Starthaus Bremen

What Starthaus Bremen does

Starthaus Bremen & Bremerhaven is a publicly-funded startup support organization that serves as the central point of contact (zentrale Anlaufstelle) for founders and entrepreneurs in the Bremen federal state of Germany. Operated as a segment of Bremer Aufbau-Bank GmbH (BAB - Die Förderbank), the state-owned development bank, the organization delivers its mandate under Art. 39 of the Bremen State Constitution and is supervised by the Senator for Economic Affairs, Labour and Europe alongside BaFin. It was established around 2020 and employs 51-100 staff across two physical offices in Bremen (Domshof) and Bremerhaven (Uhlandstraße).

The service portfolio spans three pillars: (1) consulting services including Gründungsberatung for aspiring founders and Unternehmensberatung for growth-phase entrepreneurs; (2) financing products including EFRE-Mikrodarlehen microcredits, ERP-Bremer Förderkredit KMU, Beteiligungskapital (equity participation), Beratungsförderung, Starthaus Crowdfunding, and Startup Förderung Bremen; and (3) specialized programs such as ESA BIC Northern Germany (space-tech incubation), Investor Readiness Programm, Mentoring by Starthaus, Open Innovation Cycle, Product Strategy Workshop, Social Entrepreneur by Starthaus, Starthaus Coachingprogramm, Starthaus Pilotprojekte, Starthaus Women - she starts, and the Starthaus Lunch Box Talk series. The organization also operates BAB LAB, an event venue in central Bremen.

Starthaus Bremen does not develop proprietary technology and earns no commercial revenue from its consulting services, which are provided free of charge. Operating funding flows from EFRE Bremen (European Regional Development Fund) and Bremen state government appropriations routed through BAB. Customer acquisition is event-driven and community-led, relying on workshops, seminars, networking events, and partnerships with Agentur für Arbeit, WFB Wirtschaftsförderung Bremen GmbH, and the broader Starthaus Initiative network. Named beneficiaries span diverse industries including children's literature (Die Schwarze Kinderbibliothek), food technology (meicook), and scientific software (mzio), reflecting a deliberately diversified portfolio of early-stage ventures rather than concentrated enterprise accounts.

Name

Starthaus Bremen

Legal name

Bremer Aufbau-Bank GmbH

Website

https://starthaus-bremen.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Starthaus Bremen & Bremerhaven is the publicly-funded central startup contact point for the Bremen federal state, operated by Bremer Aufbau-Bank GmbH. It delivers free consulting, financing products, and incubation programs to aspiring founders and existing entrepreneurs across the Bremen and Bremerhaven regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup and SME Consulting Services

NAICS

Management Consulting Services (54161), Educational Support Services (61171), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (5416)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)

Keywords

• Startup consulting services
• Entrepreneur advisory support
• SME financing programs
• Business incubation services
• Public funding advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Bremen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Funding / Government Support: Starthaus Bremen operates as a segment of Bremer Aufbau-Bank GmbH (BAB), which is a development bank funded by public sources including EFRE (European Regional Development Fund) and state government. Services to startups are provided free of charge.
2. Financing Products for Startups: Starthaus provides access to various financing products including microcredits (EFRE-Mikrodarlehen), ERP-Bremer Förderkredit KMU, venture capital participation (Beteiligungskapital), and crowdfunding platforms. While the consulting is free, startups may access financing through these programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Starthaus Bremen & Bremerhaven provides free consulting, qualification, and coaching services to aspiring founders and established entrepreneurs in the Bremen region, alongside access to public financing products such as microcredits, ERP-Bremer Förderkredit KMU, Beteiligungskapital, and crowdfunding programs. It also delivers structured startup support programs including coaching, mentoring, investor readiness training, and the ESA BIC Northern Germany incubator, and operates the BAB LAB event venue in central Bremen for workshops and seminars.

Product overview

Starthaus Bremen & Bremerhaven is a startup consultation and business development service operated by Bremer Aufbau-Bank GmbH (BAB), offering free consulting services for founders and entrepreneurs in the Bremen region. The portfolio consists of three core service pillars: (1) Consulting services including Gründungsberatung (startup consulting) and Unternehmensberatung (business consulting); (2) Financing products including Beratungsförderung, Beteiligungskapital, ERP-Bremer Förderkredit KMU, EFRE-Mikrodarlehen, Starthaus Crowdfunding, and Startup Förderung Bremen; and (3) Specialized Programs including ESA BIC Northern Germany, Investor Readiness Programm, Mentoring by Starthaus, Open Innovation Cycle, Product Strategy Workshop, Social Entrepreneur by Starthaus, Starthaus Coachingprogramm, Starthaus Pilotprojekte, Starthaus Women - she starts, and Starthaus Lunch Box Talk. The organization also operates BAB LAB, an event venue in central Bremen with workshop facilities, and maintains a second office in Bremerhaven.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Starthaus Bremen & Bremerhaven: Central contact point for founders and entrepreneurs offering consulting, funding, and programs in Bremen and Bremerhaven
• BAB LAB
• Starthaus Crowdfunding
• ESA BIC Northern Germany
• Investor Readiness Programm
• Mentoring by Starthaus
• Open Innovation Cycle by Starthaus
• Product Strategy Workshop
• Social Entrepreneur by Starthaus
• Starthaus Coachingprogramm
• Starthaus Pilotprojekte
• Starthaus Women - she starts

Products and services

• Gründungsberatung (Startup Consulting) Free consulting service for aspiring founders in Bremen and Bremerhaven, providing comprehensive advice, qualification, and honest feedback on business ideas, with coaching support across pre-founding, business planning, financing applications, regulatory compliance, and market entry.
• Unternehmensberatung / Wachstumsberatung (Business & Growth Consulting) Free consulting for established entrepreneurs and SMEs in Bremen and Bremerhaven addressing growth management, organizational structuring, operational scaling, and access to financing for expansion.
• Beteiligungskapital (Equity Capital Financing) Equity capital financing options for startups and growing businesses in the Bremen region, facilitated through Bremer Aufbau-Bank.
• ERP-Bremer Förderkredit KMU Bremen promotional loan program specifically designed for small and medium-sized enterprises (KMU), provided through Bremer Aufbau-Bank.
• EFRE-Mikrodarlehen (Micro-loans) Micro-loans funded by the European Regional Development Fund (EFRE) for entrepreneurs and small businesses in the Bremen region.
• Starthaus Crowdfunding Crowdfunding platform and contest programs (including 'Mission: Impact Business') for startups and impact businesses seeking alternative financing through community support.
• Startup Förderung Bremen Startup funding programs available to founders in Bremen and Bremerhaven, provided through the regional development-bank infrastructure.
• Beratungsförderung (Consultation Funding) Funding support to help businesses offset the costs of professional advisory services, administered through Bremer Aufbau-Bank.
• Starthaus Coachingprogramm Comprehensive structured coaching program guiding founders from business idea to established company, delivered by Starthelfer (coaches) such as Daniela Kirchhoff and Andreas Mündl.
• ESA BIC Northern Germany European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre hosted by Starthaus Bremen, providing specialized incubation services for space-related startups and technology ventures in northern Germany.
• Investor Readiness Programm Program designed to prepare startups for investor presentations and fundraising rounds, providing structured preparation for investor engagement.
• Mentoring by Starthaus Mentorship program connecting founders with experienced entrepreneurs and business professionals for one-on-one guidance.
• Starthaus Women – she starts Women-focused startup support program encouraging and supporting female entrepreneurship in the Bremen region.
• Social Entrepreneur by Starthaus Program supporting entrepreneurs focused on social impact and sustainable business models, including the 'Mission: Impact Business' crowdfunding contest.
• Open Innovation Cycle by Starthaus Innovation methodology program for developing and iterating new products and services for startups.
• Product Strategy Workshop Workshop focused on developing and refining product strategies for startups in the Bremen region.
• Starthaus Pilotprojekte (Pilot Projects) Pilot project program allowing startups to test and validate their products or services in a controlled environment.
• Starthaus Lunch Box Talk Informal networking event series providing startup advice and community-building opportunities for founders.
• BAB LAB (Event Venue) Event venue at Bischofsnadel 6, 28195 Bremen, offering workshop rooms and seminar facilities for Starthaus workshops, seminars, and partner events from the Bremen startup network.

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Bremer Aufbau-Bank GmbH (BAB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBremer Aufbau-Bank GmbH (BAB) is the parent organization operating the Starthaus Bremen & Bremerhaven initiative. BAB is a development bank for Bremen providing financing solutions and startup support services. Starthaus is described as 'ein Segment der BAB' (a segment of BAB). The organization falls under the regulatory oversight of BaFin and the Senator for Economic Affairs, Labour and Europe.
• WFB Wirtschaftsförderung Bremen GmbHmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWFB Wirtschaftsförderung Bremen GmbH provides internet services and website development for Starthaus and handles marketing functions. Also listed as a data processor for website hosting using OpenStreetMap.
• Bremen Senator for Economic Affairs, Labour and EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment oversight body for Bremer Aufbau-Bank and a key source of mandate for the Starthaus initiative, which operates under Art. 39 of the Bremen State Constitution to promote the economy.
• datenschutz nord GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExternal data protection officer (Datenschutzbeauftragter) contracted by Starthaus/Bremer Aufbau-Bank to handle data protection inquiries and compliance.
• Performa Nord GmbHminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCall center service provider used by Bremer Aufbau-Bank for telephone support services.
• Starthaus InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Starthaus Initiative is a network of advisory organizations providing consultation services for founders in Bremen. The initiative includes multiple partner organizations listed under 'Über uns' (About us) on the Starthaus website.
• Starthaus BremerhavencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn additional location of Starthaus in Bremerhaven (Uhlandstraße 25) operated as part of the Starthaus Bremen & Bremerhaven initiative.
• ESA Business Incubation Centre (ESA BIC) Northern GermanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStarthaus Bremen hosts the ESA BIC Northern Germany program, supporting space-related startup ventures with specialized incubation services.
• BAB LAB Venue PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBAB LAB at Bischofsnadel 6, 28195 Bremen operates as an event venue for Starthaus workshops and seminars. The space hosts events from the entire startup network in Bremen and Bremerhaven.
• Agentur für Arbeit Bremen-BremerhavenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmployment agency partnering with Starthaus for business planning seminars and information about funding options like Gründungszuschuss (startup grant) for unemployed individuals starting businesses.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Founder Institute: Global pre-seed accelerator and startup launch program operating in many cities. Comparable in its founder-development and pre-seed program model, though it is private/commercial (equity-based) versus Starthaus Bremen's publicly-funded approach.

Direct peers

• IFB Hamburg (Hamburgische Investitions- und Förderbank): Hamburg's state development bank providing financing products, consulting, and startup programs. Directly comparable to Starthaus Bremen's parent (Bremer Aufbau-Bank GmbH) in being a state-owned Förderbank with startup ecosystem mandate.
• Startup BW (Baden-Württemberg): State-funded startup initiative for Baden-Württemberg offering programs, events, funding access, and ecosystem building. Highly comparable to Starthaus Bremen — same publicly-funded regional model serving founders with mixed consulting/program/funding products.
• Hamburg Startups: Publicly-supported Hamburg-based startup hub providing community, events, and ecosystem programs. Closely comparable to Starthaus Bremen in mission, model, and GTM — a regional publicly-supported founder platform for a German city-state.
• ESA BIC Darmstadt (and other German ESA BICs): Other ESA Business Incubation Centre branches in Germany (Darmstadt, Bavaria, etc.) offering space-tech incubation services. Directly comparable to ESA BIC Northern Germany hosted by Starthaus Bremen — same funder (ESA), same program structure, same target verticals.

Regional players

• WFB Wirtschaftsförderung Bremen GmbH: Bremen's economic development agency and close partner of Starthaus (handles website and marketing). Comparable as a publicly-funded regional economic promotion actor, though with broader business promotion rather than founder-only mandate.

Broad incumbents

• Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie: Berlin's economic development agency with startup and innovation support programs. Comparable as a publicly-funded, state-level startup ecosystem builder, but with broader scope (all industries, all company stages) and much larger scale than Starthaus Bremen.
• NRW.BANK: State development bank of North Rhine-Westphalia offering SME and startup financing, advisory, and innovation programs. Similar role to BAB / Starthaus Bremen but operating at much larger scale (NRW is Germany's most populous state).
• Bayern Innovativ: Bavaria's state-sponsored innovation agency offering consulting, networking, and program support to founders and SMEs. Comparable as a publicly-funded regional innovation platform, though broader in scope than Starthaus Bremen's startup-only mandate.
• Hessen Trade & Invest (HTAI): Hessen's economic development agency providing innovation and startup support, funding access, and ecosystem programs. Comparable as a publicly-funded state-level startup and innovation platform similar in mandate to Starthaus Bremen.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/starthaus_bremen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starthaus-bremen
• Xx.com/bremen_startet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Starthaus Bremen