Helmholtz Enterprise, the program supporting spin-offs from  the Helmholtz Association, is calling for new applications. With up to one million euro per year, it supports researchers from the Helmholtz Association to bring their research ideas to market.

This year, Helmholtz Enterprise is focusing on agile business model development through lean startup mentoring: each team will have a mentor in the process of testing market hypotheses and developing the business model. The Business Model Canvas is used as a new tool to keep teams on track.

Another new feature of the program is the possibility of reducing co-financing by Helmholtz Centers from 50 percent to 25 percent. Thus the Helmholtz Centers get the opportunity to make a small project larger with a smaller investment.

As in previous years, participation in entrepreneurship training activities (such as accelerators) is an important part of the program. Should a team realise it lacks skills or other particular expertise in areas such as business development external team members can be funded with up to 60,000 euro per project via Helmholtz Enterprise Plus.

Spin-off projects of the Helmholtz Association are supported by the transfer offices at the Helmholtz Centers as well as the Transfer and Innovation division of the Helmholtz office in Berlin.

Since early 2019 the Transfer and Innovation department of the Helmholtz office in Berlin also has a new team: the Director Barbara Diehl and the Program Manager Christopher Kerth now supervise and develop the programs. "We are building on a successful program that has supported a total of 133 projects since its introduction in 2005. Through Helmholtz Enterprise 78 spin-offs have been created so far "says Barbara Diehl. "Now we are seeking new ideas to further develop the transfer culture of the Helmholtz Association."

Click here for the current call for applications for Helmholtz Enterprise. The application deadline is April 15, 2019.

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