Science & Startups

Science & Startups is the joint startup service of the Berlin University Alliance partners. Together, we support students, researchers and alumni in turning research-driven ideas and innovations into scalable and responsible startups. Our services span the entire innovation journey, including business model advisory, an entrepreneurship academy, mentoring from science and industry, access to funding such as EXIST, BSS and venture capital, intellectual property transfer, and laboratory infrastructure. Through the shared platform matchem, we also enable the search for co-founders and early team members.

With access to more than 1,700 mentors and a community of over 130,000 potential co-founders within the BUA partner universities, we contribute to building an internationally visible and inclusive startup ecosystem grounded in cutting-edge research, while actively engaging with the ethical and societal implications of emerging technologies. To fulfill its central role in Berlins startup ecosystem, Science & Startups also creates thematic launchpads to provide even more targeted support to founders and startups. These include AI NATION, xG-Incubator, Leap and greenCHEM.

UNITE

UNITE is an ambitious, cross-sector initiative that aims to establish Europe’s largest startup center for science-based entrepreneurship in the heart of Berlin. UNITE brings together key stakeholders from academia, industry and government to mobilize the city’s vast research potential into high-impact innovation. With a digital-first infrastructure and entrepreneurial governance model, UNITE accelerates talent development, startup incubation and ecosystem integration through seven dedicated units: Talents, Education, Programs, Funding, Infrastructure, Marketing and Think Tank.

innovate! lab gGmbH

Recently launched in 2025, innovate! lab gGmbH is a new initiative driving sustainable innovation at the intersection of research and industry—one of Berlin’s latest contributions to its ever-evolving ecosystem of entrepreneurship and scientific excellence. Backed by the Berlin University Alliance and the Joachim Herz Foundation, the lab is testing a novel “push-and-pull” model of research transfer, where breakthroughs in chemical research meet real-world industrial needs to create viable, sustainable technologies. innovate! lab offers agile conditions for exploring how to effectively support complex innovation processes, making it an exciting opportunity for researchers eager to be part of Berlin’s dynamic innovation landscape.

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