational implementation. Over the past decades, more than 550 company foundations creating around 4,000 jobs have been supported from within the university. On average, the Triathlon team supports 120 startup projects per year, resulting in approximately 30 new companies.
About FITT:
FITT gGmbH, the Institute for Knowledge and Technology Transfer at the Saarland University of Applied Sciences (htw saar), is an innovative, application-oriented research institution. We provide a broad range of advisory and support services in the fields of research and development, entrepreneurship and qualification, making us a reliable partner for companies and municipalities, public institutions, aspiring founders and startups.
The “Impuls 2.0” project is funded by the Saarland Ministry for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalisation and Energy and the European Union.
