News

39th Helmholtz Enterprise Selection Meeting funds six spin-offs and 15 Field Stury Fellowship projects

November 19, 2024

In the 39th intake pitches of the spin-off programme Helmholtz Enterprise, we have selected six new spin-offs and 15 inquisitive Field Study Fellowship projects together with our outstanding jury of VCs, business and science.

The teams will start in the new year and we are excited to accompany them on their entrepreneurial journey:

• EDY Diagnostics (DKFZ Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum)
• KCP (Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT))
• PoreX (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft-und Raumfahrt e.V.)
• DeKox (Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung)
• SideroGaIn (Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR))
• SUNEO (Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT))

Massive thanks to Alex Koch, Stephan Schulze, Leonie Erhard, Yann Fiebig, Thomas Grandke, Lea Bogner, Mirco Müller, Angelika Vlachou, Agnes von Matuschka, Daniel Steffen, Jan Elmiger und Jörn Krupa.

Apply by March 28, 2025 for a Field Study Fellowship to learn more about your future customers and their problems. Or apply for the Spin-off Program to turn your idea into a company.

Go to application →

DLR spin-off receives 1.7 million euros in funding

November 10, 2024

The spin-off project of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) ExoMatter has successfully closed a pre-seed financing round of 1.7 million euros. The round was led by Vanagon.vc, with other investors including Bayern Kapital, 212 NexT, Bloomhaus Ventures AG, ZAKA VC and four female business angels from encourageventures e.V. ExoMatter uses an AI-powered platform to help companies develop new, high-performance and sustainable materials - up to 90% faster than conventional processes. This reduces costs and emissions and promotes sustainable innovation. According to Susanne Fromm from Vanagon Ventures, this technology helps companies to prepare for upcoming EU regulations such as the Ecodesign Directive. With customers such as Airbus and Infineon and a clear growth trajectory, ExoMatter aims to become the leading platform for digital material development in Europe. ExoMatter was funded as a DLR spin-off as part of Helmholtz Enterprise in 2022.

To the press release →

Helmholtz Centre DLR researches driverless trains

November 07, 2024

The German Aerospace Centre (DLR) is researching the use of driverless trains in regional rail transport as part of the "ARTE" (Autonomous Regional Train Evolution) project. The aim is to enable automated driving without extensive modifications to the railway infrastructure - simply by retrofitting the vehicles. As many routes are not equipped with the European Train Control System (ETCS), the trains should be able to recognise and interpret signals independently. Partners are the railway technology provider Alstom and the Technical University of Berlin. The DLR is comprehensively analysing how driverless operation can be integrated into the railway system and is investigating the effects on infrastructure, operating costs and the role of railway personnel, who will increasingly take on monitoring and control tasks in the future. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and the Ministry of Economics of Lower Saxony.

To DLR →

Inspiring insights at the Start-up Days 2024 in Munich

October 25, 2024

From 17-18 October, more than 120 scientists and founders met at the Start-up Days 2024 in Munich to share their start-up ideas and experiences. Every year, the four major German research organisations Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Max Planck Society, Leibniz Association and Helmholtz Association plan this event to offer their researchers a platform for sharing and learning. Organised by the Max Planck Society, the event offered workshops and lectures on start-up topics such as financing, team building and market strategies. The panel discussion with experienced founders provided valuable insights into the everyday life and challenges of young companies. In addition to networking and knowledge transfer, the focus was on building lasting contacts. The next Start-up Days will take place in Berlin in 2025.

Article Max Planck Society →

DLR spin-off signs licence agreement

October 14, 2024

The Exploration Company (TEC) and DLR spin-off InSpacePropulsion Technologies (ISPTech) have signed a licence agreement. This enables TEC to use the green hypergolic propellant HIP_11 for its Nyx space capsule, which is scheduled to fly in 2027. HIP_11, developed by ISPTech's CTO Felix Lauck, offers advantages such as low toxicity, easy handling and cost efficiency. ISPTech, a DLR spin-off, specialises in environmentally friendly propulsion technologies. Nyx will initially be used for cargo missions, but will later also be able to transport people. ISPTech was funded as a DLR spin-off as part of Helmholtz Enterprise in 2022.

News ISPTech →

MDC and Bruker open co-creative Center of Excellence for single-cell omics

July 9, 2024

The Max Delbrück Center and Bruker, a leading analytical instrumentation company, opened their joint Innovation Center for Systems Medicine on July 8, focusing on the development of mass spectrometry-based single-cell and multi-omics technologies. The "MDC-Bruker Center of Excellence for Single Cell Omics" in Berlin, which we are funding as part of the Helmholtz Co-Creation Projects scheme, will provide researchers with access to Bruker's advanced technologies and expertise, while Bruker will gain clinical insights through the collaboration. The aim is to develop a multi-omics workflow that can analyze proteins, metabolites and lipids simultaneously. The project will enable researchers to better understand how diseases develop and progress at the cellular level by analyzing these body components at the single cell level. The consortium hopes that this will enable more precise medical diagnoses and treatments. The co-creative partnership is intended to generate new research partnerships and technological applications in the long term and also strengthen Berlin as a hub of innovation.

MDC press release →

ISPTech raises 2 million euros for the further development of its propulsion technology for space vehicles

July 3, 2024

ISPTech, a spin-off of the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) and Helmholtz Enterprise-Alumunus, has received 2 million euros in pre-seed funding for its environmentally friendly propulsion technologies. These propulsion systems utilise non-toxic propellants and offer cost-effective, high-performance solutions for spacecraft ranging from small CubeSats to large satellites. The investor round was led by High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), with participation from First Momentum Ventures and Possible Ventures. ISPTech's technologies, based on over 10 years of research, aim to make the space industry more sustainable and meet the need for affordable, reliable propulsion systems of this type. First deployments of the propulsion systems are planned for the end of 2025 to demonstrate their functionality and performance.

Website ISPTech →
HTGF Press Release →

MDC startup Captain T Cell raises €8.5 million for the development of their cancer treatment

May 24, 2024

Captain T Cell, a biotech startup from the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC), has raised €8.5 million in startup funding to develop T cell therapies for treating solid tumors. This funding round, announced on May 22, 2024, was supported by investors such as i&i Biotech Fund, Brandenburg Kapital, and HIL-INVENT, along with the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. The funds will help advance their innovative T cell therapies towards clinical trials.

Captain T Cell focuses on creating first-in-class TCR-T cells designed to target tumors that current treatments can't effectively address. In preclinical tests, these T cells have shown the ability to completely eradicate aggressive tumors. The startup's proprietary TCR-ALLO platform aims to provide off-the-shelf treatment options for various cancers.

The company benefits from strong support and collaboration with the Max Delbrück Center and technology consultancy Ascenion. This funding will accelerate their mission to bring life-saving treatments to patients who need them most.

MDC Press Release →