About Us

We turn scientific strength into entrepreneurial momentum.

As one of Germany's Startup Factories, we help DeepTech ventures grow from research-driven potential into companies with European reach.
Who we are. What drives us.
Driven by DeepTech. Built for Europe.
Europe has the research, the industrial strength and the entrepreneurial talent to shape the next generation of technology companies - and to anchor its technological sovereignty for the decades ahead. southwestX exists to turn that potential into scalable business. In a world of growing complexity and shifting dependencies, the need for bold technologies built in Europe has never been greater. The strength is here - but potential becomes impact only when knowledge, capital, talent and industry come together with purpose and speed. That connection is what we build. We bring founders, researchers, corporates and investors around one ambition: turning scientific excellence into companies and industries that compete globally - and into the foundations of Europe's technological independence.

What we want to achieve by 2035

> 0
Startups created
> 0
Scale-up Community members
> 0
Annual Innovation Projects
>€ 0 B
Startup Funding generated
What we do

We run programs that move ideas into projects, projects into ventures and ventures into global scale

01

Startup programs

For founders and DeepTech teams. Structured programs that take research-driven ideas through validation, founding and international scaling. Made for ventures at every stage of the Startup Journey.

02

Innovation programs

For companies and corporate teams. Co-creation formats, venture clienting and corporate innovation programs that translate technological potential into real-world business. Anchored in the Innovation Journey.

03

Flagship programs

For cross-cutting industry and research initiatives. Thematic platforms that bring together corporates, startups and researchers around shared challenges - including the Green Transformation Innovation initiative.

southwestX is where research meets entrepreneurship, and where Europe's next generation of DeepTech takes shape.

Our Team
The people behind southwestX
We are a dynamic team of operators, builders and entrepreneurs - most of us founders ourselves. We know what it takes to start a company, because we have done it. That experience shapes everything we do: we build southwestX from founders, for founders. What we share is one conviction: that Europe's scientific strength deserves a faster path into the market. We come from research, industry and startups, and we work across institutions, disciplines and borders - because that's where the real opportunities sit.

Ralf Zastrau

Managing Director

Matthias Schmitz

Managing Director

Michael Welz

Director (Prokurist)

Laura Clodo

Management Executive Assistant

André Pitié

Head of Startups

Sebastian Leber

Head of Innovation

Jana Burnikel

Manager International Programs

Ulrich Roeske

Director Green Transformation

Viktoriia Karakatsii

Content Creator

Carlotta Pudelek

Marketing Manager

Torsten Katthöfer

Head of AI

Nika Hein

Innovation Journey

Jan Arnold

Head of Marketing | de:hub

Michael Jung

Head of Operations

Shelby Peranich

Startup Manager

Fabian Klein

Startup Manager

Elke Lieb

Senior Startup Manager

Kartik Sahu

Hanna Burgard

Designer

Raphael de Thoury

Deep Tech Ventures Manager

Nathalie Rau

Innovation Center

VIDEO

Where we work

Many places.
One ecosystem.

southwestX is made up of its partners. Across campuses and innovation sites in Germany and France, each location brings its own teams, founders and community into one shared ecosystem - adding its own character, from research depth to industrial roots, from environmental focus to leadership networks and the Franco-German bridge.

Headquarter

Saarbrücken

Saarbrücken

Headquarters and Innovation Center, alongside DFKI, MPI, Triathlon and Universität des Saarlandes

Office Rhineland- Palatine

Koblenz/Vallendar

Koblenz/Vallendar

Entrepreneurial leadership and talent development with WHU.

Office France

Paris

Paris

The Franco-German bridge. Access to FrenchTech, Inria and Collège des Ingénieurs.

Kaiserslautern

Kaiserslautern

DeepTech and AI hub in close collaboration with RPTU and DFKI.

Trier

Trier

Linked to Hochschule Trier, Universität Trier and regional industry partners.

Birkenfeld

Birkenfeld

Sustainability and circular economy, anchored at the Environmental Campus.

Get In Touch

Find your entry point.

Whether you're a founder, a company, a researcher, an investor or an institutional partner - we'll help you find the right way into the SouthwestX ecosystem.
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