The Global Entrepreneurship Centre is an international scaling centre that invests in startups having a clear focus on Sustainability, Climate protection and Circularity. The GEC programmes are designed for promising sustech companies at different stages of their scaling journey, and support startups in reaching professionalized operations and long-term commercial success. The GEC also provides a pipeline of de-risked Sustech startups and co-investment opportunities in the fields of Agriculture & food, textiles, energy, mobility, building & living.

NRW.BANK is the state development bank of North Rhine-Westphalia. Its mission is to support its owner – the state of North Rhine-Westphalia – in the completion of its structural and economic policy tasks. For this purpose NRW.BANK uses a wide range of promotion tools – from lowinterest promotion loans to equity financing to advisory services. It cooperates with all banks and savings banks based in NRW on a competition neutral basis. The clients of NRW.BANK benefit from favorable conditions as well as from long maturities and fixed interest periods. Regional seed funds and the “NRW.BANK.Venture Fund” support early-stage financing in NRW. Young high-tech companies are promoted with up to five million euros. In addition to that the NRW.BANK provides contacts to private investors within the “win Business Angels initiative”. Furthermore there is the “NRW.BANK.Venture Center”, a unit specialized in advising technology-oriented founders in universities and research institutions.

BRYCK is the new innovation hub and future factory at the heart of the Ruhr area. BRYCK creates a space for aspiring founders, growing startups, progressive scientists, accelerating VCs, corporate innovators and supportive startup hubs, networks and acceleration-programs. However, BRYCK is more than just a space to work in: we are building a community of people with passion, with expertise, with visions and ideas. We want to amplify what's already successful and co-create what's still needed. Collaboration is the heart of our mission.

As the central point of contact and service for the economy, the EWG - Essen Economic Development Agency promotes entrepreneurial commitment in Essen. With our range of services, we help to secure and create jobs in Essen and to constantly improve the framework conditions for the commercial success of Essen's economy. Whether for investment or expansion projects at the location, official approval procedures, questions about public subsidy programs, the establishment of international cooperation or when looking for real estate and land - we advise and support you with your projects - competently, confidentially and quickly. Numerous partners from business, associations and institutions, politics and administration are at our side. Together we form a strong network for your entrepreneurial success.

The RAG-Stiftung is a private foundation that was established in 2007. At the beginning of 2019, the RAG-Stiftung took over the responsibility for financing the perpetual obligations of the German hard coal mining industry in the Ruhr and Saar regions and in Ibbenbüren. In addition, the RAG-Stiftung supports numerous projects in the areas of education, science and culture in order to promote progress in the former mining regions. Further information on the RAG-Stiftung is available at: www.rag-stiftung.de

Evonik stands for attractive business and innovative prowess. Our corporate culture is geared toward results, profitable growth, and increasing the value of the company. Operating in over 100 countries, we benefit from close customer relationships and leading market positions. Over 32,000 employees are united by the understanding that no product is so perfect that you can't make it better.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Action and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, focus on key issues that define the future: we are pushing ahead with the digital transformation of state government services and support businesses on their path into the digital age. When it comes to the energy transition, we are banking on innovation and technological advances in the pursuit of our aim to turn North Rhine-Westphalia into Europe’s most modern, climate-friendly and environmentally sustainable centre of industry. North Rhine-Westphalia is Germany's most populous state and also the most densely populated region. In 2021 the state in west Germany generated 21 percent of the national GDP, topping all other states. The economy of North Rhine-Westphalia is extremelly well connected internationally with a global focus.