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OUR HISTORY

How It All Started

The Founders Foundation was founded by Sebastian Borek (Cofounder) and Dominik Gross (Cofounder & Managing Director) in 2016 as a non-profit subsidiary of the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

The driving force behind our foundation was the willigness to train a new generation of visionary founders, to use all the potential of the Ostwestfalen-Lippe region, and to increase startup affinity outside of Germany’s big metropolitan areas.

We have accomplished much since our foundation:

05 I 2015
Startschuss der Idee

Entwicklung des Konzepts und der Strategie im Projekt "Fostering Innovative Entrepreneurship" unter der Leitung von Dominik Gross und Jörg Dräger.

02 I 2016
Historie Gründung Founders Foundation
Gründung der Founders Foundation

Gründung der Founders Foundation gGmbH durch Sebastian Borek, Dominik Gross und der Bertelsmann Stiftung.

05 I 2016
Das erste Büro

Bezug des ersten Büros “Founders Space” mit 4 Mitarbeiter:innen.

08 I 2016
Die ersten Startups

Die ersten fünf Gründerteams nehmen an unserem Accelerator teil und erste Community Events finden statt.

 

04 I 2017
Startup Region OWL gestartet

Start des #DWNRW Projekts Startup Region OWL, gefördert durch das Land NRW. Die Initiative vernetzt die regionalen Player und schafft Transparenz. 

 

04 I 2017
Meilenstein für unsere Startups

Erstes Startup Funding von externen Investor:innen in sechsstelliger Höhe.

07 I 2017
Eröffnung des Pioneers Club

Anstoß des Pioneers Club, einem Co-Working Space auf 1.200 m² für Mittelstand, Startups und Digital-Expert:innen.

 

02 I 2018
All Eyes on the Hinterland

Die erste Hinterland of Things Conference mit 530 Teilnehmer:innen findet im Ringlokschuppen Bielefeld statt.

 

11 I 2018
Aus den Kinderschuhen gewachsen

Umzug in das neue Founders Home, das Gründerzentrum über 4 Etagen und 2.500 m²  im Herzen der Bielefelder Altstadt.

02 I 2019
Das Hinterland wächst

Auf der zweiten Hinterland of Things Conference kamen 1.300 Teilnehmer:innen, 43 Speaker:innen, über 300 Gründer:innen und 80 Investor:innen zusammen.

07 I 2019
Open Innovation City

Die erste Open Innovation City Deutschlands wird mit starken Netzwerkpartner:innen ins Leben gerufen.

 

09 I 2019
Peter Altmaier
Besuch Peter Altmaier

Wirtschaftsminister Peter Altmaier schaute sich bei seinem Besuch in der Founders Foundation an, wie wir ein B2B Startup Ökosystem aufbauen und aufstrebende Gründer:innen fördern.

02 I 2020
Hinterland of Things
Dritte Runde Hinterland

Die dritte Hinterland of Things Conference verbindet über 420 Startups, 150 Future Founder, 500 Corporates und 150 Investor:innen.

01 I 2021
Livestream
Remote Events

Mit einem voll ausgestatteten Livestreaming Setup trotzen wir der Corona Pandemie und realisieren unsere Formate und externe Veranstaltungen digital oder hybrid.

02 I 2021
Meilenstein in der Gründerregion
Zu unserem 5-jährigen Jubiläum ziehen wir ein Fazit: Seit unserer Gründung ist das regionale Startup Ökosystem erstmals auf über 200 Startups angewachsen.
04 I 2022
Die Zukunft der Bildung

Gefördert durch das MWIKE setzen wir, gemeinsam mit Eduvation, Ostwestfalen-Lippe als Education Technology Hotspot auf die internationale Landkarte.

06 l 2022
Hinterland#22
Nach einer coronabedingten Pause sind wir in einer neuen Sommeredition endlich wieder auf der Hinterland of Things Conference im Lokschuppen in Bielefeld zusammen gekommen.
09 | 2022
Startup Monitor OWL 2022
Startup Monitor OWL
Mit Unterstützung durch den deutschen Startup Verband und PwC veröffentlichen wir eine detaillierte Analyse der Startup-Aktivitäten in der Region.
10 l 2022
EdTech Next startet durch

Es ist soweit: EdTech Next startet mit der ersten EdTech Next Academy und dem EdTech Next Summit - Big things coming!

10 | 2022
Arbeiten Startup
E-Learning Plattform Launch
Für eine Blended Learning Experience launchen wir unseren ersten E-Learning Kurs für die Startup School und EdTech Next Academy.
12 | 2022
Pitch Day Hoch Zwei

Nach coronabedingter Pause heißt es endlich wieder Pitch Day, das große Abschluss Event unserer Early Stage Startup Programme.

06 l 2022
Hinterland#23

Die Hinterland of Things Conference feiert Geburtstag! Das 5. mal kommen über 1500 Teilnehmer:innen nach Bielefeld.

05 I 2015
Starting the idea

Development of the concept and strategy in the project "Fostering Innovative Entrepreneurship" under the leadership of Dominik Gross and Jörg Dräger.

02 I 2016
Historie Gründung Founders Foundation
Establishment of the Founders Foundation

Founders Foundation gGmbH founded by Sebastian Borek, Dominik Gross and the Bertelsmann Stiftung.

05 I 2016
First office

Move into the first office "Founders Space" with 4 employees.

08 I 2016
The first startups

The first five founding teams participate in our Accelerator and the first community events take place.

04 I 2017
Startup Region OWL started

Launch of the #DWNRW project Startup Region OWL, funded by the state of NRW. The initiative networks regional players and creates transparency. 

04 I 2017
Milestone for our startups

First startup funding from external investors in the six-figure range.

07 I 2017
Opening of the Pioneers Club

Kick-off of the Pioneers Club, a co-working space on 1,200 m² for SMEs, startups and digital experts.

02 I 2018
All eyes on the Hinterland

The first Hinterland of Things conference with 530 participants takes place in the Ringlokschuppen Bielefeld.

11 I 2018
Grown from infancy

Move to the new Founders Home, the start-up center over 4 floors and 2,500 m² in the heart of Bielefeld's old town.

02 I 2019
The hinterland grows

The second Hinterland of Things conference brought together 1,300 participants, 43 speakers, over 300 founders and 80 investors.

07 I 2019
Open Innovation City

Germany's first Open Innovation City is launched with strong network partners.

09 I 2019
Peter Altmaier
Visit Peter Altmaier

During his visit to the Founders Foundation, Economics Minister Peter Altmaier took a look at how we are building a B2B startup ecosystem and supporting aspiring founders.

02 I 2020
Hinterland of Things
Third round hinterland

The third Hinterland of Things conference connects over 420 startups, 150 Future Founders, 500 Corporates and 150 Investor:ins.

07 I 2020
Start of our Executive Education

Launch of Executive Education formats to complement the holistic Founders Foundation Education Model. 

01 I 2021
Livestream
Remote Events

With a fully equipped livestreaming setup, we are starting to offer many of our formats as well as external events as remote events. 

02 I 2021
Milestone in the start-up region

On our 5th anniversary, we draw a conclusion: since our founding, the regional startup ecosystem has grown to over 200 startups for the first time.

Our History

"To reject risk is the greatest risk for a company"

- Reinhard Mohn

Reinhard Mohn, the founder of the Bertelsmann Stiftung, understood early on that adaptability and risk are both a natural part of conducting business.

In an age defined by exponential technological progress, the skill to adapt to market situations is key to secure long-term competitiveness. Reinhard Mohn embodied this principle in his entrepeneurial activities.

At the same time, the German entrepeneurial culture has been changing increasingly. Young, talented entrepreneurs were leaving remote regions to move into major cities where they could make use of the infrastructure and the cultural und educational opportunities to further their careers and their personal character growth.

The Big Idea Behind the Project

Reinhard Mohn’s visionary ideas combined with the situation that talented tech founders have been leaving non-urban areas, were the key factors for the Bertelsmann Stiftung to launch the Founders Foundation.

For the Mohn family, promoting entrepreneurial action combined with a responsibility towards society is a matter of the heart – as imagined by founder Reinhard Mohn himself.

By creating the Founders Foundation as a pilot project for Germany and investing into the region of Ostwestfalen-Lippe, the Mohn family, as a family with a long entrepeneurial tradition, demonstrates that they are more than willing to take up their societal responsibility .

Supporting Individual Talents

In the spirit of this idea, the non-profit organization’s foundational team, consisting of Dominik Gross and Sebastian Borek, has always made the support of talented entrepreneurs the center of its efforts, right from the beginning.

The beneficiaries of our support are not the startups in themselves but the individual talents behind them – we want them to achieve their personal potential. The founders foundations trains talents, supports their ideas and helps with problem scenarios. Using this approach, entrepeneurship and startup formation become tangible and learnable skills.

Bielefeld As a Blueprint For Other Regions

We are working to make Bielefeld the forefront of promoting and connecting outstanding tech talents. To give startups support that is both long-term and extends beyond local limits, we want to make the region a best practice example for other startup locations.

For this purpose, we are building an extensive ecosystem as a blueprint for other regions.

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Anniversary – #5yrsFF

It has been five years since our founders Sebastian Borek & Dominik Gross launched the Founders Foundation together with the Bertelsmann Stiftung. Ever since, we have been able to realize and initiate many great projects.

We are incredibly thankful to all companions, founders and visionary talents who are walking this journey with us and are helping us fulfil our mission.

Five years were only the first chapter – there are more and  greater stories to come!

Why Bielefeld?

Startup formations are clustered in metropolitan areas such as Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich. For founders, these cities provide both an attractive infrastructure and proximity to other startups.

This leads to regions outside of major conurbations being overtaken, altough they are home to many established global players and potential customers to startups.

In Ostwestfalen-Lippe, the Founders Foundation has made the consolidation, development, and support of local talent its mission. That way, the region’s strength can be leveraged in a unique B2B startup ecosystem – because Bielefeld is the beating heart of the German Mittelstand.

We are living in one of Germany’s most exciting B2B regions – 120.00 companies are calling the region their home, among them countless Hidden Champions who are just waiting to be discovered.

We support local founders and connect them with experienced players from the German Mittelstand so that they can launch visionary projects which strengthen the impact and competetiveness of regions outside of major conurbations.

Learn More About Us

Browse our site and learn more about us.

FOUNDERS FAMILY

The people behind the brand

Get to know the team

More Than a Job

Your future career at the Founders Foundation

Check out the job postings

MANAGEMENT

Maker and visionaries

Get to know our decision makers

THE FOUNDERS HOME

The hub of our network and home of the founder spirit.

Discover our home

INFORMATION FOR PRESS & NEWS AGENCIES

The most important facts at a glance

Press and Media Services

You Have Questions?
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33602 Bielefeld

info@foundersfoundation.de

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