ICO InnovationsCentrum Osnabrück

What ICO InnovationsCentrum Osnabrück does

ICO InnovationsCentrum Osnabrück GmbH is a publicly-influenced technology and startup center (Technologie- und Gründerzentrum) in Osnabrück, Germany, established in 2014 on a converted British barracks site adjacent to the Westerberg campus of Universität Osnabrück and Hochschule Osnabrück. The facility houses modern offices starting from 23 m², flexible coworking desks, and five AV-equipped conference rooms (Einstein, Hawking, Newton, Curie, Edison — with Edison seating up to 100), all built to near passive-house standards using geothermal heating/cooling and photovoltaic generation. It serves four overlapping customer groups: early-stage technology startups (primary), regional SMEs seeking innovation support, students and pre-founding entrepreneurs, and external organizations booking meeting space.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring office rental, coworking subscriptions, pay-as-you-go conference room hire (EUR 44–480 per booking), and the ICO-Friends virtual business-address program. Innovation consulting for SMEs is delivered free of charge to clients, funded instead by the European Fund for Regional Development (EFRE) and the Lower Saxony Ministry of Economic Affairs, with approximately EUR 10 million in third-party project funding facilitated since 2016. Adjacent programs include Seedhouse (food/agritech accelerator) and the EFRE-funded IFROS incubation program launched in summer 2024 (22 projects, 6 spin-offs), supplemented by annual events such as Startup Beats & Business and Prototypenparty. Governance is exercised through an Aufsichtsrat chaired by Oberbürgermeisterin Katharina Pötter, with managing directors Ingmar Bojes (WFO) and Peter Vahrenkamp (WIGOS), reflecting ownership anchored in the City of Osnabrück, Landkreis Osnabrück, Sparkasse Osnabrück, and Stadtwerke Osnabrück AG.

Name

ICO InnovationsCentrum Osnabrück

Legal name

ICO InnovationsCentrum Osnabrück GmbH

Website

https://innovationscentrum-osnabrueck.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ICO InnovationsCentrum Osnabrück is a publicly-supported technology and startup center in Osnabrück, Germany, providing offices, coworking, conference rooms, free innovation consulting, and incubation programs to early-stage startups, regional SMEs, and aspiring entrepreneurs since 2014.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation & Workspace Services

NAICS

Facilities Support Services (561210)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Hybrid Work Enablement & Desk/Room Booking Operations (BPABAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM)

Keywords

• Startup incubation services
• Flexible coworking spaces
• Innovation consulting services
• Modern office rentals
• Conference room rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Osnabrück

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Office Space Rental: Modern offices starting from 23m² available for startups and technology-oriented companies. The center provides reception services, telephone and package acceptance, allowing tenants to focus on their innovations and business.
2. Coworking Spaces: Flexible, temporary workspaces available for freelancers, self-employed, students, and pre-founding entrepreneurs. Designed for spontaneous and flexible work arrangements.
3. Conference Room Rental: Five conference, seminar, and meeting rooms available to both internal tenants and external companies. Rooms equipped with modern presentation technology, air conditioning, and accessibility features. Rooms: Einstein (6 persons, 23m²), Hawking & Newton (16 persons, 50m²), Curie (28 persons, 89m²), Edison (100 persons, 123m²).
4. ICO-Friends Program: Members receive a business address at the center without renting an office, discounted access to meeting rooms, invitations to events, and a basic company listing on the ICO website.
5. Innovation Consulting (Free to Clients): Free innovation consulting for SMEs funded by ICO and EU sources through EFRE program. Consulting covers project structuring, evaluation, funding information, and partnership facilitation with academic and business partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

ICO InnovationsCentrum Osnabrück is a technology and startup center (Technologie- & Gründungszentrum) that provides physical workspace infrastructure—flexible coworking desks, modern offices starting from 23m², and five configurable conference rooms—and complementary innovation support services for early-stage technology companies and regional SMEs. In addition to workspace rentals, it offers free innovation consulting funded through EU and regional government sources, an ICO-Friends virtual address program, and runs the IFROS incubation program and Seedhouse agritech accelerator.

Product overview

ICO InnovationsCentrum Osnabrück is a technology and startup center (Technologie- & Gründungszentrum) providing physical workspace solutions and innovation support services for the Osnabrück region. The core offering comprises flexible coworking spaces, modern office suites (from 23m²), and five configurable conference/meeting rooms (Einstein, Hawking & Newton, Curie, Edison) with video conferencing capabilities. Supporting services include the ICO-Friends virtual address program, the free Innovationsberatung (innovation consulting) co-funded by EU, and the Seedhouse accelerator for food/agritech startups. The center also runs the IFROS incubation program and organizes regular events including networking mixers, prototype showcases, and entrepreneurship workshops. The facility opened in 2014 on a former British barracks near the Westerberg campus of Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences and University, utilizing geothermal heating and solar power to achieve near passive-house standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coworking Spaces Flexible, temporary workspaces at ICO for freelancers, self-employed individuals, students and pre-founding entrepreneurs, offering spontaneous and flexible working arrangements.
• Office Spaces Modern, high-quality offices starting from 23m² with reception services including telephone and package handling, allowing startups to focus on innovation and ideas.
• Conference Rooms Five conference, seminar and meeting rooms with daylight, modern presentation technology, air conditioning and wheelchair accessibility, available for booking by tenants and external companies. Includes Einstein (6 persons, 23m²), Hawking & Newton (16 persons, 50m²), Curie (28 persons, 89m²) and Edison (100 persons, 123m²).
• ICO-Friends Program Virtual office address service giving startups a prestigious business address at ICO, discounted meeting room rates, event invitations, and a basic company listing on the ICO website.
• Innovationsberatung (Innovation Consulting) Free innovation consulting service for startups and small-to-medium enterprises in the Osnabrück region, helping develop new products and services to market readiness. A cooperation project with WFO and WIGOS, funded by ICO and EU sources.
• Seedhouse Accelerator Specialized accelerator program for innovative food and agriculture startups, supported by regional companies in the food and agritech sector.
• IFROS Incubation Program Incubation program by Stadt and Landkreis Osnabrück supporting visionaries from idea to implementation, providing structured guidance and expertise for early-stage entrepreneurs.
• Event Management Services Platform for networking events, workshops, seminars and startup meetups including Startup Beats & Business, Prototypenparty, Women Circle and MACHacademy programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 142 companies advised since 2016; 45 funded projects with ~10 million EUR total project volume
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sparkasse OsnabrückcoreOthers · 1 January 2014Supporting organization providing financial backing for the ICO technology and startup center. Sparkasse Osnabrück is one of the key regional partners contributing to the establishment and ongoing operations of the innovation center.
• Stadtwerke Osnabrück AGcoreOthers · 1 January 2014Supporting organization providing infrastructure and energy expertise for the ICO technology and startup center. Contributed to the establishment of the sustainable building with geothermal and solar systems.
• Stadt OsnabrückcoreOthers · 1 January 2014Municipal government partner supporting the ICO as a regional growth project. The city provides institutional backing and connections to city services and programs.
• Landkreis OsnabrückcoreOthers · 1 January 2014County government partner supporting the ICO as a regional growth initiative. Provides institutional backing and coordination with county-level economic development programs.
• WFO Wirtschaftsförderung OsnabrückcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development corporation for the city of Osnabrück. Partners with ICO on innovation consulting for city-based SMEs and joint programs like MACHacademy for entrepreneurship education. WFO's managing director Ingmar Bojes serves as ICO's managing director.
• WIGOS Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft Osnabrücker LandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEconomic development corporation for the district of Osnabrück. Co-partner with ICO on innovation consulting services for county-based SMEs. ICO's other managing director Peter Vahrenkamp is employed by WIGOS.
• MCON Consulting (Dr. Daniel Kipp)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting firm from Oldenburg providing innovation consulting services as part of the ICO innovation consulting program. MCON's Dr. Daniel Kipp serves as the primary innovation advisor, helping SMEs structure projects and access funding.
• Hochschule OsnabrückcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Applied Sciences Osnabrück located adjacent to ICO. Engineering, computer science, and natural science departments provide talent pipeline and research partnerships. ICO opened in 2014 in direct proximity to the university campus Westerberg.
• Universität OsnabrückcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Osnabrück located adjacent to ICO with natural sciences departments on the nearby campus. Provides academic expertise, student talent, and research collaboration opportunities for startups.
• SeedhousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood and AgriTech startup accelerator operated within the ICO network. Funded by regional companies and provides intensive support for early-stage startups in the food and agricultural sector. Part of the founding support ecosystem.
• Smart City HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation hub collaborating with ICO on the IFROS incubation program for early-stage entrepreneurs. Provides mentorship and networking for program participants and organizes events including Startup Beats & Business.
• pco GmbH & Co. KGminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIT services company organizing the annual IT Security Kongress. Collaborating with Smart City House to award IT Startup of the Year 2026 with prize money of 5,000 EUR and exhibition opportunities.
• Zukunftsregion StadtLandZukunft OScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional future initiative framework through which the IFROS incubation program receives EFRE funding. Supports cross-sector innovation and cooperation between Stadt and Landkreis Osnabrück.
• MACHacademyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEntrepreneurship education program providing practical teaching on business development for students. Partners with ICO for workshops on market analysis and competitive strategy, hosting sessions at the ICO facility.
• Gründerhaus Osnabrück. Osnabrücker Land.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint founding center of WFO and WIGOS providing comprehensive startup support services. Central contact point for founders in the Osnabrück region, offering business consulting, workshops, and seminars.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TechQuartier Frankfurt: Frankfurt-based innovation hub offering coworking, event spaces, and programming for fintech and tech startups. Comparable as a workspace-plus-community platform for early-stage companies with public/private partnerships.
• Munich Urban Colab: Joint public-corporate innovation campus in Munich providing coworking, lab space, and corporate-startup collaboration. Comparable as a multi-stakeholder innovation hub with workspace, events, and incubation focus.
• Factory Berlin: Berlin-based innovation campus providing coworking, offices, and event spaces, plus a startup program with corporate partners. Comparable to ICO in combining workspace, community events, and corporate/startup programming, though at a larger tier-1 scale.
• Impact Hub Berlin: Part of the global Impact Hub network, offering coworking, incubation, and innovation programming for impact-oriented startups in Berlin. Comparable in bundling workspace, incubation, and event/community management, though focused on social impact.
• Technologiezentrum Aachen (TZA): Public-backed technology and startup center in Aachen providing offices, labs, and innovation services to early-stage companies. Highly comparable as a German Technologiezentrum model with public ownership and university adjacency.
• Gründerzentrum Nürnberg (GNIK): Public technology and founding center in Nuremberg offering office space, advisory, and networking services to startups. Directly comparable as a regional Gründungszentrum with mixed public/private funding.
• Startplatz Köln: German startup incubator and coworking space operator in Cologne offering office rentals, event spaces, and acceleration programs targeting early-stage technology startups. Directly comparable to ICO as a regional Technologie- und Gründungszentrum with coworking, events, and venture support.
• Mindspace: Pan-European premium coworking and office provider with multiple German locations, including subsidized innovation space offerings. Comparable as a coworking/office operator serving startups and SMEs with conference room rentals.

Others

• Hochschule Osnabrück - Startup- und Gründerzentrum: University-affiliated startup support unit at Hochschule Osnabrück, partnering with ICO and providing complementary EXIST coaching and entrepreneurship programs. Adjacent ecosystem player rather than direct competitor, but comparable in targeting the same pre-founding student/entrepreneur audience in Osnabrück.

Regional players

• Wirtschaftsförderung Bremen (WFB) / Bremerhaven Gründerzentrum: Public economic development and startup center operations in Bremen, including incubator spaces and innovation consulting for SMEs. Comparable as a publicly backed German Gründungszentrum model, though serving a different (northwest German) region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/InnovationsCentrumOS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ico-os
• Instagraminstagram.com/ico_osnabrueck

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ICO InnovationsCentrum Osnabrück