Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC)
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) is the publicly funded transfer and startup center of Ruhr-Universität Bochum, providing free consulting, mentoring, prototyping facilities, and incubation programs to students, MINT researchers, international founders, and early-stage startup teams across all disciplines.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersBochum, Germany
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) does
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) is the central transfer and startup center of Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), a public German university. Established to translate academic research and student talent into market-ready ventures, WSC provides free, publicly funded services to students, researchers, and early-stage founders across all disciplines. Its service portfolio spans individual startup consulting (Gründungsberatung), one-on-one mentoring, funding application support, patent advisory, and a Toolbox of resources, alongside structured programs including the Business Developer Programm for MINT scientists, IDEA Lab for aspiring founders, FACE@RUB for female academics, EXIST-Women scholarships, and WORLDFACTORY International for cross-border entrepreneurship. Five sector-specific incubators (Start4Chem, Smart Systems, Materials, Cube 5, Health+) provide verticalized support across chemistry, intelligent systems, materials science, and healthcare.
WSC's core physical asset is the RUB-Makerspace — a 1,800 m² open prototyping facility in the former Opel administration building at the MARK 51°7 technology campus, equipped with metal and woodworking workshops, digital and design labs (circuit boards, sensors, 3D printers, laser cutters), a media lab with VR/AR capabilities, and specialized processing areas. Co-working is delivered through partnerships at the Bochumer Funkhaus (city-center offices for startup teams of 3+) and the G DATA Campus (24 offices across ~1,000 m²). WSC holds the 'Exzellenz Start-up Center.NRW' designation (one of six in NRW) and is funded through the federal EXIST-Potentiale program, supporting 678+ mentored founding projects and 26+ spin-offs in 2023 alone.
The revenue model is non-commercial: WSC operates as a government-backed transfer center with all services provided free of charge to users. Funding flows from federal (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action) and state (NRW Ministry for Economic Affairs) grant programs, supplemented by in-kind support from RUB and partner companies (Bochum Wirtschaftsentwicklung, G DATA, UniverCity Bochum). WSC is a member of the BRYCK Startup Alliance with TU Dortmund and University of Duisburg-Essen, which won the federal 'Startup Factory Deutschlands' award in July 2025. Customer segments are university-affiliated students, MINT researchers, international founders, and early-stage startup teams — none of whom pay for services.
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC)
- Legal name
- WORLDFACTORY - Transfer- und Start-up Center (WSC)
- Website
- https://worldfactory.de
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) is the publicly funded transfer and startup center of Ruhr-Universität Bochum, providing free consulting, mentoring, prototyping facilities, and incubation programs to students, MINT researchers, international founders, and early-stage startup teams across all disciplines.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Incubation Services
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Technical Universities with Entrepreneurship & Incubation Focus (EDAHAEAH), Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB)
Keywords
Where Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bochum
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Public Funding (Federal & State): WORLDFACTORY International is funded through the EXIST-Potentiale program by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action. The center carries the 'Exzellenz Start-up Center.NRW' designation from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalization and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, receiving special funding as one of six university centers in NRW. All services are provided free of charge to users.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Other | Free Services for RUB Founders |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) product offering
Product offeringCore offering
WSC is the central startup and transfer center of Ruhr-Universität Bochum, providing free consulting, mentoring, funding application support, patent advisory, and entrepreneurship education to student founders, researchers, and aspiring entrepreneurs. It also operates the RUB-Makerspace (a 1,800 m² prototyping facility), free co-working spaces at the Bochumer Funkhaus and G DATA Campus, sector-specific incubators, and the WORLDFACTORY International program supporting international founders and cross-border entrepreneurship.
Product overview
WORLDFACTORY Start-up Center (WSC) is a comprehensive university-based startup support ecosystem at Ruhr-Universität Bochum, offering a multi-tiered portfolio of advisory services, programs, and physical facilities. The core offering includes Gründungsberatung (startup consulting), Mentoring, Finanzierung (funding support), Patente (patent support), and a Toolbox of resources. The RUB-Makerspace provides a 1,800 m² prototyping facility with advanced equipment including metalworking, digital labs, VR/AR studios, and specialized workshops. Specialized programs include IDEA Lab for aspiring founders, the Business Developer Programm for MINT researchers commercializing research, FACE@RUB for female academics, Entrepreneurship Education initiatives, and WORLDFACTORY International for cross-border entrepreneurship. Physical workspace is offered through Team-Spaces & Co-Working at the Bochum Funkhaus and G DATA Campus. Sector-specific support is provided through five specialized incubators: Start4Chem, Smart Systems, Materials, Cube 5, and Health+. The center is recognized as an 'Exzellenz Start-up Center.NRW' and operates under the EXIST-Potentiale funding program.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RUB-Makerspace: A 1,800 m² open workshop and prototyping space located at MARK 51°7 technology campus in the former Opelwerk building, providing equipment for metalworking, woodworking, digital labs, 3D printing, and more for students and startups.
- Team-Spaces & Co-Working (Bochum Funkhaus)
- Business Developer Programm
- G'85 - Not a garage (G DATA Campus)
Products and services
- Gründungsberatung (Startup Consulting)
Quantifiable outcome
- 678 founding projects mentored across all time
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC)
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BRYCK Startup AlliancecoreBRYCK is a multi-university startup alliance led by the University of Alliance Ruhr (UA Ruhr), which includes Ruhr-Universität Bochum, TU Dortmund, and University of Duisburg-Essen. UA Ruhr Transfer GmbH acquired a stake in BRYCK Startup Alliance in 2025. The consortium won the EXIST Leuchtturmwettbewerb 'Startup Factory Deutschlands' award from BMWi. WORLDFACTORY serves as the RUB member within this alliance, pooling resources across three major universities to increase startup activity in the Ruhr region.
- Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB)coreRuhr-Universität Bochum is the host institution of WORLDFACTORY. RUB provides the physical infrastructure (campus, Makerspace), institutional backing, and access to research talent. WORLDFACTORY serves as the university's official transfer and startup center, operating under the rectorate's strategic direction.
- Bochum Wirtschaftsentwicklung (Bochum Economic Development Agency)corePartnership with Bochum Wirtschaftsentwicklung to provide free office spaces for WORLDFACTORY startup teams at the Bochumer Funkhaus. The agency provides fully equipped offices in the city centre, meeting rooms, and communal facilities. WORLDFACTORY teams are co-located with teams from the WERK X incubator, fostering cross-team networking.
- G DATAminorG DATA, a Bochum-based cybersecurity company, provides 24 office rooms in a nearly 1,000 m² standalone building on the G DATA Campus for early-stage startups, scale-ups, and creative freelancers. The Start-up Center 'G'85 - Not a garage' is operated in partnership with WORLDFACTORY, with first contact via [email protected].
- UniverCity BochumminorWORLDFACTORY cooperates with UniverCity Bochum, a university-business network in Bochum, as indicated by the logo partnership displayed on the WORLDFACTORY website footer.
- International Board for Transfer and Entrepreneurship (RUB)minorA high-level expert advisory board comprising five members from academic and non-academic science and business sectors, serving in leading positions with particular expertise in transfer and entrepreneurship. The board advises the rectorate of RUB on the strategic development of transfer and entrepreneurship areas. Members are appointed by the rectorate for three-year terms.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- UnternehmerTUM: Comprehensive entrepreneurship center at Technical University of Munich offering startup programs, maker space (Munich Fabricate), industry partners, and funding support — comparable as a leading German university-based startup hub with similar mission, programs (consulting, mentoring, incubators), and public-private funding mix.
- SpinLab - The HHL Accelerator (Leipzig): Established German startup accelerator with structured programs for early-stage founders — comparable on consulting/mentoring offering but operates as a private-sector entity with equity participation rather than as a public university transfer center.
- Founder Institute: Global pre-seed accelerator running structured founder programs across multiple cities including Germany — comparable on mentoring, structured curriculum, and ecosystem building for early-stage founders, though operates as a private program rather than a public university center.
Direct peers
- RWTH Aachen - Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovative Business (CEIB): Another Exzellenz Start-up Center.NRW with university-anchored startup programs at RWTH Aachen — directly comparable on funding source, program structure (consulting, mentoring, incubators), and North Rhine-Westphalia footprint.
- TU Dortmund - Center for Entrepreneurship & Transfer (CET): Member of the BRYCK Startup Alliance alongside WORLDFACTORY; comparable Exzellenz Start-up Center.NRW designee with similar university-based consulting, mentoring, and EXIST-aligned funding.
- University of Duisburg-Essen - Start-up Center (UDE): Third BRYCK alliance member and Exzellenz Start-up Center.NRW; comparable mission of supporting student and researcher founders with similar public funding and program structure.
- Heinz Nixdorf Institut / Paderborn University Entrepreneurship: Another NRW Exzellenz Start-up Center — directly comparable as one of six centers sharing the same state designation, federal EXIST funding framework, and university-based entrepreneurship program model.
- KIT Gründerschmiede (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology): University-based startup center at one of Germany's leading technical universities — comparable as a technical-university entrepreneurship hub with consulting, mentoring, EXIST funding access, and similar incubation programs.
- TUB Entrepreneurship (Technische Universität Berlin): Major technical university's startup support hub offering comparable programs (consulting, mentoring, incubators, funding access) and similar public funding via EXIST — directly comparable as a German university startup center.
- University of Stuttgart - Entrepreneurship Center (ESC): University-based startup support at a leading German technical university, offering consulting, mentoring, transfer programs, and access to EXIST funding — directly comparable in mission, structure, and target founder segments.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) social profiles
Digital presenceWorldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC)
What does Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) do?
WSC is the central startup and transfer center of Ruhr-Universität Bochum, providing free consulting, mentoring, funding application support, patent advisory, and entrepreneurship education to student founders, researchers, and aspiring entrepreneurs. It also operates the RUB-Makerspace (a 1,800 m² prototyping facility), free co-working spaces at the Bochumer Funkhaus and G DATA Campus, sector-specific incubators, and the WORLDFACTORY International program supporting international founders and cross-border entrepreneurship.
Is Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) a public or private company?
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) founded?
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) was founded in -1.
Where is Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) based?
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) is headquartered in Bochum, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) make money?
One revenue line is on record: public Funding (Federal & State).
Who are Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC)'s main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are UnternehmerTUM, SpinLab - The HHL Accelerator (Leipzig) and Founder Institute. Direct peers are RWTH Aachen - Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovative Business (CEIB), TU Dortmund - Center for Entrepreneurship & Transfer (CET), University of Duisburg-Essen - Start-up Center (UDE), Heinz Nixdorf Institut / Paderborn University Entrepreneurship, KIT Gründerschmiede (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology), TUB Entrepreneurship (Technische Universität Berlin) and University of Stuttgart - Entrepreneurship Center (ESC).
Does Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) have an API?
No public API is recorded for Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC).
What industry is Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC) in?
Worldfactory Start-up Center (WSC)'s product category is Startup Incubation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAHAA, Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics, with a secondary code of EDAHAEAH, Technical Universities with Entrepreneurship & Incubation Focus. Its NAICS code is 611310 and its SIC code is 8200.