1stMOVER | Knowledge
Case Study:
How Mönchengladbach initiated eight startup pilot projects for the textile industry with an innovation challenge
How can an economic region effectively bring together small and medium-sized enterprises and the start-up ecosystem?
The TexTech Startup Challenge organized by the city of Mönchengladbach is a prime example of how a structured innovation challenge can lead to concrete collaborations between established industrial companies and innovative startups — while also positioning the region as a location of the future.
Together with Mönchengladbach Economic Development Agency, 1stMOVER developed a customized open innovation format that systematically transformed technological challenges in the textile-related industry into marketable solutions.
That's what this case study is about
- Why Mönchengladbach, a textile hub, needed new approaches to innovation
- How 20+ specific innovation challenges were derived from the needs of companies
- How a global scouting process identified over 400 potential solution partners
- How 13 selected startups met the industry in the challenge final
- How this led to eight binding pilot collaborations
The case study shows this in detail
- Structured needs assessment at six industrial companies along the textile value chain
- International startup scouting with longlists and shortlists for clearly defined use cases
- Systematic matching between companies and technology providers
- High-profile finale with pitches, deep dives, and one-on-one sessions
- Direct pilot initiatives – from AI-based production monitoring to blockchain traceability
The most important results
- 20+ precisely formulated innovation challenges
- 400+ startups, R&D teams, and spin-offs scouted
- 8 concrete startup collaborations with pilot character
- Strong visibility for Mönchengladbach as a location for innovation
Why this case study is relevant
It shows how open innovation works in small and medium-sized enterprises when structure, methodology, and implementation expertise come together — and how venture clienting as an approach can have a real impact.
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