On 10 July, three months ago, Berlin announced that Impossible Founders from Hamburg is one of ten start-up factories in Germany! Although the official launch date is 1 November, a lot has already happened during the ramp-up phase.
© DESY: Arik Willner, designated CEO of Impossible Founders
The Impossible Founders team is taking shape
The Startup Factories competition was initiated by the German government to strengthen the startup ecosystem in Germany, with a focus on deep tech and collaboration between science and industry. One of the award-winning projects is Impossible Founders from Hamburg, which is launching with 10 million euros from the Federal Ministry of Economics and over 40 million euros from Hamburg foundations and companies. The official start will take place on 1 November at the Digital Hub Logistics & Commerce. Arik Willner as CEO and Lena Sofie Gericke as CFO will then also take up their positions. Both come from the DESY research institute. Meanwhile, team building is in full swing, with several attractive positions still to be filled.
© Jonas Penno: the participants of the Deep Tech Innovation Sprint
First programmes already underway
Long before its official designation as a Startup Factory, Impossible Founders demonstrated the startup potential of universities in the metropolitan region with its Future Founder support programme. The first Demo Day took place in January 2025, and the third edition will start at the end of October. Last-minute applicants can still apply here. Another event, the Deep Tech Innovation Sprint, recently celebrated its premiere. More than 20 participants gathered on the DESY campus to find solutions to problems in the fields of recycling and the circular economy. And that's just the beginning; numerous support programmes and events are planned to make Hamburg a leading startup location in Europe.
