News December 2024

Listening to Christian Lindner talk about his work as managing director of StrandBerg GmbH in Braunlage, you might think his day has more than 24 hours. Since 2021, he has also been a distiller, producing his own gin in Braunlage. An idea for building customer loyalty has become a passion.

Christian Lindner, a Harz native, has worked for Rainer de Groot, an architect and investor from the Wedemark area, for more than 20 years. Through StrandBerg GmbH, they have invested in various Braunlage properties since 2014. Forty holiday apartments and houses, a hotel and a bed & breakfast have been developed into holiday accommodation with character. An avowed fan of Italy, he has also built ‘Kleine Vielfalt’, a shop for Italian delicacies and appealing goods that also serves as the central point of contact for StrandBerg guests. The company’s name arose because properties on the Cape Verde Islands had originally also been intended for tourist use. During the investments in Braunlage, they also worked closely with WiReGo on funding from the GRW programme.

StrandBerg GmbH’s newest line of business is its own gin. Black Label, Pink Label, Eis Gin and StrandBerg’s geiles Gesöff are 100% Braunlage products and 100% Christian Lindner. ‘I develop the recipe, distil, bottle and label everything myself,’ says the 49-year-old. ‘I handle every bottle about eight times before it is sold.’ With 2,500 bottles in the first production year, 2022, that sounds like a full-time job. Yet the distillery was originally conceived only as a strategic decision to strengthen customer loyalty through their own events and encourage short breaks in Braunlage even in the off-season.

The idea for gin came from customer demand. ‘When we still offered Italian spirits in Kleine Vielfalt, people kept asking for gin,’ Christian Lindner recalls. He himself is a coffee lover and only began exploring gin in depth when the distillery idea arose. Demand was there, and so was a possible location: during renovation, the basement rooms of today’s ‘Ursprung’ at Jermerstein proved unsuitable for rental. Plans were quickly changed, and a stylish, comfortable space was created for production and tastings. Here, up to 16 people can sample eight international gins over four hours, with alcohol-free options on request. ‘They arrive as guests and leave as friends,’ Christian Lindner says with a laugh.

Public tastings take place about four times a month. Groups of friends, bachelor and bachelorette parties, companies and others can also book private tastings. Gins are produced on commission as well. His further training was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, so Christian Lindner taught himself to distil gin. He still has many ideas for the distillery and gin experience in Braunlage. It will remain exciting to follow its development.

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Prospective founders, young businesses and employees in companies that want to innovate should above all have one thing: a good idea or an exceptional product. But that alone is not enough. While studies, training programmes and seminars primarily impart specialist knowledge, ‘innovation competence’ – understanding how to establish an idea successfully in the market – is far more important for success.

Because innovation competence is so important for successful startups and companies’ future viability, WiReGo has for some time also offered events through the ‘Startup and Innovation Academy’ to strengthen entrepreneurial and innovative skills. The events can be assigned to five areas of competence: personality, motivation, social and communication skills, problem-solving ability and self-management.

This year, WiReGo’s ‘Startup and Innovation Academy’ has already launched a varied, high-quality programme of events that participants have received very well. An even more diverse programme is currently being planned for next year. Planned topics include ‘Technological innovation as an enabler’, ‘Strategic communication’, ‘Developing visions and acting in line with your values’, ‘Lego Serious Play as a problem-solving strategy’ and ‘Conflict management’.

WiReGo is also in the final stages of introducing an innovation certificate that people can earn by attending various events through a newly developed credit system. Events attended this year will be credited retrospectively. Like participation in the events, the certificate will be free of charge.

Dates for next year’s events will be published in January 2025 in the events calendar on our website www.gruenden-region-goslar.de . WiReGo is also happy to proactively point out upcoming events. Please get in touch if you would like to receive regular information about them.

Contact at WiReGo:
Jean-Marie Aßmann
Tel.: 05321/76 706
jean-marie.assmann@wirego.de

Jointly unlocking startup potential at TU Clausthal and in the Goslar region and supporting academic spin-offs are the key elements of a new cooperation agreement between the university and Wirtschaftsförderung Region Goslar GmbH & Co. KG (WiReGo). The two institutions are thereby continuing their already well-established cooperation under the recently concluded EXIST project ‘Gründungskultur@TUC’.

Alongside advising prospective founders and supporting spin-off projects from TU Clausthal, another focus will be organising joint events. ‘The circular economy, our focus in research and teaching, offers many starting points for innovative business ideas. Through the joint startup service, we want to make it easier for our students and researchers to achieve successful self-employment,’ says TU President Dr.-Ing. Sylvia Schattauer.

Marketing and public relations on entrepreneurship are another important element. WiReGo managing director Dr. Jörg Aßmann knows the challenges: ‘Many young people do not even consider the potential and opportunities that professional independence offers. We therefore want to actively present the associated opportunities and benefits across different media.’

The Startup Centre on the TU campus will be the location for both advice and events. ‘The centre has already established itself as a point of contact for prospective founders and young businesses,’ says Anja Blümel, WiReGo startup adviser and project lead. ‘The cooperation agreement now gives us the planning security to sustainably strengthen the startup culture.’

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

The KfW ERP promotional loan for startups and succession is an excellent opportunity for prospective entrepreneurs to put their ideas into practice and give existing companies a new future. Through this loan, KfW Bank supports creative minds and committed successors in realising their visions and running businesses successfully.

Whether you want to start a new business or take over an existing one, this promotional loan offers the financial support you need. You can finance investments in machinery, land or initial operating equipment. The terms are attractive: low interest rates and long maturities help you manage repayments.

Another advantage is the flexibility of use. You can receive up to EUR 25 million, depending on the project and need. Support is also available to different target groups, whether startups, new businesses or successors needing capital to buy a company.

The application is straightforward, and KfW supports you throughout the process. You receive not only financial help but also the encouragement you need to make your entrepreneurial dreams a reality.

The KfW ERP promotional loan could be the first step on your path to success! Information is available at ERP Promotional Loan for Startups and Succession (077) | KfW and from us.

Contacts at WiReGo:
Julia Lorenz
05321/76 707
julia.lorenz@wirego.de

Edda Schaper
05321/76 701
edda.schaper@wirego.de

The TUNiCorn Ideas Competition is entering its third round. If you have an innovative business idea and would like to take the next step toward self-employment, this is an ideal opportunity for you. The competition provides a platform to present creative ideas from the fields of technology, business and science and take them to the next level.

What can you expect?

Competition participants have the opportunity to present their ideas to an expert jury and receive valuable support. Alongside prize money, a wide range of advisory and training opportunities awaits afterward. You will receive professional support in developing your business plan and can benefit from an extensive network of experts and partners who will accompany you on your startup journey.

Who can take part?

Whether students, researchers, TU Clausthal alumni or employees of local small and medium-sized businesses – everyone with an innovative idea who wants to develop it further is warmly invited to take part in the competition.

How can you take part?

Registration is straightforward: submit an outline of your idea to ideenwettbewerb@tu-clausthal.de. Participation is free, and anyone with an innovative idea should not miss this opportunity.

Dates and deadlines

The application deadline is 15 January 2025. All idea outlines received on time will then be evaluated by a jury. The eight best individuals or teams behind the ideas will be invited to pitch their ideas at the final event on 5 March 2025.

In summary: The TUniCorn Ideas Competition, run by the joint Startup Service of TU Clausthal and WiReGo, is an excellent opportunity for anyone who wants to realize their entrepreneurial dreams. With a unique combination of expertise, practical support and valuable networking contacts, you can lay the foundation for your success. Take the opportunity to connect with other creative minds and put your idea into practice.

Further information and registration are available on the official competition website »

We wish you every success in the TUniCorn Ideas Competition 2025!

More than 226.000 activity kilometres logged by 1.275 participants from 51 companies will result in 4.485 trees being planted in Goslar’s municipal forest in the coming weeks. In fact, Wirtschaftsförderung Region Goslar GmbH & Co. KG (WiReGo) and its technical partner Summitree were surprised by the success. “Given the overwhelming response, it was almost our duty to run the initiative again next year,” emphasizes WiReGo Managing Director Dr. Jörg Aßmann. “This time we are starting earlier, so interested companies can plan the campaign into their workplace health management measures for 2025 well in advance.”

As in the first edition, every form of physical activity counts – from walking the dog to mountain biking, from swimming to wheelchair use. Companies register their employees, invest a participation fee of 29 Euro net per person and use this exceptional workplace health management measure to promote health, motivation and cohesion among their workforce. Participants simply record their activity via an app, and the kilometres achieved are then converted into trees to be planted. In 2025, reforestation is planned for an area of woodland near the town of Bad Harzburg. The initiative will run from 1 May to 14 June 2025.

Another eventful year for the economy is behind us. Despite the annual end-of-year rush, we, the WiReGo team, would like to thank you for the trust you have placed in our collaboration.

Alongside our active work to strengthen our economic region, this year we also achieved remarkable things for our natural environment with the “Movement for Our Forest” initiative.

The results of the past few months speak for themselves. After a few peaceful days, we will therefore start the new year motivated and with new team members on board.

We wish you and your loved ones a wonderful Advent season, restful holidays and a great start to a successful new year!