Social and sustainable: Universities establish Impact Start-up Cluster

Federal government funds joint project by Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, the University of Bonn and Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences with 1 million euros.

More and more companies are leading the way: they are embracing social and sustainable action and evaluating not only economic profits, but also benefits for society and the environment. Together, Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, the University of Bonn and Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences are now establishing an Impact Start-up Cluster that strengthens precisely these public-benefit-oriented spin-offs and companies. The project “SoNaR – Founding socially, creating sustainable impact: Impact Cluster Bonn-Rhine-Sieg Region” is being funded with just under 1 million euros by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK). On 22 May 2025 from 3:30 pm, the consortium invites the public to the kick-off event “Future Founders – Networking for a Better Future” at Digitalhub Bonn. Registration is requested.

“With SoNaR, we are creating an ecosystem for social innovations and sustainable start-ups. Through impulses for innovation support, advisory services and peer-to-peer learning, we support people interested in founding a business as well as founders in maximizing their social and ecological impact,” explains Prof. Dr. Martin Sieber, Co-Director of the Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and SMEs (CENTIM) at Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences. “Especially in view of the diverse global challenges of our time, such companies play an important role in processes of societal change. With the Impact Cluster, we are creating a network that drives the socio-ecological transformation in the region and beyond,” emphasizes Sandra Speer, Head of the enaCom Transfer Center at the University of Bonn. And according to Prof. Dr. Stephan Hankammer, Professor of Sustainable Management at the Department of Economics at Alanus University, “young entrepreneurs in particular should be encouraged to embed the common good in their business models and thus fulfill their role as forward-looking game changers.”

Doing business socially and sustainably

SoNaR strengthens the public-benefit-oriented start-up culture in the region, opens up new opportunities for social and sustainable business, and promotes a future-proof, climate-friendly business landscape. The project offers practice-oriented formats for aspiring founders and existing companies. The project partners already bring strong expertise in research and teaching, particularly in the areas of green economy, sustainable business and circular economy, which will feed into the advisory services. The focus areas of the funded start-ups may include sustainable supply chains, the transition to a circular economy, or sustainable construction and renewable raw materials. In this way, the project also makes a decisive contribution to achieving key climate goals and strengthens the regional economy in the spirit of sustainable transformation.

Games and accessibility: playful interaction and social participation

Two additional thematic focal points, “Games” and “Accessibility,” will be developed together with corresponding networks. “Both are currently particularly dynamic areas of innovation with great potential for social innovation,” says Prof. Dr. Adrian Hermann, who researches both focal areas at the Forum Internationale Wissenschaft at the University of Bonn and is a member of the Transdisciplinary Research Area (TRA) “Individuals and Societies.” In close partnership with the Bonn Lab for Analog Games and Imaginative Play (LAGIP), business ideas from game development will be supported and playful aspects of social businesses strengthened. With a focus on accessibility – in other words, access and barrier-free inclusion – start-up projects with an integrative approach will be supported that seek to include underrepresented groups in social life. This may involve people with disabilities, people with a migration background, or those from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds.

Consortium of Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences, the University of Bonn and Alanus University

The Impact Cluster is being implemented by a consortium of three universities that are already strongly committed to entrepreneurship and sustainability: Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (H-BRS), the University of Bonn and Alanus University in Alfter. This interdisciplinary collaboration creates a strong network that benefits from the different areas of expertise. H-BRS coordinates the consortium and contributes its extensive experience in business start-up advisory services. The University of Bonn provides in-depth advice on the specific focal topics of “Games” and “Accessibility.” Alanus University strengthens the network through its special focus on sustainable business. It has long been strongly committed to sustainable and social transformation, including through the integration of social and ecological focal points into teaching and through the Institute for Regenerative Economics (REGWI), which is based there.

Funding through the federal government and the EU

The project “SoNaR – Founding socially, creating sustainable impact: Impact Cluster Bonn-Rhine-Sieg Region” is funded under the funding guideline “Creating sustainable impact – funding public-benefit-oriented enterprises” of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and co-financed by funds from the European Social Fund Plus (ESF Plus) of the European Union.

Date notice: The public kick-off event “Future Founders – Networking for a Better Future” will take place on Thursday, 22 May 2025, from 3:30 pm at the Digitalhub near Bonn Central Station. The event will open with a keynote speech by Jonathan Kümmerle from VEMO Logistik GmbH. With his company, he won the Bonn Climate Prize 2025 and was recognized for his contribution to an urban mobility transition through the use of cargo bikes powered by green electricity as delivery vehicles.

Anyone interested is warmly invited and can register here.

Further information can be found on the SoNaR website.

Contact:
Karoline Noth, SoNaR Project Manager
Bonn-Rhine-Sieg University of Applied Sciences
E: karoline.noth@h-brs.de
T: 02241 865 9850

Sandra Speer, enaCom Transfer Center
University of Bonn
E: speer@verwaltung.uni-bonn.de
T: 0228 7362006

Paul Ziegler, SoNaR Project Manager
Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences
E: paul.ziegler@alanus.edu
T: 02222 9321 1530

Image: The SoNaR project team from the University of Bonn, H-BRS and Alanus University: Lukas Kiefer, Paul Ziegler, Sandra Speer, Martin Sieber, Lea Bockem, Stephan Hankammer (from left to right; not pictured are Karoline Noth and Adrian Hermann) © enaCom/Uni Bonn

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