Can the BRYCK Alliance turn the Ruhr region into Germany’s deeptech launchpad?

The week sees further plans to advance the Ruhr region, a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, as a next-generation industrial powerhouse.

The BRYCK Startup Alliance is a collaboration between the RAG-Stiftung, the University Alliance Ruhr (Ruhr University Bochum, TU Dortmund University & University of Duisburg-Essen), the business network Initiativkreis Ruhr (with over 70 member companies and institutions), and the innovation and startup centre BRYCK. 

It aims to establish a leading European centre for the development of high-growth deep-tech startups by supporting science-based spin-offs and accelerating the transfer of cutting-edge research into industry. 

The  BRYCK Startup Alliance combines the full strength of industry, academia, and capital to accelerate university-based spin-offs, optimise technology transfer, and attract international startups.

This week, it announced its advisory board, which includes high-ranking individuals from the startup scene, industry, and academia. 

With their experience and networks, the board members will support the BRYCK Startup Alliance in achieving its strategic goals while also enhancing technology transfer and access to capital for startups. 

Members of the BRYCK Startup Alliance advisory board include:

• Gisbert Rühl, Chair (CHEPSTOW CAPITAL)
• Prof. Gerhard Schembecker, Vice Chair (TU Dortmund, UA Ruhr Transfer)
• Christian Miele (Headline)
• Christoph Keese (Axel Springer/WORLD.MINDS)
• Prof. Dietmar Harhoff (Director, Max Planck Institute for Innovation  and Competition / Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich)
• Dirk Opalka (Initiativkreis Ruhr)
• Dr Florian Heinemann (Project A)
• Florian Leibert (468 Capital)
• Florian Seubert (AB1204 Capital)
• Götz Erhardt (Accenture / Initiativkreis Ruhr)
• Dr Joann Halpern (ZAMWILL, Adjunct Professor, New York University)    
• Dr Marcus Kruse (KRUSE GmbH)
  Dr Tanja Emmerling (High-Tech Gründerfonds)
• Timo Bartell (RAG-Stiftung
• Tobias Frick (RAG-Stiftung)
• Zarah Bruhn (socialbee / German Council for Sustainable Development)
  

The Ruhr region is the home of 22 universities and colleges, 248,000 students, and 150 research centres—the densest university landscape in Germany. It encompasses 160,000 businesses, with one-third of Germany’s “Hidden Champions” based in North Rhine-Westphalia and 100 of these in the Ruhr region.

Gisbert Rühl, Chair of the Advisory Board, comments: 

"The BRYCK Startup Alliance has tremendous potential to breathe new life into Germany as a business location. 

With this new board, we will support the leadership team in developing a leading European deeptech hotspot. I’m delighted that we have brought together such renowned individuals with proven expertise and strong international networks.”

According to Zarah Bruhn from socialbee, scientific insights are essential for social and sustainable innovation. 

“That’s why I support the BRYCK Startup Alliance in turning research-based ideas into businesses with positive economic, social, and environmental impact—by passing on my experiences as a founder to the next generation of entrepreneurs.”