The Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft (Donors' Association for the Promotion of Sciences and Humanities in Germany) is using its "Start-up Radar" to examine how universities promote business start-ups. Among the large universities, Technische Universität München (TUM) and Munich University of Applied Sciences (HM) share first place, tied for first place.
A total of 194 universities participated in the "Start-up Radar 2016." This corresponds to approximately half of all universities and approximately two-thirds of all students in Germany. The study evaluates the start-up environment at German universities in four categories:
- Foundation anchoring: How and to what extent is start-up support institutionally anchored?
- Start-up awareness: How and to what extent does the university reach students, doctoral candidates and academic staff?
- Start-up support: How and to what extent does the university support start-up projects?
- Founding activities: How and to what extent does the university generate start-ups?
The sum of the four individual values results in the overall score for each university. The study authors also divided the educational institutions examined into three groups: large (more than 15,000 students), medium-sized (between 5,000 and 15,000 students), and small (fewer than 5,000 students).
“Great success”
The results of the Startup Radar are doubly encouraging from Munich's perspective: With HM and TUM, two Munich universities share first place. The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the University of Potsdam follow in third place, also sharing third place. The Technical University of Berlin takes fifth place.
In view of the two previous studies, the result seems particularly conciliatory: in 2012, HM took first place ahead of TUM, and in 2013, TUM relegated HM to second place. Prof. Dr. Martin Leitner, President of the Munich University of Applied Sciences, is delighted in his own words “very happy about this great, renewed success“ and particularly praises the work of the HM affiliated Entrepreneurship Centers SCE:
"The work of the SCE is essential for the Munich University of Applied Sciences. Through its offerings, our students can develop knowledge, creativity, and innovative strength, even to the point of founding their own company. In this way, the SCE and Munich University of Applied Sciences make an important contribution to society and the economy. The Startup Radar confirms our pioneering position in the German higher education and university landscape."
In a press release, TUM points out that in 2015 alone, the year of the study, more than 70 startups were founded at TUM. Since 1990, more than 800 companies have been established, currently employing more than 14,000 people.
The Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft conducted the study in cooperation with the Heinz Nixdorf Foundation and at the initiative of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). The study "Gründungsradar 2016" is available completely online available.
