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One of Germany’s leading startup hubs

Entrepreneurial thinking and acting is in the DNA of KIT. Here, innovation goes far beyond academic research—from patents and direct industry transfer to high-impact spin-offs. Every year, over 30 teams take the leap to launch a company, and the momentum continues to grow.

KIT FORGE is the central springboard for all founders and entrepreneurs at and around KIT, playing a pivotal role in this journey.

Founded in 2013, we bundle all activities on the topics of entrepreneurship and founding to achieve more impact for students, researchers and founders. 

KIT FORGE serves as an initial contact point for technology-based startups and scientific innovations. It sees itself as a breeding ground and accelerator for translating cutting-edge research and inventive business ideas into practical application—focusing on central future topics of our time such as digitalization, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, mobility, and energy. 

Our goal is to support researchers and startups with our services at every stage of development and to actively help them build powerful technology companies.

Meet the team

KIT FORGE in numbers

A look at what we have built together over the past few years.

  • 68
    spin-offs
    in 2024
  • 500
    spin-offs
    in the last 10 years
  • 50
    events
    annually
  • 50
    patents
    annually
  • 100
    invention reports
    annually

WHAT WE DO

From idea to startup

Whether driven by innovative ideas from student projects or scientific breakthroughs from research, the team at KIT FORGE offers aspiring founders and startups comprehensive support—from initial concept refinement to a successful exit. In addition to tailored advice and mentoring, we provide teams with infrastructure, including fully equipped offices and laboratories. Where appropriate, KIT also participates directly in spin-offs as a strategic co-investor.

WHO WE WORK WITH

Together for success

Together with institutes, academic chairs, professors, mentors, and coaches, we foster an entrepreneurial culture and actively drive the success of our start-ups. We are supported by key partners such as PionierGarage e.V., the student initiative for entrepreneurship at KIT, where students from all disciplines can explore business creation and get hands-on experience. 

At the Institute for Entrepreneurship, Technology Management and Innovation (EnTechnon), research-backed knowledge is translated into entrepreneurial practice. Through targeted lectures and seminars, students learn to turn technological and business opportunities into viable innovations, creating a strong foundation for future founders. 

In addition, experts from Innovation and Relations Management (IRM) provide critical support to our founders on intellectual property, patents, and licensing.

entrepreneurial hub

A vibrant space for innovation

Together with KIT TRIANGEL, we operate the central entrepreneurial hub at Kronenplatz. Located right in the heart of the city, this open platform connects students, researchers, startups, and the public to foster creative exchange, networking, and co-creation.

Got to TRIANGEL Website

Ready to build what’s next?

Whether you have a vague idea, a breakthrough research paper, or an active startup – let’s talk.

Consulting inquiry

* Required field

I agree that my personal data submitted via the contact form may be processed by KIT FORGE for the following purposes: contacting me and providing startup consulting services. The processing of the data entered in the contact form is based solely on my consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). The information I provide in the contact form, including my contact details, will be stored by KIT FORGE for the purpose of processing my inquiry. KIT FORGE will not share this data with third parties without my consent. The data I enter in the contact form will remain with KIT FORGE until I request its deletion, withdraw my consent to its storage (which I may do informally by email to info@kit-forge.de), or the purpose for which the data was collected no longer applies (e.g. once my inquiry has been fully processed). Mandatory statutory provisions, in particular statutory retention periods, remain unaffected. For information on data protection relating to startup consulting, including applications for public funding programmes for spin-offs, please refer to https://www.kit-forge.de/en/privacy/.

Contact form

For consulting inquiries, please use our separate consulting inquiry form.

* Required field

I agree that my personal data submitted via the contact form may be processed by KIT FORGE for the following purposes: contacting me and providing startup consulting services. The processing of the data entered in the contact form is based solely on my consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). The information I provide in the contact form, including my contact details, will be stored by KIT FORGE for the purpose of processing my inquiry. KIT FORGE will not share this data with third parties without my consent. The data I enter in the contact form will remain with KIT FORGE until I request its deletion, withdraw my consent to its storage (which I may do informally by email to info@kit-forge.de), or the purpose for which the data was collected no longer applies (e.g. once my inquiry has been fully processed). Mandatory statutory provisions, in particular statutory retention periods, remain unaffected. For information on data protection relating to startup consulting, including applications for public funding programmes for spin-offs, please refer to https://www.kit-forge.de/en/privacy/.