Excellence in start-up support does not go unnoticed: as the University of Potsdam's multi-award-winning start-up service, we stand for effective start-up support and professional start-up consulting. Our successes in the EXIST programmes underscore our experience and quality as a strong entrepreneurial university.

Not only is our work recognised, but also the success of the founders we support, who impress nationally and internationally with their innovations. One of the special highlights is the Guido Reger Start-up Award, which we present annually at the University of Potsdam to honour outstanding start-ups that make a lasting contribution to the economy and society.

The Guido Reger Startup Award annually recognizes outstanding startups that impress with innovation, entrepreneurial courage, and societal impact.
With this award, we honor pioneering business ideas and individuals who provide new impulses for the economy, science, and society.

The Brandenburger Innovationspreis is presented by the Minister for Economic Affairs, Energy, Climate Protection and European Affairs of the State of Brandenburg in recognition of outstanding and forward-looking innovations.

The Gründungsradar an up-to-date overview of entrepreneurial activities and structures within the university environment.
It highlights successes, developments, and trends, and shows how startup support can be systematically strengthened and further developed.
Our rankings in the Startup Radar demonstrate the quality and impact of our startup support.

EXIST – Existenzgründungen aus der Wissenschaft is a federal funding program that supports startup projects from universities and research institutions. Its goal is to guide innovative, knowledge-based business ideas on their path to entrepreneurial independence and to enable sustainable startups originating from academia.

Potsdam Transfer’s Startup Service was awarded third place in the EXIST Design Awards at the EXIST workshop held in Rostock on 7 and 8 May 2026. The jury particularly commended the creative execution and the contemporary, target-audience-oriented communication.

The Ideenschmiede Land Brandenburg supports innovative startup ideas from universities and research institutions in Brandenburg. The program guides aspiring founders from the initial idea to the development of a viable business model, thereby strengthening knowledge and technology transfer into the regional economy.