Since its opening in January 2011, the BonnProfits innovation and start-up center at Godesberger Allee 139 in Bonn has become an important address for start-ups with know-how. The high-quality and affordable office space in a central location has so far offered 80 companies the best conditions for a successful start. A healthy mix of sectors from the field of knowledge-intensive services as well as a comprehensive range of consulting services and events continue to make the IGZ highly attractive for start-ups.

With six half-day workshops, the fully booked workshop series is aimed specifically at female founders and entrepreneurs. With topics such as defining the individual company profile and target groups, as well as optimizing the personal and corporate image, participants who are at the beginning of their self-employment or entrepreneurs who are realigning themselves are addressed. The workshops also serve as a networking opportunity for female entrepreneurs.

The Economic Development Agency is a member of the BonnRhein-Sieg start-up network, which was founded to implement the NRW Gründerstipendium.NRW funding program. A representative of the start-up team took part in the five meetings held in 2021 as a jury member with voting rights.

The cooperation with the university will be continued on an ongoing basis. Brief advice on self-employment as part of the Careers Day, the lecture “From university to self-employment - The little 1 x 1 of freelancing” and the BonnProfits talk “Start up your business in Bonn” took place as part of the Dies Academicus. The Bonn Economic Development Agency continued to be involved in the jury for the study module “Business start-ups in agricultural and nutritional science”. 

In these one-day workshops, entrepreneurs work on their convincing short presentations under the guidance of coaches and in a small group. Three times in 2021, the Economic Development Agency, together with Sparkasse KölnBonn, and the University of Bonn provided a coach and worked with eight start-up personalities for a day on their appearance and company presentation.

Women in the start-up and development phase use the monthly exchange of experiences as a platform for presenting their business ideas and exchanging information on topics relevant to start-ups. Between 15 and 25 women in the start-up and development phase of their business take advantage of this offer.

The aim of the Bonn/Rhine-Sieg Women's Advisory Network, which has been in existence for more than 20 years, is to increase the proportion of women involved in start-ups (currently 40%). As an association of experts from institutions and self-employed female consultants, it supports women in setting up and developing their businesses and draws the attention of the public to female entrepreneurs. As in previous years, the network organized two (hybrid) events with specialist lectures, a panel discussion and short topic-related consultations.