The team of founders of TROWIS from Mittweida presented itself in its best light with its pitch at the TUClab competition: on 20 September, the jury identified the planned startup, which deals with composite materials and is located in the startup founder center of the Technologie Centrum Chemnitz (TCC), as one of the most innovative out of seven finalists for their business concept.
The TROWIS startup, founded in June 2019, designs high-strength fibre ropes that can be used, among other things, in lifts, elevators, and cranes. In comparison with classic steel ropes, the newly developed rope offers higher load-bearing capacity and longer service life. The idea of founding a company based on this new technology came to Dr. Thorsten Heinze after a surprising call: ”Ten years ago, a sheik from Dubai called me. He had heard of my research activities in the field of high-strength fibre ropes and wanted a rope that could make it possible for him to no longer change elevators in a skyscraper.” Since, at that time, research was in its infancy, the first task was to find sponsors and supporters. The University for Applied Sciences Mittweida and the Saxon founder network SAXEED were important players here. The founders succeeded in filing an EXIST research transfer application with the help of the entrepreneurship network in Mittweida under the direction of Prof. Dr. Ulla Meister. The EXIST transfer of research is an attractive promotional program of the Federal ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) for entrepreneurs in the sciences. For the application of research in a new enterprise, in addition to the personnel costs, up to 250,000 Euro for operating expenditures are funded by promotional grants. The founders now intend to complete product validation together with a strategic investor and launch the product soon in their target market.
“Becoming the winner of the TUClab 2019 did not just confirm that our business concept and chosen direction are right. This award also offered us the opportunity to gain more support in terms of organization, entrepreneurship and personal development,” Dr. Thorsten Heinze, founder, says happily of the prize. The founders particularly thanked Prof. Dr. Ulla Meister and the whole entrepreneurship network for their support. We at the entrepreneurship network SAXEED are always interested and happy to be able to help potential entrepreneurs. For this purpose, there are not only exciting workshops, but also individual consultations at all locations, offered every semester.