XSF — Gateway Factory

The startup factory for deep tech startups in the Rhineland

The Gateway Factory is the growth partner for Europe's deep-tech start-ups in the decisive pre-scaling phase. The Startup Factory from the Rhineland connects cutting-edge research with SMEs and corporates, opens up access to capital, customers, mentors and markets and provides a real infrastructure advantage: production and laboratory infrastructure that turns ideas into resilient companies more quickly. With programs such as „Ready to Scale“ and a clear focus on the four verticals Future Health & Life Sciences, Future Computing & Engineering, Sustainable Infrastructures and Future Regulatory Demands, the Gateway Factory accelerates traction and growth.

Vision

The Gateway Factory pursues the vision of creating „DeepTech Champions Made in Europe“, i.e. supporting science-based technologies from Europe in such a way that they become internationally successful, scalable companies. In concrete terms, this means that the Gateway Factory will become the central contact point and growth engine for deep tech by bringing together research, industry and capital and closing the gap between growth and scaling („Valley of Death“).

Bridge between science and business

The Gateway Factory combines the technological expertise of RWTH Aachen University, the strengths of Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, particularly in life sciences, as well as the management and financial expertise of the University of Cologne and the Gateway Universities Cologne with the scaling know-how of the Start2 Group. Together with strong industry and business partners from SMEs, VCs and corporations, this creates a powerful interface between research, industry and start-ups: from the validation of real needs, pilot projects and references to the first customers, financing and scaling.

Mission and goals

Part of the Gateway Factory's dual mission is to strengthen Europe's deep-tech start-ups in the decisive growth and pre-scaling phase so that technological excellence results in marketable products, resilient sales and international scale-ups. At the same time, the Gateway Factory builds bridges between start-ups, SMEs and corporates so that innovation can be applied more quickly.

Central fields of action are:

Impact-oriented growth and pre-scale-up programs

(e.g. „Ready to Scale“) with a focus on traction, go-to-market and funding readiness

curated access

Strong network of research, industry, mentors and investors

Provision of infrastructure:

Production and laboratory infrastructure in Aachen and Cologne, as well as practical startup services

Support for international expansion

Strategic partners and global networks

Performance measurement & KPIs

The Gateway Factory works with clearly defined target figures to make economic impact and scaling measurable. These key figures make tangible what the Gateway Factory does at its core: We accompany DeepTech teams into scaling and thus strengthen the Rhineland as a location where innovation is not only created, but becomes internationally successful.

Funding and structural resources:

up to € 10 million

Public funding over five years

Significant private funding from corporate and venture capital partnerships

Growth and scaling up to 2030:

Number of deep tech champions in the network and financing volume to around € 900 million for supported teams

annual start-ups in the deep-tech segment and annual jobs created in start-up teams

People behind Gateway Factory

Tanja Zirnstein

Co-Managing Director

From founder to pioneer of innovation: She knows from her own experience what it takes to turn an idea into a market-leading product. She revolutionized hygiene technology with UVIS while studying law, and today she is shaping the future of deep-tech start-ups as Managing Director of Gateway Factory. She is driven by the desire to give visionary founders access to industry, strategic partnerships and global markets - for real innovations that change the world.

Dr. Tim Hiddemann

Co-Managing Director

From the idea to scaling: he knows the key levers for turning innovations into successful business models. As an experienced founder, mentor and business angel, he has supported countless start-ups, particularly in the areas of B2B eCommerce, SaaS and life sciences. With his expertise in go-to-market strategies and product positioning, he is now shaping the future of innovative technologies as Managing Director of Gateway Factory. His mission: to equip start-ups with knowledge, network and strategy - for real market success and sustainable growth.

Gateway Factory website