“Go!” start-up campaign goes digital: first digital regional dialogue in Erfurt

The first digital regional dialogue of the nationwide “Go!” start-up campaign will take place in Erfurt on 4 June 2020. It is being organised by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the RKW Centre of Excellence and the Thüringer Zentrum für Existenzgründungen und Unternehmertum (ThEx). Due to the current restrictions on the holding of events, the regional dialogue will take place for the first time as a digital event and be broadcast live on the internet. It will involve talks with stakeholders of Thuringia’s start-up scene and be used to identify challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs and start-ups resulting from the coronavirus crisis. A selection of successful start-ups in the region surrounding Erfurt, including Dashbike, rooomAG and TechnologieContor, are to encourage those interested in setting up a start-up to do so.

In addition, the findings of the 2019/2020 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) National Report Germany will be presented during the regional dialogue. According to the report, the number of start-ups reached the highest level in 2019 since data records began 20 years ago.

Marco Wanderwitz, Federal Government Commissioner for the New Federal States, said: “The data on start-ups set up in 2019 in Germany show very clearly that we are seeing a cultural shift towards greater entrepreneurial activity. Many firms, entrepreneurs and start-ups, however, are currently facing huge challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic. It is therefore important to continue to strengthen the spirit of entrepreneurship and highlight the opportunities for start-ups in a changed environment.”

The target group of the event includes entrepreneurs, start-ups, self-employed persons, bodies promoting start-ups and all other interested parties. You can find information about the programme of the event and registration at rkw.link/regionaldialog04062020 (in German). After the regional dialogue, experts from Thüringer Aufbaubank, Thuringia’s promotional bank, will answer participants’ via a telephone hotline.

For more information about the “Go!”start-up campaign, please go to www.existenzgruender.de/DE/GO/inhalt.html (in German).