Start-up spirit & Service for entrepreneurs at CBS

Start-up spirit on our campuses

Entrepreneurship is on the rise in Germany and more and more students are interested in entrepreneurial activities. Anyone who wants to found their own company or join a start-up needs comprehensive business knowledge. CBS promotes the start-up spirit on campus by implementing subjects such as "Creative Thinking & Innovation" or the "Digital Start-up Lab" in its study curriculum. In addition, we offer entrepreneurs support through our start-up service, numerous events in the Gateway university network and various financing options, such as the EXIST start-up grant. If you are interested in founding a company, the CBS family is the right place for you!

CBS as Gateway University Cologne

It always starts with an idea. But when it comes to realising this idea, many questions arise: How does it become a business model? What qualities do you need to found a company? And how can business partners, financiers and potential customers be inspired by this idea?

As part of the Gateway Gründungsnetz e.V., CBS offers support for students from the Cologne region who are interested in starting a business. Since 2023, we have been the first private university to become an official Gateway University in Cologne. Together with the University of Cologne, the Cologne University of Applied Sciences, the Cologne Sport University and the Rheinische Hochschule Köln, we offer students and alumni free support and advice on setting up their own start-ups. Various partners such as the IHK, Sparkasse KölnBonn, NRW.Bank, Kreissparkasse and Köln.Business Wirtschaftsförderung have joined forces with the start-up services of the five gateway universities in Cologne to provide founders with the best possible starting conditions for their business start-up.

picture for networking event named skills meet start up

Skill Meets Startup: Your Springboard into the Startup World

Do you have an innovative idea and want to start your own business? At "Skill Meets Startup," you'll find the expertise you need! This event connects aspiring entrepreneurs with experienced startups from the Cologne region, offering a platform for networking, learning, and growth.

Whether you're looking for inspiration, aiming to acquire valuable skills, or seeking a strong team, you'll find everything you need to take your startup project to the next level. Experts from various industries, mentors, and investors are ready to share their experiences and provide you with valuable advice.

Take advantage of this opportunity to network with like-minded people and take the first step into the startup world. Skill Meets Startup: Where ideas meet support and know-how!

CONNECT NOW!

EXIST start-up grant

As one of 5 gateway universities in Cologne, CBS International Business School offers scholarships to academic founders via its EXIST start-up service. The programme focuses on start-up formats with an innovative character. Start-up coach Stefanie Pies provides advice and support in discussing the idea as well as in its design and implementation and guides the founders through the application process. Many professors such as CBS President Prof. Dr. Anja Karlshaus also support the project and make themselves available as mentors.

As part of EXIST Women, a pilot project has been launched in 2024 by the project management organisation PTJ (Project Management Centre Jülich, based in Berlin), through which the CBS International Business School is supporting 10 women interested in founding a company with a three-month scholarship and many input-rich workshops and networking events.

Founders Factory @CBS

Are you a student at CBS and interested in founding a start-up? Then join the Founders Factory and network with other students. The aim of the student initiative is to exchange knowledge with each other, help each other with the start-up process and exchange ideas with entrepreneurs or mentors. Are you interested in becoming part of the Founders factory? Get in touch with the responsible persons at foundersfactory@cbs.de or contact them via the corresponding LinkedIn group.

Stefanie Pies

CBS Start-up Coach

Geschäftsstelle Gateway-Gründungsnetz e.V.

"Make ideas work" is the credo of the Gateway University Network. Stefanie Pies supports CBS students as a start-up coach to help them realise their ideas. Whether it's finding suitable financing, building a network or acquiring important skills for setting up a company, Stefanie always has an open ear for the students. In addition to her advisory work, she organises events such as the start-up talk and other exciting formats in collaboration with the start-up services of the other Gateway universities. At the website of the Gateway Gründungsnetz e.V. you can find further announcements about events organised by our network partners and interesting links on the topic of start-ups.

Email: s.pies@cbs.de

Phone: +49 (0) 0221 931809-875

Prof. Dr. Ulrich Anders

Professor of Strategic Management

Managing Director Gateway Gründungsnetz e.V.

The CBS has several experienced professors who explicitly support students with start-up projects as part of entrepreneurship lectures. Prof. Dr. Ulrich Anders, Professor of Strategic Management at CBS, deals with topics such as business planning and business start-ups in his teaching and research. On his homepage, those interested in founding a company can find practical tools such as an easy-to-use business planner or a canvas for creating pitch decks.

Events for Entrepreneurs

Köln

Von Content DStrategy zu Content Creation

28. November 2024 | 10:00 - 14:00

Ziel des Workshops ist es, dass du eine klare Vorstellung bekommst, wie du deine Content Strategie aufbaust und selbst engaging Content erstellst.

Online

OKR – Objectives & Key Results – Strukturierte Unternehmensziele für Erfolg

4. December 2024 | 13:00 - 16:00

Diese Methode aus der agilen Arbeitswelt zeigt euch, wie ihr Ziele motivierend formuliert und wie ihr sie messbar umsetzt.

Online

Optimiere deine Marketingstrategien mit intelligenten Tools und KI

13. December 2024 | 14:00 - 14:00

Adressiere gekonnt deine Zielgruppe: In diesem interaktiven Workshop geht es um die Erarbeitung eines Workflows für strategisches Marketing anhand einer fiktiven Case Study oder einem echten Beispiel, was du mitbringen kannst.

Online

Die Kunst der Zielgruppenansprache

16. December 2024 | 12:00 - 14:00

Dieser Vortrag taucht tief in die Welt der Zielgruppenanalyse ein, um die Werkzeuge und Einsichten zu bieten, die ihr benötigt, um eure Zielgruppen effektiv zu verstehen und anzusprechen.

Online

Von Seed bis IPO

15. January 2025 | 16:00 - 18:00

Entdecke die Welt der Startup-Finanzierung und lerne die unterschiedlichen Finanzierungsmodelle für Startups kennen.

Online

Finanzierung und Finanzplanung

16. January 2025 | 12:00 - 14:00

Ich möchte gründen, aber wie viel Kapital brauche ich eigentlich dafür und woher kommt es?

Online

Freiberufler:innen - Selbstständige eigener Art

21. January 2025 | 16:00 - 18:00

Was genau bedeutet eigentlich Freiberuflichkeit?

Köln

Validierung des Geschäftsmodells

13. February 2025 | 17:00 - 20:00

Die Idee für eine Gründung ist da, doch was nun? Hier gibt es Antwort auf deine Fragen!

Online

Personal Brand(ing) für Gründer:innen

17. February 2025 | 16:30 - 18:30

Als Gründer:in ist dein Netzwerk das wertvollste Gut. Arbeite mit Silke Koza an deiner Personal Brand, für mehr Sichtbarkeit auf LinkedIn.

Stimm- und Sprechtraining

26. February 2025 | 9:30 - 12:00

Lerne nachhaltige Werkzeuge kennen, mit denen du deine Stimme und Sprechweise in unterschiedlichen Situationen souverän einsetzen kannst.

MODIFOX

Devin Agca

Changing shoes quickly and easily between indoors and outdoors - Devin Agca from MODIFOX has designed and patented a shoe with an interchangeable sole.

His founding team has designed a shoe with double sole technology that you simply slide into - without the hassle of tying laces. This makes it super comfortable to use from slipper to street shoe, with stylish colours to boot.

Devin recently proved that the shoe can withstand any strain at the Malta Marathon. Go, go, go MODIFOX!

FLOREL

Katharina Marie Tesch

As a florist's daughter and sister, Katharina fell in love with flowers at an early age.

But her heart beats just as much for sustainability. That's why she asked herself how to make bouquets last longer. The answer: plant them and sell them in a bouquet!

She studied business psychology at CBS International Business School in order to further her career as an entrepreneur in this field.

In the meantime, Katharina has moved to Innsbruck. She stays business manager at Florel and her brother runs the business from Germany.

We are always delighted to be able to present your floral splendour at our internal events!

Naturzeit.Club

Alexander Root

Experiences in nature are formative and the greatest stimulus both for children's development and for adults. Playful group experiences weld children together. Not only do new friendships develop, but also new motor skills and a sensitivity for the environment and fellow human beings.

This is why Alexander Root has made it his mission to open up a green space for more creativity, play and fun for children throughout the Rhineland with special nature experiences.

In a world of increasing digitalisation, he believes it is essential to offer and strengthen "offline togetherness".

Alexander is therefore rarely to be found in the office, but sometimes on the big stages: In November 2023, he spoke for GREATOR. Congratulations on this success!

CAJU

Felix Löhr

"We want to maximise local cashew processing in West Africa in order to increase farmers' income and support the rural economy."

Together with founder Robert, Felix is committed to the fair trade of cashews and now markets the delicious varieties of CAJUs not only in a wide variety of cafés, at exhibitions and trade fairs in the Rhineland, but also throughout Germany and Austria and soon, most recently, in supermarkets.

Snack the world a little bit better!