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Startup Port – Knowledge-based entrepreneurship in Hamburg

Startup Port bundles start-up support for knowledge-based start-ups in the Hamburg metropolitan region. The project connects universities, research institutions, companies, and political partners to provide structured support for start-ups from the scientific community. The aim is to coordinate start-up activities, create synergies, and strengthen regional innovation. Further information can be found on the official website:

Project objectives

Structured support for knowledge-based start-ups

Cooperation at the highest level: Hamburg’s four largest universities (UHH, HAW, TUHH, HSU) are collaborating with the UKE, Leuphana University Lüneburg, and FH Wedel.
Science meets business: Partners from research (DESY, HZG) and industry (Nordmetall, ContiTech) contribute practical experience and market knowledge.
Political support: The project is supported and co-financed by the Hamburg authorities (BWVI, BWFG) and the Lower Saxony MWK.

Three main funding channels:

Startup Port ACADEMY – Qualification of students, scientists, and startup advisors.
Startup Port MATES – Interdisciplinary networking between startup players in the region.
Startup Port BUSINESS – Connecting startups with established companies, market integration, and knowledge transfer.

Vision

Startup Port’s vision is to strengthen knowledge-based start-ups across borders in the Hamburg metropolitan region. The project focuses in particular on:

Systematization and optimization of cooperation structures between universities and research institutions.
Promotion of knowledge transfer and interdisciplinarity in start-up teams.
Harmonization and bundling of existing start-up services.
Expansion of offerings at the association level through new formats.
Opening up training and support opportunities to all students of the network partners.
Improvement of the quality of advice through active cooperation between start-up advisors within the network.

Research

Key results

Establishment of a regional community for exchange between science, business, and politics.
Implementation of a structured qualification program (Startup Port ACADEMY).
Creation of interdisciplinary networks (Startup Port MATES).
Promotion of knowledge transfer and market access for startups (Startup Port BUSINESS).
Integration bestehender Angebote der Hochschulen in ein übergreifendes Verbundsystem.