Start-up Factory: Founding Stories at the University of Mannheim

This is made possible, first and foremost, by dedicated professors, lecturers, and staff—especially at the Mannheim Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MCEI) and the Institute for SME Research (ifm). But student organizations also play a key role, organizing workshops, lectures, and conferences on and around the Mannheim campus, helping to foster the next generation of successful entrepreneurs.

At the heart of every great (start-up) story, however, are its protagonists: our students. Whether during their studies or after graduation, they take the leap into entrepreneurship, turning their ideas into businesses. In this edition of FORUM, we present four young start-ups founded by Mannheim alumni—examples of the many success stories emerging from the university.

With myBuddy, Weihua Wang is building bridges between people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Treye IT founder Anton Wachner is proving that laptops and tablets can be operated without the use of hands. To help protect the environment, Robert Dehghan and Lara Schnieders have developed reusable glass straws under the brand Pacific Straws. And with Virtualbadge.io, Malte Zander has created a platform for issuing, managing, and distributing fraud-proof digital certificates.

This entrepreneurial spirit has long spread beyond the walls of the Schloss. The city of Mannheim itself plays a crucial role in helping our students turn their ideas into success stories. The start-up ecosystem NEXT MANNHEIM offers a range of free support services for aspiring entrepreneurs—before, during, and after launching their businesses.

Students receive guidance on securing funding and creating business and financial plans. They can also develop their ideas in one of eight start-up centers, including MAFINEX and CUBEX ONE. Additionally, NEXT MANNHEIM runs accelerator programs, workshops, and networking events to connect founders and foster collaboration.

In the end, however, even the best stories mean nothing without people to read them. So, click through the current edition and explore our start-up factory!

Text: Jessica Scholich / April 2025