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Technology Centre Konstanz (TZK): Supporting Innovative Business Start-ups.
The Technologiezentrum Konstanz TZK has already been able to support numerous entrepreneurs who have innovative business ideas (mainly in the technology sector) but not necessarily the business management experience in setting up their own businesses.
The key factor for success in setting up a business, apart from the business idea, is planning. To support young entrepreneurs, the TZK offers advice and assistance in creating and implementing business plans. It also offers its member firms a comprehensive and low cost infrastructure helping new business ventures to master these financially difficult early stages.
The TZK primarily focuses on innovative, technologically oriented start-ups and business related service providers. In addition, since one of the building blocks of the TZK is offering a communication platform for innovative young enterprises and to generate synergies, complementary companies, which are not necessarily in the technology sector but are capable of creating these synergies are also welcome. The Board of Directors decides which applications from the various business start-ups will be accepted. Prerequisite and basis for any decision is the positive endorsement of the business plans by the renowned Steinbeis Foundation. The maximum membership period for business start ups is five years.
Currently, there are 36 companies with c. 120 employees and additional temporary staff in the TZK. In total, 87 companies have left the TZK so far. Of these, 60 firms with more than 500 jobs have chosen to stay in Constance. Nine firms found better conditions in the immediate vicinity of Constance, and 15 firms moved farther away. Of the companies, which have left the Centre, 83 still exist today – as far as is known – which translates into a 97% success ratio. Obviously, this is an excellent success story.
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