NRW: Why the start-up association and NRWalley are parting ways

The BVDS terminates the cooperation with its quasi-state association in Germany's largest state and relaunches its own representation in Düsseldorf. This is just the latest step in a conflict that has been smoldering for some time.

It crunches and creaks in the start-up scene of Germany's largest federal state: Two weeks ago, it became known that the Federal Association of German Startups (BVDS) had terminated its cooperation with NRWalley. Relatively informally, by email to the three directors of the North Rhine-Westphalian association, the Berlin-based organization asked that all references to the cooperation be removed by the end of July.

The letter is the end of a difficult construction, originated during the crisis that the start-up association had gone through in 2019. At that time, NRWalley had split off from the association, but subsequently acted as a quasi-state association. The board members were also supposed to be the state spokespersons for the association in NRW. Now the federal association wants to try again with an official offshoot between Rhine and Ruhr. "For us, this was an idea we had for some time," explains Christoph Stresing, managing director of the start-up association. Now a separate state association is to fight for more attention in Düsseldorf, with more professional structures than NRWalley, which has so far been organized primarily on a voluntary basis.

One point of criticism may also have been the lack of presence in the election campaign in North Rhine-Westphalia this spring, although the startup association has been contradictory on this issue. This could also be due to internal squabbles at NRWalley. Because of an expensive advertising campaign, the members refused to discharge the old board, as among other things OMR reported. A new trio took over, Madeleine Heuts (founder of Raketenstart), Maria Mann (founder of Financery) and Nele Mletschkowsky (founder of Quofox). "We have professionalized the internal processes, talked intensively with the supporting members and are just planning the next months after 3 events", Heuts describes their start. This is actually exactly what the start-up association also wants. So, in the end, is the breakup mainly due to bad timing?

Did NRWalley approach politics too little?

Both sides emphasize that they want to remain in dialogue and that the whole thing should not end up in a duel between the associations in NRW. But still the separation is accompanied by disturbing noises. "It would have been good to talk directly to the new chair beforehand," complains Madeleine Heuts. But before the mail of mid-July, there had been no warning whatsoever that the cooperation would no longer continue. In addition, NRWalley is already addressing some of the points of criticism on its own initiative.

But there are also people in NRW who welcome the move. For example, Timo Marks, founder of the start-ups Onefid and Perfect-ID. Marks was one of the initiators of NRWalley and a board member of the association until he resigned at the beginning of this year due to time constraints, voluntarily, he emphasizes. "As NRWalley board member and state spokesman for the start-up association, I was effectively filling two honorary posts, in addition to my work as a founder," he says. There was hardly any time left for family and friends. But he was still the BVDS state spokesman. And he remains so: along with Sophie Tran (founder of Spotlight Ventures) and consultant Vivian Wilde, he is now one of three state spokespersons appointed by the association independently of NRWalley. "We needed and still need the cooperation with Berlin," he says, explaining the reorganization: "That's where the key decisions are made for startups, for example on topics such as employee participation." In addition, only the professional structure of BVDS allows the office of the state spokesperson to be exercised effectively, even in an honorary capacity.

Marks' seamless transition between structures nevertheless generates some grumbling in the NRWalley environment. Especially since he had been responsible for communication between BVDS and NRWalley. "I don't know what he communicated to Berlin, of course," says Madeleine Heuts. "But we certainly exchanged ideas with politicians in NRW, we had a meeting with Andreas Pinkwart right after he took office, for example," she says. Accusations against which the founder defends himself: "I always told the new board to approach the startup association in Berlin, talk to them." That the debate is now shifting to a personal level, he feels, is inappropriate. "We are focusing on representing the interests of startups and making a contribution to making NRW more attractive as a startup location. That is our main focus," he says.

Both associations continue

So where do things go from here in North Rhine-Westphalia? Both associations emphasize that they do not want to get in each other's way. NRWalley definitely wants to continue. "After all, we have the same mission, to promote startups and foundations," says Madeleine Heuts. "The more offerings there are, the better for the ecosystem.". Stresing from the Start-up Association also stresses that there should be no confrontation. "With the realignment, we are creating a local presence in NRW. We see that as an advantage," he says. "In the end, we want to set up the structures as professionally as this federal state deserves," he explains.

At NRWalley, they are convinced that their regional focus will be enough to prevail. They want to focus less on topics like research and more on working closely with founders, he says. Supporting female founders, founders with a migration background or those from the LGBTQIA+ community should be a focus. "Even in other industries, after all, there are several associations with different focuses," Heuts said.