Cologne university founders' network


The Cologne Business School is a member of the hochschulgründernetz cologne e.V. [Cologne university founders' network] (hgnc), which offers CBS students and alumni free support and consultation for establishing their own business.  In addition to the CBS, the hgnc consists of four further universities, the IHK [Chamber of Industry and Commerce], the Handwerkskammer [Chamber of Handicrafts], the Deutsches Luft- und Raumfahrtzentrum DLR [German Aerospace Center] and the Competition for Founders NUK.

The hgnc offers services such as a ten-part series of seminars, in which the basics on founding a business as well as know-how on finding and focusing ideas, business planning and financial planning but also soft skills such as founder personality, team formation and networks for founders are imparted.

A founders' day for CBS students and alumni from the hgnc universities is held once per semester. In addition to events, the hgnc provides those interested in founding a company free consultation and coaching when preparing business concepts and applying for support programmes such as the EXIST founders' scholarship.

Moreover, regular competitions for company founders such as the "Cologne universities' ideas competition" are held. In addition to know-how and material prizes, you can win up to 1,000 euros in cash in these competitions.

Detailed information about the hochschulgründernetz cologne is available under www.hgnc.de. To view the events calendar including the opportunity to register for individual seminars, click here.

Statement

"When founding and for our stock company's operative processes, I was able to benefit greatly from the practically orientated degree course at the Cologne Business School. Above all, collaboration with real partners in the economy during the course of diverse university projects and the students' company consultancy co:brix helped me considerably here.“

 

Sebastian Zundl, Global Media Digital S.A., Board member, Asunción (Paraguay)

 

Statement

„For me, independency means having the breathing space to be able to form my own ideas and being independent of decisions from "above". However, in addition to all the creative freedom, establishing your own business also requires good organisation and a healthy sense of responsibility because a successfully economic company should be planned with farsightedness. My economics degree course helped me a lot here: how to calculate the necessary company performance figures, what does a meaningful business plan require and how does our economic system actually function? I learnt all of this during my studies and therefore feel well equipped for the future.“

 

Marc Rexroth, Reditum, owner, Köln