RWTH Honors Outstanding Spin-Offs
RWTH Has Honored Ten Startups Emerging from the University With the 2023 Spin-Off Award
Universities make an important contribution to shaping the future of the economy and society not only through their research and teaching, but also through the transfer of ideas and technologies. A special form of knowledge transfer is the promotion of university spin-offs. RWTH is listed in the annual Deutscher Startup Monitor and has been ranked first among startup universities since 2021.
As part of its Excellence Strategy, RWTH has defined entrepreneurial transfer as one its key goals, promoting a startup culture at the University with a comprehensive range of support services. RWTH Innovation GmbH, which is responsible for managing the University’s research transfer activities, has established a wide range of advising, coaching, workshops offerings and boasts a large network of mentors, investors, and industry experts as a central point of contact for those interested in starting a business with the help of public funding programs.
Become Part of the RWTH Innovation Mentoring Network!
RWTH Innovation GmbH has a broad network of top-class mentors who work closely with startups both in the RWTH Expert Hubs and as part of the coaching programs. The diverse experience of the mentoring team helps startups to take the next step on their way to becoming a successful company.
Through their role, the RWTH Innovation Mentors remain connected to the University’s networks and are therefore always up to date with the latest developments in the startup ecosystem.
Would you like to become a member of the mentoring team and get in touch with the most promising startups? Please contact RWTH Innovation GmbH at start-up@rwth-innovation.de.
The RWTH Spin-off Award
Since 2017, the RWTH Spin-off Award has been presented twice a year to up to ten startups that have emerged from the RWTH community and are no more than two years old. The winning startups are selected by a nine-member jury with jurors from RWTH Innovation GmbH and from the RWTH Innovation and Entrepreneurship Group (WIN).
As the only official award of its kind for outstanding spin-offs from the University, the RWTH Spin-off Award is a seal of quality for the successful teams that allows them to effectively promote their business through their close connection to RWTH. The award enables startups to advertise their connection to RWTH and benefit from the University's excellent reputation in academia, industry, and society. The label helps startups to gain credibility with investors and attract new customers. The award is presented in two rounds each year – one in spring and one in fall – taking the different development phases of the startup companies into account. This allows interested startups to decide on the optimal time to apply. The award-winning teams represent the broad range of excellent research disciplines at RWTH. As examples of successful knowledge and technology transfer, they serve as role models for entrepreneurial ventures from within the University community.
Winning Startups in Spring 2023 – First Round
4traffic SET
4traffic SET is working to create a sustainable and efficient infrastructure for cities and municipalities to collect traffic and environmental data simultaneously and in real-time through cost-effective, modular detector boxes and low-power transmission.
BioThrust
BioThrust develops innovative bioreactor systems for the optimized production of novel medical gene and cell therapies. Their core innovation is the proprietary BioThrust membrane module, which enables completely bubble-free aeration of bioreactors for the first time. The production of the newest types of drugs requires the cultivation of cells in bioreactors. These cells must be supplied with oxygen. Up to now, this supply was based on bubbles, which led to high shear forces, damaging the cells and thus reducing the process yield.
O11 biomedical
Premature babies in incubators, patients with acute lung failure, or COPD patients – all suffer from hypercapnia, an increased level of CO2 in their blood. With RESPILIQ™, O11 biomedical offers an innovative solution for treating hypercapnia by using the human gut as a respiratory organ to initiate a life-saving reduction of CO2 in the blood. The human intestine forms a highly effective exchange membrane for carbon dioxide. In the gut, RESPILIQ™ can bind CO2 from the intestinal fluid and naturally excrete it, thus achieving a life-saving reduction of carbon dioxide in the blood.
upstair
Upstair has developed an electric transport chair that allows care personnel to transport patients quickly and easily from door to door without exertion. This innovative chair can make the work of rescue teams and emergency services easier and helps reduce physical strain. Unlike existing products, this device can also be used on spiral staircases and provide support on ramps. Where up to six specialists have been needed for patient transport, it is now possible with just one accompanying person.
Urban Ray
Urban Ray is driving the transition from traditional ground transportation to aerial delivery systems with a sustainable, efficient, and user-friendly concept of drones and ground stations that can be integrated into the existing logistics infrastructure. Urban Ray’s vision is to make the third dimension in logistics available to the masses – fully electric, scalable, and, above all, sustainable – benefiting urban areas across the globe.
Winning Startups in Fall 2023 – Second Round
Alpamayo Intelligent Quality Solutions
Alpamayo Intelligent Quality Solutions empowers machine manufacturers to integrate distinguishing and process monitoring capabilities into their products, fostering strong customer relationships and paving the way for innovative after-sales business opportunities. The Alpamayo software transforms the sensor data from the machines into insights and information on how machine operators can avoid expensive production downtimes and unnecessary waste.
ARQUE Systems
ARQUE Systems GmbH is developing a highly scalable qubit architecture to address the critical challenges of wiring and controlling qubits. The founders use electrons in semiconductors to process information. The qubits can be controlled and moved on the chip within specific structures. The entrepreneurs have developed a control architecture based on this innovative principle of moving qubits.
Circonomit
Circonomit is developing the global standard for collecting and structuring environmental data. The aim is to enable the first decision intelligence platform that combines sustainability and finance in business processes – an environmental data toolbox with visually guided data collection and reusable data modules for materials, machines, energy sources, process steps, and vehicles.
Sequantrix
Sequantrix leverages one of the world’s largest human multimodal single-cell databases in the field of fibrotic diseases to systematically discover novel antifibrotic targets using artificial intelligence validated through novel three-dimensional disease models. The aim is to develop the first drug candidates for kidney and bone marrow fibrosis up to clinical proof of concept.
SparePartsNow
SparePartsNow is a digital business-to-business (B2B) platform that provides the industrial sector with a spare parts supply chain across manufacturers and suppliers. Suppliers and machine manufacturers can use the platform to sell their components directly to industrial end customers, significantly speeding up sales and procurement. SPAREPARTSNOW is a marketplace that functions as a “shop as a service” for sales partners. All relevant components, from marketing and payment processing to delivery notification, are provided as a service. For customers and service organizations, the platform makes industrial procurement much easier.
– Author: Alessa Busch