Founders Foundation
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    FOUNDERS IN OWL

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    For startup teams establishing their product in the market

    EDTECH NEXT

    For foundes in the education market

    EDTECH NEXT ACADEMY
    For future founders who want to change the education market

    EDTECH NEXT INCUBATOR

    For EdTech startup teams developing their idea further

    THE STARTUP JOURNEY

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Company Profile

The Founders Foundation trains the next generation of successful founders and builds a B2b startup ecosystem with lasting impact, right in the heart of the German Mittelstand.

As pioneers in the training of founders, the Founders Foundation relies on the Education Model, a holistic and methodologically profound model that systematically maps all stages of the startup lifecycle throughout various education programs so that tomorrow’s entrepreneurs can be prepared

We are the soil in which successful entrepeneurs can grow. As a pilot project for Germany, we advance the creation of a B2B startup ecosystem in Ostwestfalen-Lippe – a region without large conurbations –  that promotes startups and makes the successful union of New and Old Business possible, and, in turn, shapes a digital future. In this context, the Hinterland of Things was launched as one of Germany’s leading tech conferences.

As a non-profit organization, the core of the Foundation’s efforts is a success- and impactful cultivation of tomorrow’s founders. The Founders Foundation was founded in 2016 in Bielefeld. One of the leading founders was Dominik Gross, now the sole CEO of the Foundation.

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OUR HISTORY

The Founders Foundation was founded in 2016 as a non-profit subsidiary of the Bertelsmann Stiftung by Sebastian Borek (Co-Founder & CEO) and Dominik Gross (Co-Founder & CFO). Since then, we have been able to achieve much:

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.

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.

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Hinterland of Things Conference by Founders Foundation

As one of the leading tech conferences in Germany, the Hinterland of Things conference is the Founders Foundation’s established lighthouse project.

Once a year, Germany’s most outstanding innovators and aspiring and successful founders, Hidden Champions and global market leaders, investors and opinion makers, get together in one of Bielelfeld’s premier creative locations, the “Lokschuppen”, to discuss, to network, and to forge alliances for a collective digital future.

Up to 1.500 participants, as well as over 120 Venture Capitalists, joined the 2020 conference. Annually, the event reaches up to 14 million people via print, tv and web.

More on the Hinterland of Things

Alliance Partners

In our Hinterland Alliance, both leading companies and Hidden Champions from the region get together with international top players.

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Learn More About Us

Browse our site and find out 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

Our Journey

The history and and evolution of the Founders Foundation

Experience our history

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

You Have Questions?
Talk to us!

We are happy to answer your questions about our programs, our mission and the events we are hosting.

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33602 Bielefeld

info@foundersfoundation.de

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