SouthwestX's mission is clear and simple - to be a pioneering force and professional factory for start-ups, breaking new ground and disrupting conventions.

SouthwestX fosters a community and provides a unique, fully integrated support system in the SWX region in an international setting where innovation is paramount. It connects visionary minds and equips them with formats, technologies, quality resources, networks and active support to shape their impactful and sustainable ideas.

The SouthwestX region comprises Saarland, parts of Rhineland-Palatinate and partners in Luxembourg and France. We want to take the development of start-ups from our internationally renowned university research to a new level with the aim of promoting Germany and the competitiveness of our region in the the field of deep tech .

• SouthwestX is characterized by its physical proximity to and long-standing relationships with France and Luxembourg through excellent networks, direct access to the „French-Tech“ start-up ecosystem, for example, and long-standing joint projects (e.g. Interreg).
• Over 1,000 start-ups have been created in the last 10 years at Saarland University, htw saar Saarland University of Applied Sciences, WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management and Trier University of Applied Sciences. Numerous “unicorns” with a market capitalization in the billions have emerged from the start-up incubator WHU alone.
• According to the Stifterverband's start-up radar, Saarland University is one of the top three start-up universities in Germany. Together with its partners in the regional start-up ecosystem, it has developed successful formats over many years to accompany founders along a “start-up journey” and, in parallel, now also SMEs and industry their innovation/transformation processes.
• The region has a high level of technological expertise, particularly in the focus areas of artificial intelligence and green transformation. The DFKI is Europe's leading research institute for artificial intelligence. According to the UI Green Metric Ranking, the Environmental Campus Birkenfeld at Trier University of Applied Sciences is ranked third in the world for sustainability. In addition, a far-reaching industrial transformation is taking place in the region for the topic of Green Steel / hydrogen.

A key focus will also be on attracting and promoting talents for the successful further development of start-up ideas, but also for overcoming urgent challenges faced by existing companies in the areas of agility, transformation and succession.