What Stellwerk 18 does

Stellwerk 18 — Digitale Wirtschaft Südostoberbayern e.V. (with operating subsidiary Stellwerk18 GmbH, plus gastronomy brand DasSTELLWERK18) is a publicly funded digital founder center (Digitales Gründerzentrum) serving Region 18 Südostoberbayern and, cross-border, Tirol, Austria. It supports startups and SMEs in digitalization and innovation through subsidized office space, free coaching, and a regional partner network of nearly 80 organizations (corporates, banks, chambers, universities), and it organizes recurring events such as Tool & Tonic, Startup Festival, Gründerstammtisch, and AI-themed programming. The core technology stack is non-proprietary: standard co-working infrastructure, CleverReach for newsletters, Google Analytics for web telemetry, and a third-party AI chatbot named 'Stelli' developed by white duck GmbH.

The business model is a hybrid public-cooperative model rather than a commercial product sale. Revenue is generated primarily through grants from the Bavarian State Ministry for Economics, Landkreis Rosenheim, Stadt Rosenheim, and Chiemgau Wirtschaft; membership and partner contributions; conference-room rental at the Rosenheim HQ; and gastronomy and catering via DasSTELLWERK18. Services to founders (coaching, event participation, co-working, IHK consulting) are provided free of charge. The organization is governed by a non-profit registered association (e.V.) chaired by Peter Schindecker (formware GmbH), with operational leadership by Managing Director Carla Kirmis of Stellwerk18 GmbH; Abuzar Erdogan, Mayor of Rosenheim, sits on the supervisory board, underscoring the public-sector linkage.

Name

Stellwerk 18

Legal name

Stellwerk 18 – Digitale Wirtschaft Südostoberbayern e.V.

Website

https://stellwerk18.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stellwerk 18 is a publicly funded digital founder center in Southeast Upper Bavaria and Tirol, supporting startups and SMEs via co-working, free coaching, events, and a network of ~80 partners across three sites (Rosenheim, Traunstein, Töging am Inn).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Incubation Services

NAICS

Management of Companies and Enterprises (55111), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Emerging Tech (IoT, Blockchain, AR/VR, Edge) Consulting (BPAHAEAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Software/Application Support (SaaS, Enterprise Apps) (BPAAACAC), Infrastructure, Housing & Community Development (BPAGABAL)

Keywords

• Startup incubation services
• Digital founder center
• Co-working office spaces
• Entrepreneurship coaching programs
• Innovation network facilitation

Headquarters

HQ city

Rosenheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Public funding and membership fees: Stellwerk18 e.V. is a non-profit association funded by government bodies (Bavarian State Ministry, Landkreis Rosenheim, Stadt Rosenheim, Chiemgau Wirtschaft) and generates revenue through membership fees from partner companies. Additional revenue comes from gastronomy operations (DasSTELLWERK18 restaurant/catering) and rental income from conference rooms and startup office spaces. The center's main function is not commercial product sales but ecosystem building, so revenue is primarily public-cooperative.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Stellwerk 18 operates a digital startup center (Digitales Gründerzentrum) providing subsidized co-working and startup office space, founder coaching in partnership with BayStartUP, regular events and workshops, and access to a regional partner network of nearly 80 organizations across Südostoberbayern and Tirol. The center supports over 30 startups and connects them with established companies, chambers of commerce, universities, and public funders to drive digitalization and innovation. It also operates the DasSTELLWERK18 restaurant at the Rosenheim headquarters.

Product overview

Stellwerk18 is a digital startup center (Digitales Gründerzentrum) that functions as the core platform, supporting and connecting over 30 startups and nearly 80 partners across South-East Upper Bavaria and Tirol. The offering comprises physical infrastructure including subsidized startup offices and conference rooms for rent, complemented by coaching services (in partnership with BayStartUP), regular events and workshops, and a public gastronomy service (DasSTELLWERK18). Additional digital touchpoints include the Stelli chatbot for customer support and a newsletter service for community engagement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Startup Offices
• Conference Rooms (Konferenzräume)
• Founder Coaching (Gründungscoaching)
• Events and Workshops Program
• DasSTELLWERK18 Gastronomy

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 30 startups currently active in the Stellwerk18 network across 5 counties.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BayStartUPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBayStartUP is the central startup coaching and financing network for Bavaria's digital founder centers. Stellwerk18 collaborates with BayStartUP to provide free coaching, tutorials (banking, pitching, taxes, AI), and access to Bavaria-wide investor and startup events. Markus A. Schilling serves as the dedicated BayStartUP coach for Stellwerk18.
• IHK für München und Oberbayern (Chamber of Commerce)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IHK offers free one-hour consultation sessions for aspiring founders at the Stellwerk18 premises. Oliver Nerz from IHK provides in-person guidance on business formation, financing, internationalization, and networking specifically for innovative, growth-oriented startups.
• Stadt Rosenheim (City of Rosenheim)coreOthersThe city of Rosenheim is one of the public co-funders of Stellwerk18, contributing to its operating costs as part of the regional economic development strategy.
• Landkreis RosenheimcoreOthersThe county of Rosenheim is a co-funder of Stellwerk18, contributing to the operating budget of the digital startup center.
• Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Wirtschaft (Bavarian State Ministry for Economics)coreOthersThe Bavarian State Ministry for Economics is the principal state-level funder of the Stellwerk18 digital founder center, providing the bulk of public funding that enables free services for startups.
• Chiemgau WirtschaftcoreOthersChiemgau Wirtschaft (Chiemgau Economic Development Agency) co-funds Stellwerk18 and collaborates on events such as the Gründungsfestival Traunstein and the Gründungsstammtisch 'Dahoam vernetzt'.
• Technische Hochschule Rosenheim (TH Rosenheim)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe university operates the Campus Chiemgau in Traunstein and the main campus in Rosenheim, collaborating with Stellwerk18 on student entrepreneurship education, joint events (e.g., IKORO career fair), and the Digital Transformation in Manufacturing program.
• Wirtschaftsjunioren TraunsteinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoung entrepreneurs' network in Traunstein co-organizing events with Stellwerk18 such as the 'Dahoam vernetzt' founding meetup and the Resilienz Impulse event.
• Euregio InntalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCross-border regional development organization bridging Southeast Upper Bavaria and Tyrol, Austria. Collaborates with Stellwerk18 on events such as the InnoConnect Business Speed Dating and the grenzüberschreitende (cross-border) startup ecosystem activities.
• Innovations.Raum Kufstein eGencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustrian partner organization in Kufstein (Tyrol) that co-hosts the Pitch Night with Stellwerk18, enabling cross-border startup pitching and networking between Bavaria and Tyrol.
• Auerbräu GmbHminorOthersLocal brewery in Rosenheim that partnered with Stellwerk18 for a combined brewery tour and founders' networking event, demonstrating community integration with local businesses.
• Campus Chiemgau (TH Rosenheim)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBranch campus of TH Rosenheim in Traunstein, housing one of the Stellwerk18 offices. Jointly organizes events such as the 1st Gründungsfestival Traunstein (200+ attendees), KI als Nachhaltigkeits-Booster, and the Abschlussveranstaltung Digital Transformation in Manufacturing.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Factory Berlin: Large Berlin-based startup campus offering co-working, programming, and corporate innovation partnerships. Operates a similar hub model but at significantly larger urban scale with both private and public support.
• UnternehmerTUM: Munich's largest startup center affiliated with TU Munich, offering broad incubation, accelerator programs, and MakerSpace. Comparable as a major Bavarian innovation center but operates at significantly larger scale with deeper corporate and academic ties.
• Hubraum (Deutsche Telekom): Deutsche Telekom's startup incubation program offering co-working, mentoring, and access to corporate assets. Comparable as a tech-industry-connected incubator with co-working and programming components, but driven by a single corporate sponsor rather than public funding.

Others

• EIT Digital: European digital innovation and education organization supporting pan-European startup ecosystems. Comparable as an ecosystem-building entity supporting digital startups and cross-border innovation, though at a much larger EU-wide scale.

Direct peers

• TechQuartier Frankfurt: Frankfurt-based digital innovation hub providing co-working, events, and startup programs with corporate partners. Comparable as a publicly-supported regional digital startup hub connecting startups with established companies.
• BayStartUP: The central Bavarian startup coaching and financing network that directly partners with Stellwerk18. Both organizations serve digital founders in Bavaria with coaching, events, and investor access, making BayStartUP the closest peer in mission and ecosystem role.
• Werk1 (Munich): Munich-based digital startup center offering co-working, incubator programs, and corporate-startup matching. Closely comparable in providing physical infrastructure plus startup ecosystem services, though operating at a larger urban scale.
• Impact Hub Munich: Part of the global Impact Hub network, this Munich hub supports impact-driven startups with co-working, programs, and community. Comparable in mission-driven startup incubation model with both space and programming components.
• Bürgerpital Nürnberg / ZOLLHOF: Nuremberg-based Tech Incubator Bavaria program offering co-working, coaching, and networking for digital startups. Directly comparable as a Bavarian publicly-funded digital startup center with similar regional mandate.

Regional players

• next media (Hamburg): Hamburg-based innovation hub for media and digital startups funded by the Hamburg state government. Comparable in the publicly-funded regional innovation hub model, but serves a different German region with a media-industry focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCi_badSB876WUlCNmUwrb7Q/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/DGZStellwerk18
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/76360190
• Instagraminstagram.com/stellwerk18

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Stellwerk 18