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Soft Landing (Inbound)

  • Organizer: KIT FORGE
  • Audience: Students, Researchers, Founders
  • Language: English
  • Cost: Free of charge

Expanding into Europe requires more than just capital—it demands deep regional integration, regulatory precision, and direct access to high-tech research networks. Softlanding (Inbound) is a specialized market-entry initiative delivered by KIT FORGE at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The program connects elite international deep-tech startups with the world-class innovation, research, and industrial ecosystem of Baden-Württemberg and the broader Upper Rhine region. 

Designed specifically for research-driven ventures originating from global universities or research institutes, the program helps founders validate their technologies, adapt their business models to European regulatory standards, and forge sustainable academic and industrial partnerships. 

Program modules

  • Ecosystem access: Direct connection to leading universities, research institutions, and innovation hubs across Baden-Württemberg and the Upper Rhine region.
  • Market entry insights: Sector-specific expert sessions, regulatory deep dives, and expansion case studies tailored to European markets.

  • Strategic matchmaking: Partner roundtables and targeted networking to build concrete research and industry collaborations.
     
  • Practical roadmap: Clear guidance on procurement, regional industry priorities, and funding landscapes to establish a sustainable path into Europe.
Our experts support you

Have questions or interested? Get in touch!

Sandra Schöttelndreier

Your contact person

Sandra Schöttelndreier
Project Lead International Cooperations
sandra.schoettelndreier@kit.edu LinkedIn

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/.