Innovation Hub Bergisches RheinLand

What Innovation Hub Bergisches RheinLand does

Innovation Hub Bergisches RheinLand e.V. is a registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) founded in 2016 and headquartered in Gummersbach, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It functions as a regional innovation intermediary that connects small and medium-sized enterprises with academic institutions (notably TH Köln as a Stufe 4 member), municipal stakeholders, and local government across the Bergisches RheinLand region. The organization does not sell software; instead, its core offerings are membership-based networking, continuing education on Industry 4.0 topics such as IoT and AI, EU funding project acquisition and management, and access to two physical innovation spaces — Halle 51 in Gummersbach and B7 Campus in Windeck — including a model factory for hands-on digitalization experience.

The InnoHub operates a tiered membership model (Stufe 1-4) with 40+ member companies spanning manufacturing (Otto Fuchs, BPW Bergische Achsen, SARSTEDT, Jokey SE, August Rüggeberg/PFERD, MONTAPLAST, Schmidt + Clemens), energy (AggerEnergie), financial services (Kreissparkasse Köln, Sparkasse Gummersbach, Volksbank Oberberg), technology and consulting (Ferchau, OPITZ Consulting, TeraTron, dhpg, NetCologne IT Services), and chambers/institutions (IHK Köln, TH Köln). Revenue is generated through recurring membership dues, EU-funded collaborative R&D projects managed by the association, and event services, including the annual DigitalXchange conference (celebrating its 10th edition in 2026) delivered via the InnoCommunity booking platform.

Governance is by a board chaired by Bernhard Opitz (1. Vorsitzender) with Klaus Kasper, Thomas Brück, and Wolfgang Cieplik, and operational leadership by Managing Director Pascal Steinhoff (Geschäftsführung). The association employs approximately 16 people across its two locations, with no disclosed parent company, external investors, or M&A activity. Marketing and member acquisition run through the company website, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and a monthly newsletter, complemented by in-person workshops and the flagship DigitalXchange event. The organization is registered under Amtsgericht Köln (Registernummer VR 20189) and operates under USt-IdNr DE435390423.

Name

Innovation Hub Bergisches RheinLand

Legal name

Innovation Hub Bergisches RheinLand e.V.

Website

https://innovation-hub.de

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Innovation Hub Bergisches RheinLand e.V. is a non-profit innovation association based in Gummersbach, Germany, that connects regional SMEs, academic institutions, and municipal stakeholders through tiered membership, EU-funded collaborative R&D projects, and physical innovation spaces Halle 51 and B7 Campus.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Gummersbach

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: The association generates revenue through tiered membership fees (Stufe 1-4), with member companies including Ferchau Management GmbH, ABUS Kransysteme GmbH, AggerEnergie GmbH, and 30+ others across manufacturing, energy, finance, and technology sectors.
2. EU Funding Projects: The InnoHub acts as an expert in applying for and managing EU funding grants for collaborative R&D and innovation projects in which member companies participate.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The InnoHub operates a membership-based innovation association connecting small and medium-sized enterprises, scientific institutions, municipal representatives, and local politicians in the Bergisches RheinLand region of Germany. Its core offerings include tiered memberships (Stufe 1-4), expertise in applying for and managing EU funding projects, networking and continuing education programs, and physical innovation spaces (Halle 51 with a model factory in Gummersbach and B7 Campus in Windeck) for testing and developing digitalization initiatives.

Product overview

Innovation Hub Bergisches RheinLand e.V. is a regional innovation association that operates as a central hub connecting companies and research institutions through events, continuing education, and collaborative EU-funded project work. The organization offers physical innovation spaces (Halle 51 in Gummersbach and B7 Campus in Windeck), an event management platform (InnoCommunity), networking services for regional SMEs, research institutions, and local politics, and hosts the annual DigitalXchange conference. The association primarily generates value through membership-based networking, funding project facilitation, and educational offerings rather than a traditional software product portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DigitalXchange: Annual conference for digitalization and innovation, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2026.
• Halle 51
• B7 Campus

Named customers8 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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TH Köln (Technische Hochschule Köln)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerClose collaboration with TH Köln for professional questions in research and teaching. The university is a Stufe 4 member and provides academic expertise to member companies through collaborative projects, knowledge transfer, and student engagement in the InnoHub innovation ecosystem.
• Kompass Datenschutz GmbHminorOthersExternal data protection officer (Datenschutzbeauftragter) providing GDPR compliance services. Contact: Jan Besold, with office at 02233 / 6290596.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Startup incubator Technische Hochschule Köln (TH Köln) programs: TH Köln's startup incubation and innovation programs. Comparable in supporting SME-academic innovation projects in the same geography, though focused more on university spinouts than established SMEs.

Direct peers

• Technologiefabrik Karlsruhe: Regional German innovation center offering incubation, technology-transfer projects, and SME-academic collaboration in the Karlsruhe technology region. Comparable as a regional innovation hub with similar SME-academic engagement and Industry 4.0 programming.
• Impact Hub Network: Global network of impact-focused innovation hubs and communities for entrepreneurs. Operates member-based innovation communities with curated programming, events, and physical spaces — directly comparable operating model to the InnoHub.

Regional players

• Wirtschaftsförderung Oberbergischer Kreis: Regional economic development agency for the Oberbergischer Kreis (where InnoHub is located). Comparable in promoting regional SME innovation and digital transformation, and likely a partner/funder; operates more as a public agency than a membership association.
• Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie: Berlin's regional economic development and innovation agency offering SME networking, cluster management, and EU project support. Comparable operating model of regional innovation ecosystem coordination, though in a different German region.

Broad incumbents

• Bitkom: Germany's leading digital industry association representing 2,200+ companies. Comparable as a membership-based industry association offering networking, policy advocacy, and continuing education, though at a national rather than regional scale.
• Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft: Germany's leading applied research organization operating 76 institutes. Comparable in providing industry-academic collaboration, EU-funded project execution, and digital manufacturing/Industry 4.0 research programs that benefit regional SMEs.
• Steinbeis-Stiftung: German technology-transfer network operating hundreds of Steinbeis enterprises connecting SMEs with applied research and innovation projects. Comparable in providing technology transfer, EU funding project execution, and SME-academia engagement at scale.
• Digital Hub Initiative (de:hub): BMWK-backed national network of 12+ digital innovation hubs across Germany. Comparable as a government-supported innovation ecosystem player, but operates at a national scale and coordinates across multiple regional hubs rather than a single territory.
• IHK Köln (Industrie- und Handelskammer zu Köln): Cologne Chamber of Commerce and Industry, itself a Tier 4 InnoHub member. Provides regional business representation, training, and networking services to companies in the same Bergisches RheinLand / Cologne economic area, offering overlapping membership and continuing-education value propositions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/Innovation-Hub-Bergisches-RheinLand-110577510563879
• Facebookfacebook.com/Innovation-Hub-Bergisches-RheinLand-110577510563879
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/innovation-hub-bergisches-rheinland
• Instagraminstagram.com/innohubbr

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Innovation Hub Bergisches RheinLand