Tailwind for Deep Tech Start-Ups in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region
Leuphana joins the federally funded start-up factory “Impossible Founders” as a partner
2025-07-11 2025-07-11 Lüneburg/Hamburg – The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) is providing €10 million in funding for the new Hamburg-based start-up factory “Impossible Founders.” Leuphana University of Lüneburg is one of the key partners in this award-winning joint research project. The initiative seeks to significantly increase the number of deep-tech spin-offs emerging from academia in the Hamburg metropolitan region, with a particular focus on green technologies, advanced materials, artificial intelligence, and data science. In total, more than €50 million will be invested in the development of new start-up infrastructure. In addition to the federal contribution, Hamburg-based foundations and companies are providing over €40 million. The official project launch is scheduled for 1 November 2025
A Strategic Gain for the Region – and for Leuphana
“The federal government’s decision to support ‘Impossible Founders’ sends a strong signal affirming the innovative strength and entrepreneurial potential of the Hamburg metropolitan region,” says Professor Dr Markus Reihlen, Leuphana’s Vice President for Transfer and Entrepreneurship. “As a partner, we contribute our many years of experience in academic start-up education, our commitment to sustainability, and our transdisciplinary approach. Together with our partners, we look forward to fostering a technology-driven, responsible start-up culture.”
For years, Leuphana has ranked among Germany’s most successful medium-sized entrepreneurial universities. With its award-winning awareness-raising initiatives, practice-oriented entrepreneurship education, and close ties to businesses and civil society, it has set standards that extend well beyond its regional base. Within the framework of the start-up factory, Leuphana will particularly contribute its expertise in the development of sustainability-oriented business models and in entrepreneurship education for students, researchers, and spin-off teams.
A Strong Alliance for a Strong Future
“Impossible Founders” aims to establish a forward-looking greentech ecosystem that spans Hamburg, Harburg, Bahrenfeld, Altona – and Lüneburg. In addition to Leuphana, the initiative includes the University of Hamburg, Hamburg University of Technology, the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY), foundations such as the Joachim Herz Foundation and the Michael Otto Foundation, as well as prominent companies from the region. Together, the partners are working towards a shared goal: to significantly boost the number of technology-driven start-ups and position the Hamburg metropolitan region as a leading European hub for deep-tech entrepreneurship.
“I warmly congratulate Leuphana on its successful contribution to the Hamburg Start-up Factory,” says Lower Saxony’s Minister for Science and Culture, Falko Mohrs. “With its long-standing commitment to sustainable innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, Leuphana is a key driver of the start-up ecosystem in the Hamburg metropolitan area. This project is an impressive demonstration of how future technologies and societal responsibility can go hand in hand.”