Guide: How to Start a Startup in Pforzheim
It can be very difficult to choose the best location for starting an innovative company. In fact, few decisions will have more effect on your daily life as an entrepreneur. In this guide, we take a closer look at one of the lesser-known startup ecosystems in Germany. We will show you how to make your first steps, how to find the most important contact points, and explain to you why it might be a good idea to set up your startup base at the edge of the Black Forest.
The Golden Mean
Known as the „Golden City“ Pforzheim has been one of the most important locations for the gold and silver trade for centuries. This is why the well-known jewelry maker Wellendorff or the „Federal Association of Jewelry, Watches, Silverware and Related Industries“ still has its headquarter in Pforzheim today. One reason for this: The city, which is home to around 120 thousand people (of which 6000 are students), is right in the heart of Germany’s Industrial South. Ideally located between the metropolitan areas of Stuttgart and Karlsruhe, the region has one of the highest densities of manufacturing companies in the country.
Besides this, Pforzheim became increasingly attractive for entrepreneurs due to its university and low cost of living. In most recent years, the city has developed a startup ecosystem that offers very good conditions for innovative startups. Successful representatives of the local startup scene are for example the robotics startup „NOX Robots“, the hemp startup “Signature Products” or the fashion brand „Morotai“ (known from the „Die Höhle der Löwen“ — the German version of Shark Tank). All three startups were founded by alumni of the University of Pforzheim. In the following text, we will share some insider information on why more and more founders choose Pforzheim as a location for their startup and help you with the first steps as a founder in Pforzheim.
A journey through the startup ecosystem
If you come to Pforzheim you are most likely to arrive by train. The best way to get around the city is by bus. The 13 bus lines connect the city districts and within minutes bring you to the most important players of the regional startup scene. This already brings us to one of the biggest advantages of Pforzheim as a startup location: The city offers you a great variety of academic, creative, and industrial players without being as crowded or confusing as Germany’s bigger startup hotspots.
Line 5: University and Wildlife Park
Bus line 5 takes you to the South of the city. Here you have a fantastic view (we recommend a visit to the library and the beer garden) and a great starting point for a tour through the startup scene.
- Pforzheim University and GründerWERK
The University of Pforzheim (@hspforzheim) consists of the faculties for business, design, and technology and offers a wide range of study programs. This creates a significant talent pool to find co-founders or employees for your startup. Good to know: The Business faculty and the study program Industrial Engineering are one of only 13 institutions in Germany (alongside the WHU, TUM, or HHL) that are AACSB accredited.
The GründerWERK (@hspf_gruenderwerk) was established in 2017 and is the first contact point for students interested in starting their own company. They support founders as an advisor and organize frequent events like the „GründerLounge“ or the „Startup Summercamp“. The Summercamp takes place at the beginning of every semester and is open for all students that want to develop their own business idea and learn the most important startup basics on the way. - Entrepreneurs Pforzheim e.V.
Also located at the main campus is the student initiative Entrepreneurs Pforzheim (@entrepreneurspf). The Entrepreneurs Pforzheim is a student-run club that provides a platform for students interested in entrepreneurship. The club mainly organizes socializing events or founder talks which regularly take place at the Café Roland or Online. The Entrepreneurs Pforzheim is a great first touchpoint for students interested in entrepreneurship. - Co-Founder Space
The Co-Founder Space (@cofounderspace) organizes workshops and meetings that help Entrepreneurs build great teams. Supported by the Entrepreneurs Pforzheim e.V. and financed by the Karl-Schlecht-Foundation the initiative has partnered up with the Gründermagnet to support student clubs all across Germany. - Förderer und Alumni der Hochschule Pforzheim e.V. (FAV)
The FAV is the sponsorship and alumni organization of Pforzheim University. The association consists of former students and corporate sponsors that offer an excellent network for prospective founders. If you need contact with companies or professionals, the FAV might offer the right platform for you.
Line 6: City Center and Östliche-Karl-Friedrich Straße
The city center is home to countless cafés and to the Universities Design faculty. This regional epicenter for the creative scene also hosts the best student parties.
- Wirtschaftsförderung Nordschwarzwald
Anyone looking for a comprehensive overview of networks and clusters in the region will find some answers here. The Wirtschaftsförderung Nordschwarzwald gives you access to many exciting funding opportunities and also offers a good overview of potential cooperation partners like the KI-Lab Nordschwarzwald or several cluster initiatives. - EMMA Kreativzentrum Pforzheim
One of the go-to places for creative thinkers and entrepreneurs in the region is the EMMA (@emmapforzheim) which stands out particularly for its specialization in promoting the creative industries. In addition to offices and co-working space, it offers multiple workstations for industrial, jewelry, and fashion design. Tenants at EMMA include the jewelry company INAHA Design and the advertising agency KRAFTJUNGS. The creative after work and various exhibitions offer a good platform for networking. Also: A directory of all (over 600!) creative professionals and companies in the region’s creative industry can be found on their website. - Café Roland
After a visit to EMMA, you only have to walk a few steps to reach another highlight of the startup scene in Pforzheim. A collective of designers runs the Café Roland (@caferoland) which is an excellent meeting point located in the former Alfons-Kern-Turm. It offers a variety of food and drinks as well as workshops, exhibitions, and other events (currently you can help them design the “Rolandbier”). The creative environment offers the perfect place to exchange ideas. - HEED
The Institute for Human Engineering & Empathic Design (in short HEED, @heed.insta) is another great player in the regional startup scene. It supports the entrepreneurial thinking of students and acts as an „innovation laboratory“ that enables students to develop innovative ideas in multidisciplinary teams. They also regularly organize founder talks and similar events with their „starTUB“ format.
Line 17: Enzauenpark and Pforzheim East
A few minutes from the city center you find the Enzauenpark. Located in the industrial east there are also some awesome co-working and networking opportunities.
- Innotec
IT and media startups find their home in the Innotec. The flexible room program of Innotec offers you 25–30 subletting areas which are available at a reasonable price. One condition to rent a space here is that the foundation of your startup does not date back more than 3 years. The regular “IT-Afterwork” offers exciting knowledge about IT topics through its speakers and also a good opportunity to exchange ideas with others. - Digital Hub Nordschwarzwald
The Digital Hub Nordschwarzwald is intended to promote the digitization of the regional economy. If your startup is active in this domain, you might want to get in touch. Free online consultation hours are offered. - Steinbeis-Zentren Unternehmensentwicklung an der Hochschule Pforzheim (SZUE)
The SZUE in Pforzheim was incubated in 2001 and plays an important role in the German startup scene. Lead by Prof. Dr. Barbara Burkhardt-Reich and Prof. Dr. Elke Theobald, the SZUE for example organizes „Start-Up BW Young Talents“ and „Jugend gründet“ which are focussed on supporting young Entrepreneurs. In 2019 Jugend gründet had 4000 participants which developed around 780 business plans.
Line 3: Pforzheim South-West and Dillweißenstein
In the west of Pforzheim, you find parts of the historic city. Right next to the Stadtpark there is the office of the chamber of commerce. The nearby jewelry museum is also worth a visit.
- Industrie- und Handelskammer Nordschwarzwald (IHK)
Sooner or later most founders come into contact with the IHK. Not everyone knows that they offer founders an extensive range of services. In Pforzheim, it’s easy to get in touch with the IHK through the „Existenzgründersprechtag“. Here you are provided with the most basic startup knowledge and financing opportunities. Furthermore, the IHK offers various networking opportunities like the „Business Breakfast“, the „Startup Night“ or the „Women´s Economy Days“.
Regio train S5 to Karlsruhe
Need funding? In just under 30 minutes you can reach Karlsruhe central station. From here it is just a few minutes to the office of First Momentum Ventures. We are a young innovative fund, with a special passion for young startups. Our main goal is to provide young inspiring startups with a first pre-seed investment. Our founders (Andreas Fischer and Sebastian Böhmer) are always happy to get to know you and your ideas, but you can also contact our Pforzheim ambassador Sascha Rudolph anytime! We are really looking forward to hearing from you!
Conclusion
Pforzheim has a lot to offer as a startup location in the south of Germany! Not only because of the favorable rental prices and low costs of living. As an ideal location between two startup metropolises the “Golden City” is also an exciting place for startups outside the jewelry industry. If you decide to start a startup in Pforzheim, you will find many exciting people and a network that feels like a family. Just remember this the next time you are in Stuttgart or Karlsruhe: Pforzheim is also worth a visit!
