From idea
to startup.
We help your idea take off — from the first sketch to a founded company.
An idea doesn’t become a startup overnight – but it doesn’t become eligible for funding out of nowhere either. Between the first problem that won’t let you go and a viable company lies a path of conversations, tests, funding and growth. The Startup Incubator Berlin, the startup center of HWR Berlin, supports you at every stage – whether you’re just getting curious or already have a team and a prototype.
First things first: you don’t have to understand everything at once. You don’t need a finished business plan to get started. You need a problem that’s real, the willingness to test your assumptions, and the right next step. That’s exactly what our offerings are made for – they build on one another, from a short validation sprint to a scholarship.
You only have an idea
Start with validation instead of building. The Lean Startup Sprint takes you from assumption to evidence in a short time.
You want to work continuously
Startup Now gives your team structure, space and support to develop the idea step by step.
Your concept is solid
Once problem, solution and team are robust, scholarships like BSS and EXIST open the path to full-time founding.
Find your way in.
From the first idea to a viable startup.
Lean Startup Sprint
Test and validate your idea in a structured way.
Learn more →Startup Now
A founding program for building your startup.
Learn more →Scholarships (BSS · EXIST)
Financial funding for your venture.
Learn more →Coaches & mentors
Personal support from experienced people.
Learn more →Co-Working & Labs
Space and infrastructure at CIC Berlin.
Learn more →
Your path through the startup center
Founding a company is rarely a straight line. Teams jump back as soon as a test disproves an assumption, and forward again when the evidence holds. Even so, a common thread helps – it shows you which offering fits your current phase and how the individual stages connect. At the start there is no perfect pitch, but a problem that hurts often enough. Your first task isn’t to build a solution, but to turn an observation into a testable assumption and to talk about it with real people.
If you’re at the point where you’re unsure between initial interest and serious work, one more conversation often helps more than any program brochure. Our coaches and mentors help you make sense of your situation and tell you honestly whether your next sensible step is a validation sprint, a program, or simply more customer conversations. Spaces to work, meet and prototype are available in the Co-Working area and the labs – from a quiet desk to a workbench for your first physical prototypes.
- Sharpen and validate your idea – Instead of spending months building a solution, in the Lean Startup Sprint you test your riskiest assumption first: who really has the problem, how big is it, and would anyone pay for a solution? You learn to conduct interviews, set up small experiments, and move forward with real evidence instead of gut feeling. A prototype doesn’t have to be technically perfect – it has to trigger a reaction and teach you something.
- Build continuously – If your idea holds up, you need structure and stamina. Startup Now gives you and your team a reliable framework to work on your business model over the course of weeks, get regular feedback, and turn tests into concrete decisions. This is where a validated assumption becomes a growing venture – supported by coaches and mentors and with workspaces in the Co-Working area.
- Secure funding and scale – Once the problem, solution approach, market and team are plausible enough, it’s worth looking at scholarships. The Berlin Startup Scholarship (BSS) and the EXIST start-up scholarship secure funding for you and your team over a defined period, so you can found your company full-time. Which program fits depends on your phase and your circumstances – we’ll review that together in a consultation before you put time into an application.
You don’t necessarily have to go through all of these stages, and not in a fixed order. Some teams start directly with a scholarship, others stay in validation longer. What matters is that every step builds on robust insights – and that you’re never left to stand alone.
Frequently asked questions
I don’t have a concrete idea yet – can I still get started?
Yes. You don’t need a finished plan, but a problem that interests you and the willingness to talk to people. A good first step is a conversation with our coaches and mentors or the Lean Startup Sprint, which helps you sharpen an idea in the first place.
Do I have to study at HWR Berlin to take part?
Not for everything. Some offerings are widely open, others – especially scholarships – have formal requirements, for example regarding the phase or the connection to a university. We can best clarify which conditions apply to you directly in a conversation, before you invest time in an application.
When is my idea eligible for funding?
When team, problem, solution approach, market and execution are plausible and robust enough. This isn’t a fixed deadline, but a level of maturity. That’s exactly what the Lean Startup Sprint and Startup Now help with: they bring you to the point where applying for a scholarship makes sense.
What is the difference between BSS and EXIST?
Both are scholarships that secure your team’s funding for full-time founding – but they differ in requirements, focus and phase. You’ll find an overview on the scholarships page; which program fits your venture is something we’ll work out together in a consultation.
Do I already need a team?
Not for the first steps. You can begin validation on your own. For most funding programs and for serious growth, however, a team is important. In the Co-Working area and through our mentors you’ll meet other founders and find people to join you.
Let’s talk about your idea.
Whether it’s half an idea or a concrete plan — write to us, and together we’ll find the right way in for you.