With the Thuringian Regional Innovation Program TRIP
we take your start-up to the next level without any detours. In our accelerator programme, you benefit from four months of expertise, workshops, budget and networking with investors, SMEs, innovators and corporations. This puts you on the path to investment readiness. For particularly scalable projects, there are an additional three months of the final TRIP phase with a focus on VC financing. The final highlight of the programme is Pitch Day – a unique opportunity to present your business concept to the start-up community, investors and innovators.
We are always curious to discover exciting innovations, technologies and game-changing business models and to develop them together with you.
We love innovation! That’s why we launched TRIP in 2019. Our goal is to create the best conditions for Thuringia’s start-up community, accelerate innovation and generate synergies and cooperation among like-minded people.
TRIP is a programme run by the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia (STIFT) as part of the ThEx innovativ project. The foundation is a key player in Thuringia’s innovation ecosystem. Since 1993, it has been implementing innovations in and for the whole of Thuringia with an agile network of science, business, politics, education and civil society. The foundation is also an investor and participates as an early-stage and side investor in promising Thuringian start-ups.
Against this backdrop, TRIP has set itself the goal of driving forward Thuringia’s start-up ecosystem. Our interdisciplinary team develops contemporary products, accelerates start-ups in a targeted manner and enjoys innovating in the process. Together, we inspire, motivate and drive real progress.
We love diversity, whether in backgrounds, perspectives or skills. A diverse team is your key to innovative solutions and resilient scaling.
Are you working on a technology or business model with scaling potential that could change markets? Perfect, we are looking for innovations with real impact.
Are you in the pre-start-up phase and ready to embark on product development? Or have you just started up and want to get off to a successful start? We’ll meet you where you are.
Whether from a research institution or an existing company, we are open to all start-up paths.
Students, graduates or scientists with innovative start-up concepts are in exactly the right place with us.
If your company is based here or you want to start a business here, TRIP is your jumping-off point.
You have drive, motivation and the desire to hit the ground running with us.
With us, you get sparring on equal terms: we listen, challenge your business model, provide impetus, open up new perspectives and give you the tools you need to make the best decisions yourself.
Our interactive workshops provide you with theoretical and practical insights that are important for the success of your start-up. Our coaches and subject matter experts cover all relevant topics from business modelling to fundraising strategies.
We’ll give you up to €4,000 in start-up funding, just because we love your business model. Whether it’s prototype development, market research or customer interviews, you’re sure to find the right way to use it for your start-up.
Benefit from the expertise of our TRIP alumni, direct exchange with Thuringian SMEs, and exclusive corporate insights from more than 130 globally active companies in the Wissensfabrik.
With us, you will become part of a supportive start-up community. We will connect you with investors, industry experts, and strong industrial partners – in Thuringia, throughout Germany, and beyond.
You will also gain access to pitch events, the Hannover Messe trade fair, and the Innovationspreis Thüringen.
Our TRIP coaches act as official advisors for the Thuringian Start-up Bonus, which offers funding of up to €42,000 per team member. Take advantage of these synergies and benefit from comprehensive support on your journey to starting your own business.
Want to reshape the future with your technology or innovative business model? Then get on board and become part of the next TRIP Class! The programme is open to all industries and is aimed at anyone who is tackling tomorrow’s challenges with new technologies and innovative approaches, driving technological change and sustainable growth, and thus making the future more resilient.
Whether you are in the pre-start-up phase or have already founded your company, we will accelerate your innovation!
Innovations do not arise in isolation; they require a strong network, diverse perspectives, and people who think and shape the future together.
This is exactly what the TRIP Community offers: a vibrant ecosystem of founders, experts, companies, industry partners, research institutions and regional partners. Our Community Experts contribute their expertise directly to the TRIP Class in the form of workshops, take part in regular feedback sessions and open doors to industry-specific networks.
Through our strong industry and research partners, you gain access to laboratories, technical infrastructure and specialist knowledge – ideal conditions for developing and refining your prototypes. At the same time, we are networked with partners operating throughout Germany and internationally who can support you in scaling up your business.
TRIP ist eine Initiative der STIFT im Rahmen des Projektes ThEx innovativ und wird gefördert durch den Freistaat Thüringen aus Mitteln des Europäischen Sozialfonds Plus.
