DurchSTARTer Award
Every year, the DurchSTARTer Award honours the best startups from Lower Saxony in the categories Newcomer/Scale-up, Science Spin-off and Social Innovation. Winners receive prize money of up to €10,000 as well as media attention, jury feedback and networking with investors and industry experts. The competition is organised by NBank together with Lower Saxony’s state ministries and the Niedersachsen.next Startup initiative.
Global opportunities for innovative startups
Use programmes like STEP USA and SLUSH to build international contacts, open up new markets and position your startup globally.
StepUSA
The STEP USA Lower Saxony programme takes selected startups from Lower Saxony to New York City for a four-day intensive programme – with direct access to US venture capital investors, potential customers and experts from the American startup ecosystem. NBank covers the full course fees.
More information
SLUSH
SLUSH in Helsinki is one of the world’s most important startup festivals, with around 12,000 participants, including thousands of startups and investors. NBank funds the participation of startups from Lower Saxony, opening up access to international investors and partners. Selected teams also get the chance to pitch on the German Pitching Stage.
more information
GITEX Europe
Die GITEX EUROPE ist eine der größten Tech-Konferenzen Europas und bringt Zehntausende Fachbesucher*innen, Aussteller*innen und Investor*innen aus aller Welt zusammen – von KI über Deeptech bis Quantencomputing. Die NBank fördert für niedersächsische Startups einen Ausstellungsstand (Startup Pod) samt Ausstellerausweisen und Besuchertickets. So erhalten Startups eine internationale Bühne, um neue Kontakte zu knüpfen und Partnerschaften zu schmieden.
Weitere informationen
VivaTech
Die VivaTech in Paris ist einer der größten Treffpunkte der europäischen Tech- und Startup-Szene. Die Startup-Initiative der NBank bringt ausgewählte Startups aus Niedersachsen mit einem Gemeinschaftsstand dorthin. Die Teams erhalten eine eigene Ausstellungsfläche, einen professionellen Rahmen für Gespräche mit Investor*innen und Corporates sowie Zugang zum internationalen Messeprogramm.
weitere informationen
Putting innovation in the spotlight
Use trade fair appearances to grow your network, reach potential customers and initiate new partnerships.
Trade fair support for startups
For a young company, your own trade fair stand can quickly cost more than the budget allows. That’s why we take startups from Lower Saxony with us to the key leading trade fairs. You get stand space, preparation and on-site support, for example, so you can focus on why you’re there: customer meetings, pitches and new contacts.
Sign up for our newsletter to find out when we’re looking for the next startups for trade fairs and internationalisation activities.
Our upcoming trade fairs:
Bits & Pretzels
The Capital Hub of the European Ecosystem.
DSEI
Trade fair for defence and security equipment
HANNOVER MESSE
THINK TECH FORWARD
visit Hannover Messe website
28 – 30 September 2026
9 – 12 March 2027
5 – 8 April 2027
Entrepreneurship Education
With Entrepreneurship Education, we tackle one question: how do we spark entrepreneurial thinking and action in school pupils and university students? From school competitions such as DigitalSTARTer and appearances at IdeenExpo to the Entrepreneurship Education Conference, we bring together a wide range of formats for practice and research. Together with schools and universities, we are laying the foundations for Lower Saxony’s next generation of entrepreneurs.
Entrepreneurship Education Conference
The Niedersachsen.next Entrepreneurship Education Conference brings together researchers, teachers and practitioners from schools, universities and business to discuss current developments in entrepreneurship education. With academic support, it creates valuable links between theory and practice.
DigitalSTARTer competition
DigitalSTARTer introduces pupils in school grades 8 to 13 to entrepreneurial thinking and digitalisation in a playful way. Working in teams, they develop their own business ideas in the field of artificial intelligence – from the first idea and business model through to a pitch in front of a jury. No prior knowledge is needed: the competition nurtures Lower Saxony’s next generation of entrepreneurs.
Life sciences in Lower Saxony
From lab to market – all contact points for startups at a glance
The Life Sciences Lower Saxony platform brings together all relevant contact points for biotech, medtech and pharma startups in one place – from transfer offices and startup centres to high-tech incubators and suitable financing options. Startups find strong networks, modern infrastructure and direct access to investors, corporates and experts. This supports life science startups in Lower Saxony on their way to a successful market entry from day one.
Transfer X MACHEN
Transfer X MACHEN is a transfer and matching format that connects founding teams with experienced mentors. Pairings are prepared individually in advance, so conversations get to the heart of things quickly.
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The next Startup Day is Lower Saxony’s flagship event for startups, innovation and entrepreneurship – hosted by Niedersachsen.next Startup and NBank as part of the State of Lower Saxony’s startup strategy. It brings together startups, investors and companies to share ideas, forge partnerships and shape the future together.
innomatch matchmaking platform
Our platform connecting startups, investors, companies and research institutions
innomatch is the central matchmaking platform of Lower Saxony’s startup ecosystem, connecting startups, investors, research institutions, companies and the wider innovation ecosystem. Through co-founder, investment and partnership matching and a marketplace for expertise, labs and funding, startups find the right partners and financing options. innomatch makes Lower Saxony’s entire network easy to access and use for new ventures.
News
Latest news from Lower Saxony’s innovation ecosystem, filtered by your own topics and interests.
Events
Events and competitions from across Lower Saxony that you can register for directly on the platform.
Database
Search for startups, companies, investors and research institutions and contact them directly.
Marketplace
Offers and requests for partnerships, contracts, solutions and projects – free of charge and anonymous if you wish.
Lower Saxony Startup Monitor
Our annual report on Lower Saxony’s startup scene
Startup Monitor 2026
Startup Monitor 2025
Startup Monitor 2024
Startup Monitor 2023