Points of contact

The local “ecosystem” may be one of the most important factors to determine whether a start-up thrives or fails. But sometimes you have to look beyond the local horizon to obtain the necessary information, contacts or support. We have put together some links that should be useful for company founders.

Accelerate NRW – Comparison platform for all funding programmes in NRW and overview of all business accelerator programmes.

DigitalHub Funding Advice – Overview of the main programmes and authoritative bodies for digital start-ups.

Existenzgründer.de: Business Model Canvas – Overview of the Business Model Canvas method (identification and elaboration of the key factors of a business model).

Business start-up at a glance – tips and information for the self-employed (FinanceScout24)

Förderland – Funding advice by Förderland, an independent information and news portal for company founders and entrepreneurs.

Founding Guide (Business Development Agency Bochum) – Excellent guide for company founders by our colleagues in Bochum.

“Für Gründer” (“For Founders”) – Overview of business financing options.

Gründerplattform – The “construction kit for your business”. Official platform of the ministry of economics and the KfW which supports start-up projects – from brainstorming to business model and business plan development all the way to funding applications.

Gründerregion Niederrhein – The Gründerregion Niederrhein (Lower Rhine start-up region) is a network that operates in the Rhine district of Neuss, in Mönchengladbach, in the district of Viersen and in Krefeld. More than 20 institutions, associations and bodies support you in setting up your own business, because your success is important to us.

Gründerszene.de – Online magazine for start-ups and the digital economy, with news and background information on investment, VCs and start-ups.

IHK Mittlerer Niederrhein  – Overview of the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s portfolio for founders.

KfW – Product finder and overview of promotional products for start-ups of the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW).

nextMG e.V. – The local start-up and digitisation initiative based on the three pillars foundation, digital transformation and IT education.

NRW.BANK – Overview by NRW.BANK about different forms of funding for business founders, from start-up loans and micro-loans to guarantees and business angel initiatives.

Startercenter NRW – The Startercenters NRW – in Mönchengladbach affiliated with the Middle Lower Rhine chamber of industry and commerce – offer company founders and young entrepreneurs from all sectors free support from a single source. This ranges from initial advice and intensive consulting to financing advice and assistance with all formalities involved in setting up a company.

Wirtschafts-Service-Portal NRW – The Economic Service Portal of the state of NRW, including many digital services for startups (e.g. business registrations).