Gateway Excellence Start-up Center
Also known as Gateway Excellence Startup Center, Gateway ESC, Gateway Exzellenz Start-up Center, GATEWAY Excellence Start-up Centre
University program Cologne, Germany Run by University of Cologne gateway-unikoeln.de
Overview
The University of Cologne's start-up support centre, one of six Excellence Start-up Centers funded by North Rhine-Westphalia. It scouts research-based ideas and offers coaching, funding advice, IP services, workspace and courses. Since 2023 it has been based in the InnoDom building on campus. 'Gateway' is also a joint start-up brand shared with three other Cologne universities.
What startups get
Free support with no equity taken. The Gateway Incubator is a 4-month pre-start-up programme (in German) with intakes in April and October. The Gateway Accelerator focuses on leadership, team building and internationalisation and includes a year of co-working at InnoDom plus access to 30+ mentors.
Details
- Type
- University program
- Run by
- University of Cologne
- Headquarters
- Cologne, Germany
- Runs in
- Cologne
- Format
- Cohort-based, in person
- Who can apply
- Knowledge- or technology-based founding teams from Cologne's university community
- Standard terms
- Equity-free
- Stages
- Pre-seed
- Status
- Active
- Website
- gateway-unikoeln.de
About this data
Compiled from the program’s website, announcements, and press reports as of October 9, 2026. Terms, credits, and eligibility change between cohorts; confirm them with the program before applying. Alumni are examples, not a complete list.