Startup news April 2025

Gain a competitive advantage through stronger entrepreneurial skills. Developing entrepreneurial thinking and action among employees, managers and business owners is essential for dynamic, successful company development. That is why we have continually expanded our event programme over recent years. From April, the Goslar Region Startup and Innovation Academy will offer more than 20 high-quality workshops and seminarsby the end of the year, some lasting several days. The aim is to develop the so-called ‘soft skills’ needed for entrepreneurial thinking and action.

‘Through the Academy, we want to enable both prospective founders and committed employees in our companies to think and act more entrepreneurially,’ says WiReGo managing director Dr. Jörg Aßmann. ‘Participants will learn in a highly practical way how to build and run businesses successfully.’ In both quality and quantity, this offering is exceptional for a predominantly rural business region. For us, it is an important element in strengthening both the region’s startup potential and the future viability of local companies.

The events provide practical knowledge in six areas of competence: motivation, personality, self-management, social and communication skills, problem-solving, and business administration for startups and innovation know-how. If you participate regularly, you may, under certain conditions, receive an innovation certificate . This makes your skills and commitment to personal development visible, benefiting both your CV and your personal marketing.

Participation in the events and the innovation certificate are free of charge. The Startup and Innovation Academy is part of Goslar district’s ‘Gründungsregion Goslar’ project.

Details about the programme and registration for the events can be found at: www.gruendungsakademie-region-goslar.de

Contact at WiReGo:
Dr. Jörg Aßmann, Tel.  05321 76700
joerg.assmann@wirego.de

Would you like to develop your entrepreneurial know-how? Are you about to found a company and want to make sure it succeeds? As an employee, would you like to expand your knowledge and contribute innovatively to your company’s development? Then save the dates of the first Goslar Region Startup and Innovation Academy events. They launch this year’s practical, free event series on entrepreneurial know-how.

Discovering new ways to collaborate and using creativity to encourage real participation is the topic of an interactive workshop on 22 April at 17:30 in the Goslar district building. Georg Rekas, an experienced leader in agile environments and certified business coach, will give a very concise two-hour introduction to the principles of so-called ‘Liberating Structures’ and demonstrate the practical benefits of the method.

The very next day, on 23 April at 14:00, the topic at the Clausthal-Zellerfeld Startup Centre is ‘Change as an opportunity’. Being able to tolerate uncertainty, handle differences and recognise change early will matter now and in the future. Heike Bartels explains how to build the resilience and innovative capacity needed for this in a four-hour seminar.

The first part of a three-day seminar series on ‘Managing technological innovations’ led by solopreneur Dr. Michael Reiß begins on 28 April at 14:00, also at the Clausthal-Zellerfeld Startup Centre. To strengthen the ability to solve innovative problems in a dynamic, complex environment, the series (28 April, 12 May and 26 May) introduces a kind of pragmatic ‘toolbox’. It aims to enable you to make effective contributions to business and social development that will benefit future generations.

Your participation in the events earns credits towards the innovation certificate . Over the year, you can build important skills and make your knowledge and commitment to further development visible with the certificate. Participation in the events is free of charge.

You can find information about the Academy and register for events here »

Contact at WiReGo:
Dr. Jörg Aßmann, Tel.  05321 76700
joerg.assmann@wirego.de

Running his own company was a childhood dream for 39-year-old industrial engineer Tarek Abram. He owes the chance to realise it by taking over Böhm Feinmechanik in Rhüden in May 2024 to the region’s strong networks.

From Osnabrück via Hamburg to the Harz

Born in Osnabrück, Tarek Abram studied industrial engineering in Hamburg. He moved to Goslar in 2016 as an employee of the OKE Group. First an assistant to management and soon also managing director, he was responsible for KKF Fels’s business success for seven years. The attractive position was decisive in his move to Goslar. ‘I’d actually wanted to move on to a larger city,’ Tarek Abram says. ‘But on my first visits, the people’s outlook and the town’s atmosphere won me over.’ He has since developed a bond with the region, so he deliberately chose to take over a company in Goslar district.

Succession as an opportunity for the future

Although Abram successfully mastered the demanding challenges of managing KKF despite the crisis in the automotive industry, his desire to run his own company never left him. The industrial engineer explored business succession and researched various platforms. In the end, Thomas Kausch (Allianz für die Region) put him in contact with Böhm Feinmechanik.

The traditional craft company was founded in 1949. It manufactures electronic housings and assemblies, among other products, for fields such as biotechnology, defence, aviation and aerospace. ‘The company has grown over decades thanks to its expertise,’ says an enthusiastic Tarek Abram. ‘Now it is my task to organise its traditional structures and processes for the future.’

Digitalisation and strengthening the team are key priorities. The company now has 60 employees, around 20 more than at the takeover. Team members helped attract applicants through word of mouth. ‘I have always finalised contracts very quickly,’ the entrepreneur says of his strategy. ‘I also see people’s potential and consider where I could put their skills to use.’ This helps Abram draw on a highly motivated team. ‘They support all the changes, even when I sometimes want to move too fast,’ he says with a laugh.

With support from WiReGo’s Reinhard Schwarzer, the company is seeking NBank funding for investments. Abram wants to invest a seven-figure sum in the company over the coming years. Close regional contacts and WiReGo’s consistently helpful support give him the confidence to pursue this plan.

Of 17 applications in total, eight projects reached the final of this year’s TUniCorn ideas competition, organised by the joint startup service run by TU Clausthal and WiReGo. In early March, the finalists presented their ideas to an audience and a jury at the Clausthal-Zellerfeld Startup Centre. The jury again included Iris Seeber (Volksbank im Harz), Mathias Liebing (TU Clausthal’s Research and Transfer Service Centre), and Samet Kibar of Wirtschaftsförderung Region Goslar GmbH & Co. KG (WiReGo). Christian Schäfer (Fels Werke) and Michael Reiß (Holos Excellence) joined for the first time. Entries in English were also permitted for the first time.

‘The TUniCorn ideas competition is the best proof of TU Clausthal’s commitment to fostering creativity and perhaps offering future entrepreneurs a platform,’ University President Dr.-Ing. Sylvia Schattauer said at the opening. She described TU Clausthal as an ‘ideas workshop’ offering ‘fertile ground’.

‘Many thanks to Fels Werke GmbH and Volksbank im Harz for making the event possible as sponsors,’ said Anja Blümel (WiReGo) and Simon Wolters (startup service). As the event organisers, they moderated and led the programme together.

An exciting jury deliberation

‘As an international university, we also received many international proposals. Half of the pitches will be presented in English for the first time,’ Wolters said. One after another, the teams pitched their ideas in four minutes. They then faced questions from the jury, some of them critical. With so many promising projects, the jury’s decision took longer than planned, and four winning projects were ultimately selected.

The ‘Sinotech’ team came out on top with ‘Cell Core’, a project that improves the study of living cells. Team members Sina Najafi, Frederic Lange, Negin Najafi and Sepehr Mortazavi, supported by Prof. Niels Neumann (TU Clausthal) and Prof. Denis Royer (Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences), have developed real-time monitoring of the cell environment and AI-assisted control. The system also increases data reliability by directly measuring critical parameters such as pH and oxygen content.

Second place went to ‘Playification – voice solutions’ by Chingiz Seyidbayli, a research associate at the Institute of Computer Science. He wants to develop automated AI-assisted dubbing technology to overcome language barriers in entertainment content. His idea integrates AI and voice-cloning technologies to automatically identify, translate and voice speakers. The innovation lies above all in automation, which is intended to replace conventional manual processing.

Two teams share third place

The five jury members decided to award third place, and the associated prize money, twice. Mehran Javadi, an employee at the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, impressed the jury with an idea for a sustainable thermal insulation layer. Unlike conventional insulation methods, his development is based on silica aerogel made using waste materials. The material can be applied directly to walls, avoiding invasive construction work. Silvia Imrich and Gaurab Sundar Dutta secured the other third-place award with ‘bioWind’. The researchers at the Institute of Polymer Materials and Plastics Engineering are working on tailored free-form structures for biomedical applications inspired by nature. Their aim is to bridge the gap between conventional technology and emerging research fields. The innovative aspect is the inclusion of biomimicry – the art of transferring natural phenomena to technology – and automation of the evolutionary process using algorithms.

Supporting innovation

First place received EUR 1,000 in prize money, second place EUR 500, and the two third-place winners EUR 250 each. ‘We will invest the prize money in our idea to take it further,’ Imrich and Dutta (bioWind) agreed. ‘This is a good and meaningful competition that we support here and will continue to promote,’ Iris Seeber said in her closing remarks. She urged the teams: ‘Put your ideas into practice and be brave. Stay curious and retain your drive to make a difference.’

Contact at WiReGo:
Anja Blümel, Tel. 05321 76-703
anja.bluemel@wirego.de

Marco Schmidt wants his business idea to set new standards for climate-related trades. regioWerk is the first full-service agency for renewable energy in the region and beyond. From planning to commissioning, both for electricity supply and heat generation, everything is provided from one source and coordinated. He also wants to support local craft businesses with heating-load calculations and 3-D system planning. This future-ready concept convinced WiReGo to take a silent partnership stake.

‘Through the investment fund, Goslar district supports promising business ventures by means of a so-called “silent partnership”,’ explains WiReGo managing director Dr. Jörg Aßmann. ‘What Marco Schmidt plans stands out clearly from existing offerings in this field. The funding increases his equity contribution to the startup.’ The investment fund is available both for startup ventures and for investment projects by established businesses.

A trained heating engineer and building services technician, Marco Schmidt discovered his passion for renewable energy early on. After many years in sales and management positions with various providers of photovoltaic and heating systems, the 48-year-old is taking the leap into self-employment on 01 April. ‘My experience enables me to advise and plan individually across manufacturers,’ the founder says. ‘Our customers’ needs and possibilities come first.’

From balcony solar systems to intelligent, future-proof energy supply for homes and commercial properties, regioWerk provides integrated planning, advice and installation. The focus is on quality and safety. This is achieved partly through the use of German and European products, which is becoming increasingly important for data security, and partly through needs-based advice tailored to each customer’s circumstances and options. A partner network and cooperation with qualified regional craft businesses also support project implementation. ‘Both WiReGo’s startup events and its investment have been crucial to making my venture possible,’ Schmidt says. Details can be found at www.regiowerk.net .

Contact at WiReGo:
Dr. Jörg Aßmann, Tel.: 05321/76 700
joerg.assmann@wirego.de

A strong partner has joined the second edition of the ‘Movement for our forest’ fitness initiative. Pro Goslar e.V. is involved as a supporting organisation and backs the project. ‘This initiative is a special way to foster team spirit, strengthen health and show commitment to our natural environment,’ board member Andreas Rotermund says in explaining the association’s support. ‘That is why we also want to encourage our members to participate.’

Every kilometre of physical activity counts in this initiative from 01 May to 14 June. Companies can offer participation to interested employees as an unusual workplace health-management measure. Of course, you can also participate as an individual on behalf of your company. For a participation fee of EUR 29 per person, they can turn their activities into trees that will enable a forest area near Bad Harzburg to be replanted.