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The startup factory for deep tech in Hamburg

Impossible Founders is a start-up factory with a focus on deep-tech start-ups. The aim is to systematically translate scientific findings into innovative and high-growth companies. As a bridge between science and business, Impossible Founders connects researchers, students, founding teams, industry partners and investors and supports start-ups from the early idea phase through to international scaling.

Vision
Impossible Founders pursues the vision of establishing Hamburg as the leading European location for deep-tech start-ups. The long-term goal is to establish several incubator and accelerator programmes, support several hundred start-ups, create thousands of jobs and mobilize significant private investment in technology-driven companies. The focus is on deep tech innovations, particularly in the areas of green technologies, new materials, artificial intelligence and data-driven solutions.
Bridge between science and business

Impossible Founders sees itself as a central interface between research, entrepreneurship and industry. The Startup Factory brings together researchers, students, founding teams, industry partners and investors to develop deep tech ideas systematically, efficiently and close to the market.
Start-ups are supported holistically - from the initial idea impulse to the spin-off and global scaling.

Mission and goals

Impossible Founders offers structured mentoring, access to excellent research infrastructure, investor networks and targeted entrepreneurship training. The mission of Impossible Founders is:

Strengthen entrepreneurial thinking at universities and research institutions in the long term
Successfully translate scientific findings into entrepreneurial solutions
Build a leading European ecosystem for deep tech start-ups
Performance measurement & KPIs

These KPIs show how Impossible Founders is specifically increasing the quantity and quality of deep tech start-ups and positioning Hamburg as an internationally visible start-up location with a social impact. Strategic goals 2035 along three central North Star Metrics:

185 Deep-tech ventures
actively supported by iF, with a total valuation of the scaling ventures of EUR 4.9 billion and a cumulative total financing volume of approximately EUR 1.75 billion
2,400 empowered entrepreneurial talents
including all founders supported by programs in the pre-incubation, incubation, IP incubation, acceleration and scaling phases of iF
26 commercially successful deep-tech IPs
that have been scaled into deep-tech ventures or successfully commercialized
People behind Impossible Founders
Lena Sofie Gericke and Arik Willner
Lena Sofie Gericke is CFO and COO at Impossible Founders, where she is responsible for central organizational, financial and operational tasks. She brings with her a wide range of professional experience in administration, process optimization and project management, including positions at DESY and the Axel Springer Group. In her dual role, she plays a key role in shaping the development and operational implementation of the Startup Factory, including digital-first processes and team structures. She is also committed to diversity and an inclusive deep tech ecosystem.
Arik Willner is CEO of the Startup Factory Impossible Founders. He holds a doctorate in physics and previously worked for many years as Chief Technology Officer at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY), where he built up important innovation ecosystems. Under his leadership, Impossible Founders is building a network of universities, research institutions and business partners to support deep tech startups from idea to scale. His strategic focus is on quality, speed of development and sustainable impact for Hamburg as a business location.
Website of Impossible Founders
Address

Impossible Founders gGmbH
Am Sandtorkai 32
20457 Hamburg
Hamburg

Contact
whatif@impossible-founders.com
https://www.impossible-founders.com/
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