The Ruffinihaus Creative Hub at Rindermarkt opened its doors in March 2025 for the third generation of culture and creative companies. A total of 32 companies from areas such as architecture, design, film, art and software are now using the incubator location in the heart of Munich for the next two years. The companies were selected from 102 applications by Kreativ München as part of a two-stage application process.
An incubator for creative entrepreneurs
Ruffinihaus Creative Hub aims to create ideal conditions for the further development of culture and creative industry companies. The focus is on supporting founders, freelancers and entrepreneurs who want to further develop their business models and take the next entrepreneurial step. Participants in the new batch are supported by Kreativ München through consulting, training and networking services as well as the provision of experimentation spaces and events that enable companies to test their business models and gain valuable market experience.
“Ruffinihaus is a place that brings creatives together, makes innovative projects possible and allows ideas for the future to emerge. It is a personal concern of mine to provide affordable and representative spaces for creative professionals. I wish those involved much success. What particularly pleases me: the previous participants have shown that with this support they are able to finance their own offices on the open market afterwards”,
says Jacqueline Charlier, head of municipal administration for the City of Munich, during the official welcome of the new generation.
Networking and collaboration in focus
In addition to individual workspaces in custom-designed offices, Ruffinihaus is also a hub for creative collaboration. Close networking of the different artistic sectors is intended to lead to mutual inspiration and enable valuable meetings and collaborations. Christian Scharpf, the City of Munich’s new head of economic affairs, emphasizes:
“With Ruffinihaus Creative Hub, we offer the culture and creative industries a business incubator that is specifically tailored to their needs. The sector combines aesthetic with economic creativity and provides valuable impulses for Munich as an economic location. The Hub gives the sector greater visibility, individual development opportunities and thus increased growth prospects.”
And Marek Wiechers, city director from the Department of Culture, adds:
“I’m delighted that the third generation of culture and creative professionals can now work in Ruffinihaus. Here new ideas are developed that can lead to wonderful, creative projects. The individually designed offices serve as business cards for the companies, the close interaction of people from different artistic sectors leads to mutual inspiration, to important networks and to valuable encounters. It is a wonderful place of possibilities.”
New residency programme launches
In addition to the new occupancy, a residency programme also starts with the third cycle in cooperation with the Bureau du Design de la Mode et des Métiers d’Art in Paris (BDMMA). As part of this programme, a designer from Paris will be invited to Munich for three months, while a Munich creative professional will take a workspace at the Paris incubator “Les Ateliers de Paris”. Applications for the return visit of a Munich designer are possible until 29 April 2025 via the Kreativ München website.
