Founding a business does not happen overnight. Planning, perseverance, and courage are required. Through WERK:RAUM, students and employees alike receive support by THWS. What exactly is WERK:RAUM, and what are the prerequisites to start a business?
Children learn at an early age how important good ideas are: In many episodes of the series “Vicky the Viking”, Vicky, the sharp son of Viking chief Halvar, proves how helpful clever ideas can be. But ingenuity and considerations are useful beyond the world of cinema and TV. THWS students and employees alike have also achieved great innovative steps over the past years. “We currently know of 150 businesses who have started their journey – or part of it – at THWS”, says Monika Waschik, research associate at the EntrepreneurSHIP project.
The new start-up lab WERK:RAUM focuses on this special entrepreurial spirit. According to THWS start-up consultant and project coordinator Ulrike Machalett-Gehring, start-up activities of students and THWS employees are to be supported already at the early pre-founding stage.
The WERK:RAUM project started in September 2021. The project receives funding by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research amounting to 1.9 million euros over the course of four years. “The focus lies on creating supportive structures at THWS for the early pre-founding stage of businesses”, Professor Dr. Jan Schmitt, head of the project, explains. With his team, he decided to split the basic concept of WERK:RAUM into three modules: First MACH:werk, meaning the actual work spaces of WERK:RAUM, second is TRIEB:werk which acts as coordinating body for start-up activities, and third is TRAG:werk which pools the topics of the start-up consultancy. Professor Dr. Schmitt and his team aim to provide a space for all innovators at THWS.
Ideas can come to life in creative rooms and maker spaces
Due to its name, “WERK:RAUM”, meaning workroom, one might expect that the place is only one room. But not at all: The start-up lab extends across four floors. An individual category was assigned to each floor. On the ground floor there is a welcoming area with lounge, kitchen, and office space. The next floor offers creative spaces for small groups to work on innovative ideas. However, larger groups are not an issue. A room with a grandstand offers plenty of space.
Taking the stairs up to the second floor, you will find rooms offering various technical devices. Here, prospective founders can find all they need to create prototypes of their innovative ideas: Measuring devices, tools, sensors, drills, milling machines, and a soldering station. “In Schweinfurt, we lay special focus on the topics of digitisation and robotics”, says Professor Dr. Schmitt. Therefore, the makerspace floor is generously equipped with the exact same technical devices and tools that are used in industry. In addition, this level of the building offers a mechanical workshop where all ideas can be shaped into prototypes made of wood, fabric, or sheet metal.
The third floor provides creative space, also for larger groups. One of the highlights is the so-called “swing room”: A room full of swings. “From the rooms I expect a central meeting place where people can exchange their ideas without taking administrative hurdles.” says Professor Dr. Schmitt.
In addition to offering creative spaces, WERK:RAUM, by itself or in cooperation with external partners, organises events on the topic of innovative ideas. Professor Dr. Schmitt describes the offers using the words: “from and within teaching”. Internal offers include workshops like Agile Project Management, Design Thinking, and Green Start-Ups. Projects like the Campus Start-Up Night or KickStart@FHWS are also part of this category.
The Fempreneur event caters to female innovators in particular. It aims to support and prepare the target group for overcoming possible obstacles. Professor Dr. Schmitt also sees the need to increase the share of women in technical degree programmes. Besides numerous events, the team of WERK:RAUM directly provides prospective start-up founders with advice and help.
Being part of a network is particularly important during the start-up phase
Founding a business can often be complicated and overpowering. Thus, it is all the more important to be part of an experienced community that can help with questions. Dr. Gerhard Frank, project manager at the Centre for Innovations and Start-Ups (IGZ) in Würzburg shares this opinion. When asked about important prerequisites for starting a business, he mentions having the right team and two more words: Idea and market. “What I mean is that having a good idea is important, but first, what needs to be checked is if it is marketable”, he emphasises. The best way to achieve this is by researching potential customers and analysing the competition.
Dr. Frank at the IGZ meets many students who wish to start a business for the first time in their lives. Often they lack experience in developing software or when it comes to economic and legal topics. “In such cases, being part of a network is always helpful”, Frank confirms.
This may include help for complementing the team, simply experiences gathered on the market, customer analyses or tips on how to overcome personal inhibitions. Dr. Frank adds: “Through the start-up ecosystem here in the Mainfranken region, there are great chances for starting a successful business.”
A Big Player: The region start-up scene does not have to hide
Besides the WERK:RAUM project, many start-up initiatives have been formed in the greater Würzburg area. In addition to the EntrepreneurSHIP project team at THWS, some players outside of the academic environment cooperate closely. Among them are the IGZ, the Centre for Digital Innovations Mainfranken (ZDI), the Centre for Technology and Start-Ups (TGZ) in Würzburg, and many other stakeholders behind “Gründen@Würzburg” According to Dr. Gerhard Frank, the initiative tries to promote the start-up scene in Würzburg and the region through various offers. He mentions events like the Würzburg Start-Up Award, the MobileMediaDay with the Start-Up-City, the Würzburg Accelerator by the ZDI or the Founder’s Regulars' Table (“Gründerstammtisch”). At the latter, up to 80 start-up personalities, young entrepreneurs, and those interested in starting a business meet every other month to exchange views.
THWS students found businesses in a variety of fields
Frank knows many start-ups founded by THWS students. As project manager at the IGZ, he has been supporting many university projects since 2012. “Many THWS start-ups are doing really well”, Dr. Frank commends. The industries or genres in which businesses are founded are highly diverse. From software development over healthcare and metrology to services, robotics, and Industry 4.0. He has many tips for prospective founders: First research the topic and your target group in detail, network, get help and collect feedback, show courage and be fearless.
No matter which future start-up ideas students or THWS employees may have, they are all welcome at WERK:RAUM: “We wish to support all, even if they only come up with a small spark of innovation”, Professor Dr. Jan Schmitt says about thefuture outlook of the project. Because it is the idea, the vision and the fire burning behind it, that are most important when starting a business.
