Leipzig Opens the Halle 7 Innovation Center for 17.8 Million Euros

Hall 7, a new innovation center for startups and growing technology companies, has been built on the grounds of the Leipzig Cotton Mill. A total of 17.8 million euros was invested in the expansion. In the future, young companies, established businesses, academia, and investors will collaborate across 5,500 square meters. The facility is operated by the startup accelerator SpinLab.

The project, completed within two years, was financed with funds from the “Stadtumbau Ost” program and the City of Leipzig. With this new location, Leipzig aims in particular to support the development of young technology companies and strengthen collaboration between startups and established firms.

5,500 square meters for startup and growth

Hall 7 is located on the grounds of the former Leipzig Cotton Mill, which has evolved over the past decades from an industrial site into an arts and culture district known far beyond the region.

The innovation center now adds another economic focal point. The new spaces are intended not only to provide startups with workspaces but also to create room for development, exchange, and collaboration.

The site is operated by SpinLab. In collaboration with the HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management and the University of Leipzig’s SMILE startup initiative, young companies will be supported from the initial business idea through to scaling up.

The concept relies on bringing together different stakeholders. In addition to startups, established companies, research institutions, and investors are also expected to use the facility.

Strengthening Collaborations Between Startups and Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises

A key focus of Hall 7 is on collaboration between young technology companies and established businesses.

This is intended to give startups easier access to potential customers, development partners, and investors. Among the investors mentioned are the TGFS Technology Start-up Fund Saxony and SIVentures.

For established companies, in turn, the location offers the opportunity to become familiar with new technologies and business models at an early stage and to test them in concrete pilot projects. One tool for this is “venture clienting,” in which companies act as early customers for innovative startups.

Figures from the German Startup Monitor 2026 show that such collaborations are by no means a given. According to the report, the percentage of startups collaborating with established companies has fallen from 61.9 percent in 2024 to 54.1 percent.

“Especially in economically challenging times, innovation must not become a dispensable cost factor,” explains SpinLab founder and CEO Dr. Eric Weber.

Growth as a Key Challenge

In addition to supporting new startups, Hall 7 is specifically aimed at companies that have already achieved initial market success and are on the verge of their next phase of growth.

The focus here is particularly on access to customers, capital, and experienced partners. These factors are often crucial for technology-oriented startups when they want to commercialize their products beyond initial pilot projects and scale them internationally.

SpinLab Managing Director Martin Richter therefore sees Halle 7 as a location where personal connections are intended to lead to concrete business collaborations.

The German federal government and the Free State of Saxony also support this approach. At the opening, the Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany, Elisabeth Kaiser, highlighted the importance of such innovation hubs for the economic development of eastern Germany. Saxony’s Minister President Michael Kretschmer emphasized in particular the role of young companies and small and medium-sized enterprises.

Sunfire and CargoBeamer Receive First ScaleUp Award

As part of the opening ceremony, SpinLab presented the SpinLab ScaleUp Award for the first time. The award went to the Dresden-based hydrogen company Sunfire and the Leipzig-based rail freight specialist CargoBeamer.

Both companies exemplify the transformation of technology-driven startups into internationally active growth companies.

Sunfire develops and manufactures electrolysers for the production of green hydrogen. According to SpinLab, the company employs more than 700 people and has raised over 500 million euros in growth capital to date.

CargoBeamer develops technologies to shift freight transport from road to rail. The Leipzig-based company employs around 160 people and has secured approximately 140 million euros in investment capital.

With this new award, SpinLab aims to raise the profile of successful growth companies from Central Germany.

“The bottleneck lies in the growth phase: Anyone who wants to scale up needs customers, capital, and experienced partners all at the same time,” explains Dr. Marcus Haberstroh, Managing Director of the SpinLab Group.

SpinLab Continues to Expand Its Innovation Network

In addition to its Leipzig location, SpinLab also operates RootCamp in Hanover and ExciteLab in Dresden. As the operator of the Smart Infrastructure Hub Leipzig, the organization is also part of the federal government’s Digital Hub Initiative.

According to its own figures, the startups supported by SpinLab have raised more than 900 million euros in funding to date and created over 3,000 jobs.

With Hall 7, SpinLab is now expanding its physical capacity in Leipzig. The facility is intended, in particular, to strengthen the connection between research, startup creation, and industrial application.

The investment of 17.8 million euros will initially lay the infrastructural groundwork for this. Whether the innovation center will produce additional growth companies in the long term will likely depend above all on how successfully it can bring startups together with paying customers, suitable investors, and industrial development partners.