Hamburg wants to become Germany’s second deeptech hotspot – that’s what the new Startup Factory intends to do

Munich is on everyone's lips. Over the past two years, the city has developed into a true hotspot , with a significant number of deep-tech startups thriving. These include the two defense tech unicorns Helsing and Quantum Systems, the space startup The Exploration Company, and the former flying-taxi hopeful Lilium.

Now a city in northern Germany wants to emulate Munich: Hamburg. A startup factory with ambitious goals is being built there. A team called Impossible Founders has been working on building an accelerator since 2023. The final concept was finalized in April of this year, and in July, Impossible Founders received approval for a highly endowed grant from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy: as one of ten programs, Hamburg can now call itself an EXIST Startup Factory. They also received €50 million in funding from various companies, foundations, and the federal government.

Arik Willner will lead Impossible Founders as CEO starting November 1. The physicist, who holds a doctorate in physics, was previously Chief Technology Officer at the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY) in Hamburg. The research center was involved in the creation of Impossible Founders, as were the Michael Otto Foundation, the Joachim Herz Foundation, the University of Hamburg, and the Hamburg University of Technology.

Gründerszene spoke with Willner about what Impossible Founders is planning now, when it will really get started, and who can apply.

Impossible Founders plans to establish a startup hub in the heart of Hamburg that will support deeptech founders both before and after their startup, providing both financial support and expertise. To this end, the Startup Factory aims to offer, among other things, "networks and contacts," as Willner explains. Impossible Founders has already held numerous discussions with interested and well-known investors.

In addition, the Startup Factory plans to provide space in the medium term where startups, scaleups and joint ventures can work.

One of the most common obstacles to entrepreneurship in Germany is the fact that many people don't want to start a business, says Arik Willner. There's plenty of potential at universities. This is precisely where Impossible Founders wants to start. "We can't just leave ideas lying around," says Willner.

Instead of simply supporting academics in their startups, Impossible Founders also wants to do the opposite: "The universities provide the results, and we build the business model around them," says Willner. The research institutions, in turn, are expected to benefit financially, among other things.

In addition, the aim is of course also to encourage scientists to start up their own businesses – or to provide the best possible support to those who want to start up businesses.

Hamburg's Startup Factory is here to stay. That's the plan, anyway. Step by step, the Impossible Founders want to establish a hub that will establish itself as a "pipeline to the startup ecosystem," explains Willner. So far, "the entrepreneurial component in science in Germany has been limited," he says. This means that many scientists here don't even consider spinning off their research. Impossible Founders wants to change that – following Munich's great example. The TU, in particular, has developed an entrepreneurial mindset over decades. This is now paying off.

The Hamburg location is by no means a competitor to Munich, but rather a complement – albeit in northern Germany. People in Munich are happy about this development, says Willner. "They can't save the world on their own." The Impossible Founders are in regular contact with the Entrepreneurship Startup Center – also to get tips on setting up their startup. "The good thing is," says Willner, "we don't have to reinvent the wheel."

The goal is to become a kind of magnet for founders and their companies. The Startup Factory also wants to establish itself as a kind of seal of quality. This is especially relevant for investors, says Willner. And thus also for all startups seeking investors. "Investors should be able to say: Anyone who has completed the Possible Founders program is a solid startup. And my job is to justify that trust," says Willner.

The Impossible Founders programs will initially focus primarily on AI solutions in the greentech sector, says Willner. This seems surprising at first glance, given that the climate tech industry has recently had a difficult time. But Willner is certain: "The era of greentech will return." After all, the problems with climate change still exist.

In the medium term, the programs will also be expanded to include life sciences. And then "the funnel could become increasingly broader," says Willner.

Startup Factory Hamburg has 55 million euros at its disposal for the first five years, Willner says. He is currently working on increasing the pot to 150 million for the first ten years. Impossible Founders also plans to set up its own fund to invest in startups.

The Impossible Founders will begin their operational work on October 1, 2025, says Willner. The Startup Factory website is already active and provides contact information. The first applications have already poured in. Willner promises: "No email will be lost." Responses may still take some time.

The first programs for startups are scheduled to start in 2026.