A space with impact

Together, Utopia Lüneburg and the Leuphana Social Innovation Community support impact startups and, in doing so, foster innovation in the region.

2026-04-20 “If Utopia didn’t exist, there would be one less space where big ideas are conceived and brought to life.” Three years after its opening, Utopia founder Dr. Corinna Krome describes what has emerged at Utopia Lüneburg to this day: a place where people come together to develop social and sustainable solutions to current societal issues. Leuphana University Lüneburg is closely linked to this development.

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Today, the Utopia community has around 450 active members who are reimagining social coexistence in areas such as education, sustainability, and inclusion. Matthias Wenzel, professor of business administration at Leuphana and a member of the Leuphana Social Innovation Community, which works closely with Utopia, says: “What makes Utopia special is that the team acts as a multiplier in the region. Through their events, they bring together stakeholders whom we can also reach with our research findings. This constellation is rare in the region and beyond, and is a major asset for social impact.”

Science and practice are thus closely intertwined at Utopia. Corinna Krome placed great emphasis on this from the very beginning: “If we’re doing something like this, we also want to cooperate closely with the university so that science and practice go hand in hand.” Together, these dedicated partners have created a vibrant space whose supportive atmosphere, from the entrance to the roof, caters to the needs of impact startups.

Spaces foster collaboration

The space is deliberately designed to foster community collaboration: a cozy café invites visitors to socialize, a minimalist conference room is available for meetings, and light-filled coworking spaces facilitate focused work. Lillan Lommel, a research assistant at the Leuphana Social Innovation Community, contributed her academic expertise to shaping the atmosphere on-site. To this end, she collected data from visitors and evaluated it anonymously with the Utopia team. She says: “Atmospheres are complex and can, for example, help create a sense of belonging—in this respect, they are particularly relevant for community work.”

In addition to daily collaborative work, events and networking meetings shape life at Utopia and within the community. After the first three years, the team can already look back on more than 100 activities—some of which drew up to 200 people, such as the closing event of the Communicorn Conference in September 2025. The inspiration from these gatherings feeds into the ideas and projects of the founders, innovators, and dedicated individuals. In this way, they have an impact on the region and strengthen the innovative spirit in and around Lüneburg.