Garching Technology and Entrepreneur Center
The gate Garching Technology and Entrepreneur Center is a bridge between scientific idea development and starting a commercial venture with market-ready products.
It is a link between researchers and entrepreneurs:
- Gate tenants include young commercial enterprises whose business ideas consist of the implementation of an innovative technical idea.
- Fixed-term research cooperation projects between higher education and industry, which work on concrete business issues, are also situated within gate.
In addition to office space, all the companies located within gate receive supporting services and advice. gate offers its tenants a modern infrastructure as well as administrative support, and functions as a contact point for cooperation projects. From the starting phase of entrepreneurship, it is critical to profit from the experiences of other companies in other stages of development. This exchange of experiences is promoted by gate. As soon as the organizations have grown into functioning companies, they leave gate and make way for new entrepreneurs in the area of high technology.
A Business Network for Success
Competent and experienced partners from the circle of shareholders and the organizations connected with them support the tenants in gate - of course, also to help them help themselves - so that a business idea yields a successful company. The business network covers three areas: financing, consulting, and services.
FINANCING
The banks which have an interest in gate as shareholders show their strength and actively support the establishment of new ventures:
BayernLB (state bank of Bavaria)
LfA Förderbank Bayern (a special bank for regional economic development)
Bayern Kapital, Risikokapitalbeteiligungsgesellschaft (Venture Capital for
Bavaria)
Kreissparkasse München-Starnberg (Savings Bank Munich-Starnberg)
ADVICE/CONSULTING
In addition to the contact to patent attorneys, auditors, attorneys, and tax advisors, the proximity to the Munich entrepreneur scene is also critical for the tenants at gate:
Munich Network As a shareholder, Munich Network is a community, contact point, and liaison for entrepreneurs and company owners, industry and service corporations, investors, research centers and institutes, and institutions of higher learning. The subject is the exchange among peers and learning from others' experiences. Munich Network also organizes the Munich Business Plan Contest (Münchener Business Plan Wettbewerb, or MBPW).
UnternehmerTUM For students and scientific staff at the Technical University Munich, UnternehmerTUM offers the opportunity to gain additional professional qualifications for their later activities as employees or entrepreneurs, within the context of their studies. Over 500 participants annually from all faculties use this service.
A KNOWLEDGE NETWORK FOR THE FUTURE
University-connected, interdisciplinary networks and entrepreneurship are a success factor for technology regions. The gate Garching Technology and Entrepreneur Center builds on a broad science and engineering network. It serves to facilitate and promote contact between the high-technology industries and students excited by research.
Gate's focus defines the structure of the knowledge network:
- Mechatronics
- Software, informations and communications technology
- High-technology entrepreneur initiatives
- Technische Universität München (Technical University Munich, or TU Munich)
Through the construction of the only European research center of GE General Electric directly next to the gate Garching Technology and Entrepreneur Center, gate has gained a further strong neighbor. The High-Tech Entrepreneur Initiative from Microsoft Deutschland GmbH (Microsoft Germany) enables companies in gate access to know-how, networks, and special programs and products.
- Mechatronics
Mechatronic systems are characterized by the highest possible degree of intergration of mechanics, electronics, and informatics (information and computer technology) on a functional carrier. The Bayerische Kompetenznetzwerk für Mechatronik (BKM) (in English: Bavarian Competence Network for Mechatronics) supports the development and implementation of innovative products and components such as novel concepts for construction and joining techniques or microsystem technologies.
- Software, Information and Communications Technologies
The successful support model of the Software-Campus is being continued at gate. As the physical center of the Software-Offensive Bayern, the Software Campus joins software start-ups, company-driven research groups, and continuing education and service offerings.
- "unternimm was." - The High-Tech Entrepreneur Initiative
Together with partners from industry, politics and science, Microsoft has set the goal of contributing toward the improvement of general conditions so that Germany's best minds can set new benchmarks in future technologies. Especially the high-tech industry sector is seen as a motor for establishing businesses from creative product ideas and therefore creating new jobs.
In the context of the new Germany-wide initiative "unternimm was.", entrepreneurs and young businesspeople in the high-tech industry are sponsored. They receive access to marketing and sales expertise, to partner and customer networks, and to special training programs, and are provided with technologies.
The access to the entrepreneur portal is protected by a password. All companies/tenants at gate can request the access data.
By the way, "unternimm was" can be translated roughly as "start something up" or "venture something."
- Faculties of the TU Munich
Five faculties at the TU Munich are closely connected with gate through collaborative projects and make their knowledge and their facilities available to tenants:
- GE Technology Center in Garching
In June 2004, GE General Electric opened its new European Global Research Center in Garching, directly adjacent to gate. More than 150 scientists and engineers work at the over 10,000 square meter center.
LINKS TO MOST IMPORTANT WEBSITES
www.invest-in-bavaria.com/BavariasClusters/information.html