The launch pad into the market for start-ups

Since 2007, Bettina Wild and her team have organized trade fair appearances for over 2500 companies. The initiator and founder of the NürnbergMesse Startup Hub organizes up to 14 joint stands for startups every year.

Written by Klaus Leonhard

People at a trade fair visiting different booths.

"We were the first exhibition company in Germany to take advantage of the federal government's funding program," reports the startup representative. And even today, NürnbergMesse is still the "leader of the table" with the most joint stands ("Young Innovators") sponsored by the German government. "The Young Innovators pavilion enables young companies to introduce themselves to the trade public at leading international trade fairs and present product innovations.

As an experienced specialist for start-ups and young companies, NürnbergMesse organizes this pavilion. Participants also receive valuable tips for participation, e.g. in webinars," explains Bettina Wild. At selected leading international trade fairs, the German government finances 60 percent of the trade fair costs for young companies via the Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA). The start-ups can thus realize their trade fair appearance with a small budget.

Always on duty for the ‘exhibitors of tomorrow’: Senior Manager Bettina Wild is in charge of ‘Startups’ at NürnbergMesse.

Companies can take advantage of this support up to three times per trade fair theme if they have their registered office and business operations in the Federal Republic of Germany, are less than ten years old, generate no more than ten million euros in annual turnover and employ fewer than 50 people. Ready-to-use stand The "all-round carefree package" includes a fully equipped, ready-to-use stand, including basic furnishings, lighting and power consumption, marketing services and catering as well as personal support from the start-up team from planning to implementation on site. Bettina Wild and her team take the founders practically by the hand and accompany them from the planning to the conclusion of the trade fair, for example in advance in webinars in which the entrepreneurs receive tips and tricks for their trade fair appearance.

The Senior Manager is deeply networked in the start-up scene, approaches start-ups specifically and advises them on which trade fairs are suitable for them and how they can manage an appearance there. The response from new exhibitors is correspondingly positive. "Many founders report that the trade fair has given their company a real boost," says Wild. One example is Christine Reich, Managing Director and co-founder of Dr. Reich's Family: "Without the NürnbergMesse crew, we as a start-up would not have had the trade fair expertise or the exhibition manpower to exhibit at BIOFACH."

Exhibition hall with “young INNOVATORS” booths and visitors engaging. — The Young Innovators programme offers start-ups an ‘all-round carefree package’ in which they are provided with a fully equipped, ready-to-occupy stand.

The "regrowth promotion" is also worthwhile for the exhibition: "The startup of today is the exhibitor of tomorrow," says Bettina Wild. The start-ups that are able to establish themselves and have experienced NürnbergMesse as a supportive partner will remain customers of NürnbergMesse even after the funding ends.

Published in special supplement "Messe.Stadt.Nürnberg." of the publishing company "Verlag Nürnberger Presse"

Author

Klaus Leonhard

Freelance journalist