Venture partnering in focus: Innovators Challenge strengthens regional cooperation

With the Innovators Challenge, L-Bank and WIBank are specifically promoting cooperation between SMEs and start-ups from Baden-Württemberg and Hesse. The aim is to pool innovative strength and drive economic transformation forward together.

Stuttgart / Wiesbaden, August 2024 - The Innovators Challenge, an initiative of L-Bank (Landeskreditbank Baden-Württemberg) and WIBank (Wirtschafts- und Infrastrukturbank Hessen), is entering its hot phase. The aim of the challenge is to tap into new innovation potential through targeted cooperation between SMEs and technology-oriented start-ups. The focus is on topics such as digitalization, sustainability and resilience. The Innovators Challenge relies on venture partnering and venture clienting to support SMEs in their transformation.

This collaboration is a prime example of successful venture partnering. It shows how innovative strength from the start-up world can be integrated into SMEs through targeted collaboration.

Johannes Heinloth, Member of the Board of Management of L-Bank

Strong line-up from the SME sector

Companies such as Paul Bauder GmbH & Co. KG, Festool GmbH, FiMAB GmbH & Co. KG, Koehler Group - Koehler Holding SE & Co. KG, Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente GmbH, SCHARR WÄRME GmbH & Co. KG, Vectorsoft AG, Veltum GmbH and Witzenmann GmbH are taking part in the challenge. At the same time, the selection processes are underway for the suitable start-ups that will present their solutions at Match Day in Frankfurt am Main on November 7, 2024. There, the established companies will meet the start-ups to discuss initial solutions. The participants will be supported by the innovation platforms NXTGN and TechQuartier.

We are delighted that the Innovators Challenge brings companies together across national borders and thus secures the competitiveness of SMEs.

Dr. Michael Reckhard, Member of the Executive Board of WIBank

Following the Match Day, the start-ups will develop tailor-made solution concepts with the continuous involvement of SMEs. The Demo Day on November 21, 2024 in Stuttgart is the highlight of the Innovators Challenge. This is where the start-ups present their results, which in the best-case scenario can go straight into implementation.