Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

About Next Conference, June 13, 2026

As part of the About Pop Festival & Convention 2026 (June 12-13, 2026), About Next will take place on June 13 – a sub-conference bringing together the creative industries, start-ups, technology, and innovation.

About Next creates space for exchange, new collaborations, and fresh impulses between the creative scene, businesses, and the public sector. At its core are the opportunities of a strong regional innovation ecosystem in which creative and entrepreneurial skills work hand in hand. Expect panels, talks, workshops, and best-practice formats on current topics such as new business models, digital sovereignty, community building, and sustainable cultural work. About Next highlights how creative industries are increasingly becoming a driving force for transformation, economic development, and regional attractiveness. Following the program, a get-together in the networking area with food and drinks invites participants to connect and exchange ideas.

About Pop 2025, photo: Ilkay Karakurt

The format was initiated by Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH together with MFG Baden-Württemberg, the City of Stuttgart, and the companies HearDis!, and Gold und Wirtschaftswunder.

As part of About Next, MFG Baden-Württemberg will present the workshop “Creative Collaboration – Wie stärkt Brückenkompetenz cross-innovative Zusammenarbeit?“ featuring Mira Kleine, Project Manager for Entrepreneurial Action. The workshop explores how bridging competencies can strengthen collaboration across different disciplines and industries, with a focus on new perspectives for cross-innovative processes between the creative industries, technology, and other economic sectors.

Full program

Date: Saturday, June 13, 2026, Doors open: 9:30 CET, Program: 10-18 CET | Location: HearDis! Space, Christophstraße 6, 70178 Stuttgart

Free convention tickets are available via this link. The ticket includes access to About Next as well as the convention programme on Friday. Optionally, the ticket can be upgraded to include the full About Pop program.

More information: About Next | About Pop

CONTENTshift 2026

(c) MFG Baden-Württemberg

Start-ups with innovative business models for the content industry can apply for the CONTENTshift innovation program until April 30.

Over the past ten years, CONTENTshift has established itself as a key innovation platform for the publishing and media industry. Since 2026, the program has been organized by the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels Baden-Württemberg, under the umbrella of the strong publishing hub Baden-Württemberg. The program promotes innovative business models, provides industry knowledge, and connects start-ups across sectors with established companies and experts from the publishing and media industry in Baden-Württemberg and beyond.

Start-ups selected by a distinguished jury receive mentoring and coaching, as well as the chance to win the CONTENTshift Award, endowed with €10,000. They also gain a spot as co-exhibitors at the state booth “THE LÄND” at the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026 (October 7-11), organized by MFG Baden-Württemberg with support from regional partners. Under the motto “Future Publishing – Future Content,” the Baden-Württemberg booth at the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2026 offers a unique stage for innovative business models and forward-looking applications for the book market.

Application CONTENTshift 2026 until April 30, 2026 | Further information (MFG)

Photos: THE LÄND stand Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025
(c) MFG Baden-Württemberg

Start-up Monday meets Gründungswerkstatt

The Start-up Monday is the Ludwigsburg event for founders, start-ups, creatives, and everyone interested in starting up, networking, and growing. It takes place at irregular intervals and at changing locations.

At the next Start-up Monday on March 9, 2026, the Wirtschaftsförderung der Stadt Ludwigsburg and Tinkertank invite you to join: the new open Gründungswerkstatt (start-up workshop) in the premises of Tinkertank (an initiative of Interactive Media Foundation gGmbH), will be introduced and presented.

Program:

16:30 CET: Admission
17:00 CET: Welcome address by Mayor Dr. Matthias Knecht and kick-off “Ludwigsburg gründungsfreundlich“. In attendance: Saskia Kress, Managing Director of Interactive Media Foundation gGmbH and initiator of Tinkertank.
17:15 CET: Interactive keynote: Technology meets creativity, including the presentation of the open start-up workshop
18:00 CET: Networking, workshop tours, project pitches in the adjacent room, food and drinks

The project “Ludwigsburg gründungsfreundlich: Orte der Innovation” is supported by the Verband Region Stuttgart as part of the “Programm zur Kofinanzierung von regionalen Modellprojekten und Kooperationen im Bereich Wirtschaft und Tourismus.”

Admission is free. | Venue: Tinkertank, Pflugfelder Str. 23 (2. Stock), 71636 Ludwigsburg

Further information and registration

TALENT Meet-up BW 2026

In 2026, the TALENT Meet-up BW will once again offer young professionals the opportunity to experience the Stuttgart Animated Week (FMX – Film & Media Exchange (May 5 to 7, 2026), Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film (May 5 to 10, 2026), and the APD Conference (May 5, 2026)) with a free combi ticket. The program supports participants in networking, provides personalized program recommendations, and creates a framework for optimal exchange – both among participants and within the international industry. In addition, attendees will get to know regional support services and contact persons.

The program is aimed at individuals who are at the beginning of their own startup journey, currently developing animation-based content such as games, XR, VFX, or animation, or who are from related but non-industry fields, such as students in (humanities) sciences seeking to network with professionals from the animation, film, and games sectors. The offer is free of charge.

Applications are open until February 23, 2026, with responses provided by March 19, 2026. Apply now via the online form!

Program coordinators are MFG Baden-Württemberg, Animation Media Creators Region Stuttgart (AMCRS), Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart (WRS), Film Commission Region Stuttgart, Wirtschaftsförderung der Stadt Stuttgart and the Animationsinstitut of Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg.

Source and further informations: MFG Baden-Württemberg

Last Call Funding Program CO.VISION

Image: Co.Vision, MFG Baden-Württemberg

The new cross-innovation program CO.VISION by MFG Baden-Württemberg – funded by the Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Tourismus – brings together the cultural and creative industries, start-ups, and small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) from all sectors. Its aim is to build cross-sector alliances that demonstrate how innovation thrives through collaboration. Because the future emerges where diverse perspectives meet – where design and creativity intersect with engineering, where coding and game design connect with health, urban development, and mobility, or where artists collaborate with SMEs.

Until January 11, 2026, companies and associations from the creative industries and the wider economy can submit their project ideas. The program is seeking cross-innovative projects that present new solutions for innovative value chains and social resilience in Baden-Württemberg. Up to nine pilot projects will be funded, each receiving up to €20,000 (covering a maximum of 50% of total project costs). However, CO.VISION offers far more than just financial support: an accompanying support program featuring workshops, networking formats, and a final showcase event increases the visibility of the projects – and empowers participants to become multipliers of a new culture of innovation.

Submitted projects should be aligned with five future-oriented fields that the state of Baden-Württemberg has defined as key areas of action for tomorrow’s value creation:

  • Mobility & Transport: Creative approaches to sustainable mobility, logistics, and industrial transformation
  • People & Society: Digital creativity for education, participation, and resilience
  • Materials & Resources: Smart materials, circular economy, and sustainable production
  • Mechanical Engineering & Robotics: Human-centered innovations and new interfaces between industry and design
  • Cyber, Services & Security: Creative solutions for digital security, trust, and democracy

Eligible to apply are cultural and creative professionals, start-ups, as well as micro, small, and medium-sized companies from all sectors that implement their pilot projects in partnership. These partnerships may already be in place but can also be further developed and strengthened over the course of the program. Key requirements include an interdisciplinary approach, a clearly identifiable creative contribution, and a strong willingness to innovate and collaborate. The lead applicants must be based in Baden-Württemberg.

Further information and application (deadline: January 11, 2026): https://co-vision.mfg.de/

Source: MFG Baden-Württemberg

Start-up Monday in Ludwigsburg

On 17 November 2025 from 17:00 CET, the Wirtschaftsförderung Stadt Ludwigsburg, together with the agency Pulsmacher, invites everyone to a new edition of the Start-up Monday in Ludwigsburg – an event for aspiring founders, young start-ups, entrepreneurs, and everyone interested in the start-up scene and the creative industries.

At the next Start-up Monday, the impulses will come directly from one of Ludwigsburg’s key creative hubs: Pulsmacher’s neo.Office.

The evening’s topic will be something all founders know all too well: mistakes with consequences – also known as “fuck-ups”. Stories of failure will take center stage and aim to inspire learning as well as laughter. Anyone who would like to share their own story on stage is welcome to contact Max Höllen (m.hoellen@ludwigsburg.de) with their failure story.

Program:
17:00 CET: Admission
18:00 CET: Welcome and introduction of the neo.AI Lab
18:30 CET: Keynote by Katharina Aguilar, founder of UpVisit: “Heulen im Hoodie – Was wir aus dem Scheitern unserer Träume über Zukunft, Führung und Mut lernen können”
Katharina Aguilar offers a radically honest look at entrepreneurship – the tears between term sheets, the weight of responsibility, the quiet moments after the noise, and why it is often exactly there that something new begins.
19:00 CET: Fuck-up Pitches

Venue: pulsmacher GmbH, Kammererstr. 18, 71636 Ludwigsburg

Please register here: Registration

Sources and more information: Stadt Ludwigsburg | Pulsmacher

Start-Up Monday at the Filmakademie in Ludwigsburg

The first Start-Up Monday in 2025 will be held on February 10, 2025, organized by the City of Ludwigsburg in collaboration with Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg‘s Animationsinstitut and the Kontaktstelle Frau und Beruf Ludwigsburg – Region Stuttgart. The event will take place at the Filmakademie, Filmgalerie, Akademiehof 10 in Ludwigsburg.

After a presentation and discussion of the “Ludwigsburg gründungsfreundlich” (Ludwigsburg Founding-Friendly) concept, the event moves into the Prompt Arena under the guidance and moderation of Florian Schweer.

Starting at 16:30 CET, institutions supporting startups will introduce themselves, providing an opportunity for direct exchange – with Baden-Württemberg International (BW_i) | Start-up BW | Senioren der Wirtschaft e.V. | MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg mbH | IHK Region Stuttgart Bezirkskammer Ludwigsburg | bwcon und Accelerator M.Tech | Wirtschaftsförderung Region Stuttgart GmbH (WRS) | S-Wagnis der Kreissparkasse Ludwigsburg | Kokolores Collective.

At 18:00 CET, Ludwigsburg’s Mayor, Dr. Matthias Knecht, will officially open the evening program with a panel discussion featuring experts on the three key focus areas of Ludwigsburg’s startup strategy: creative industries, tech startups, and female founders. What are best practices? To what extent do these areas complement each other, or are they in competition? Which support programs are truly effective for the target audience? What are their needs and expectations?

Around 19:00 CET, it’s time to say, “Welcome to the Prompt Arena!” Prompting is a hot topic right now, as so-called prompts are used to give commands to AI. This interactive and entertaining format invites the audience to watch eight participants live as they use generative AI in the creative process. Here, you can experience prompting up close and see the results for yourself.

If you’d like to actively participate in the Prompt Arena, you can sign up with Max Höllen (m.hoellen@ludwigsburg.de) – teams are also welcome!

More information and registration | Event at LinkedIn

Source: City of Ludwigsburg

Start-up BW Summit 2024 on July 11

The Start-up BW Summit 2024 is a trade fair and congress with exhibiting start-ups, pitches and keynotes plus a festival on the Börsenplatz in Stuttgart with music and informal discussions. Start-ups, representatives of start-up ecosystems and companies as well as investors from Baden-Württemberg, Germany, Europe and the world meet at the Haus der Wirtschaft to pitch, network, exchange ideas and learn from each other.

You can expect a varied program with top-class speakers, a trade fair with start-ups, pitches and competitions as well as many offers for founders and all those who want to become one. The complete program can be found here.

MFG Baden-Württemberg will be represented in the “Länd of Start-ups” and has invited three innovative start-ups and young start-up teams from the cultural and creative industries: Eloquio from Heidelberg, Mucks! Games from Ludwigsburg (recently awarded the German Computer Game Award, the alumni from Animationsinstitut also created the trailers for FMX and ITFS 2024) and to teach from Stuttgart.

Participation in the summit is free of charge, registration is requested.

More information and sources:
Start-up BW Summit 2024 | MFG | Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labor and Tourism Baden-Württemberg

Apply now for IDEENSTARK 2024!

Creative professionals from Baden-Württemberg now have the opportunity to apply for the IDEENSTARK award from MFG Baden-Württemberg. For the eighth time, the motto for forward-thinking creative entrepreneurs, start-ups and solo freelancers is: “Your idea – your opportunity – your company”. The application deadline is Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

The ten selected winners not only receive the prestigious IDEENSTARK award at the IDEENSTARK award ceremony, but also the opportunity to participate in the exclusive support program with various stations free of charge. These include a wide range of tools that cover all facets of the individual everyday life of creative entrepreneurs: from strategy and financing to market positioning, communication, sales and personal development.

A central component of the program is the exchange among participants, which enables them to benefit from the collective wealth of experience.

For those who would like to find out more about IDEENSTARK or have questions about the application process or the program, the open IDEENSTARK consultation hour with project manager Mira Kleine offers the opportunity for clarification. The consultation hour always takes place on Mondays from 11:00-12:00 CET. Upcoming dates are: May 21 (Tuesdays due to public holiday!), May 27 and June 3.

Information and link to the consultation hours

More about Ideenstark BW and the program

IDEENSTARK is organized by MFG Baden-Württemberg and supported by the Ministerium für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Tourismus Baden-Württemberg and the Start-up BW state campaign.

IDEENSTARK winners 2023, Photo: MFG