RTZ anniversary
The Cologne Technology and Founder Center on the Right Bank of the Rhine was founded in 1997 and is now celebrating its 25th anniversary.
May 21, 2024
News
Hagen Campus — a location for innovation and technology for more than 100 years
history
Gottfried Hagen built batteries for the automotive industry in his factory over a hundred years ago.
1983 The Hagen company went bankrupt. Some of the existing buildings were rented out to smaller companies and artists, and a hall was used as a mosque.
1987 LEG (Landesentwicklungs-Gesellschaft) acquired the site with 46 buildings (2 of which are listed buildings) and 53 rental agreements.
1991, in spring, LEG presented its final usage concept, which only provided for the preservation of a group of six buildings or listed parts of buildings on Rolshover-Straße. The majority of the existing building is demolished and the gained land made available for new buildings
1995 All demolition work was completed and renovation work began on the old buildings.
The RTZ
Laying the foundation stone
In July 1997, the time had come. On the 'Hagen Campus', construction work for the Technology and Start-Up Center on the Right Bank of the Rhine (RTZ) And then the Biofactory started.
The patron table for RTZ was heralded in a top-class manner.
On May 20, 1999, the Rechtsrheinische Technologie- und Gründerzentrum Köln GmbH opened its doors. The management of the center was assigned to Dr. Heinz Bettmann as managing director and to Mr. Norbert Günnewig (Sparkasse Köln) as additional managing director.
The role of RTZ and value for Cologne's economy
At the Cologne Technology and Founder Center on the Right Bank of the Rhine, known as RTZ for short, young founders with innovative ideas from the life science and/or innovative technology scene are given time and space to (further) develop their ideas. The founders will find their rooms on a total of 4,000 square meters of office and laboratory space.
In addition to office and laboratory space, RTZ offers its tenants fully equipped seminar and meeting rooms, business support and an extensive network. The incubator supports and accompanies people who want to start up in implementing their ideas. 40 founding companies currently form a vital community.
The center acts as a platform for innovation and promotes the exchange of knowledge and ideas between various players from business and academia. In addition to space and time, the center offers support through valuable networking events for companies that want to develop and scale their technology-based business models.
RTZ contributes to strengthening Cologne as a technology location by creating an environment in which companies can grow and flourish, while promoting regional economic development.
The strategic location and transport connections to the most important motorways, infrastructure facilities and the proximity to Cologne/Bonn Airport are a major advantage.
Development of RTZ Köln GmbH
Contrary to all expectations, the Technology and Start-Up Center developed brilliantly. After 10 years, it was possible to demonstrate a track record that no one would have dared to dream of when it was founded.
The positive development of the company continued consistently in the following years.
May 2019 — 20th anniversary celebration of RTZ Köln GmbH — Greetings
On the occasion of RTZ's 20th anniversary in Cologne, around 200 guests gathered to celebrate, discuss and network together. The mayor's words of praise for the work of the RTZ were honored, as was the memory of Wolfgang Clement, who broke ground for the construction of the RTZ. Dr. Michael Henze conveyed warm greetings from Minister Pinkwart, while Konrad Beikircher spoke his “greeting” in his characteristic way.
At the anniversary of the RTZ, the Lord Mayor did not miss the opportunity to highlight the success story of the incubator and its significance for Cologne as a business location. “Cologne is an important location for industry and also for start-up companies. Today, digitization is an extremely important factor for the future orientation of industry. And so it is almost logical that the Digital Hub Cologne is also based in RTZ.”
Dr. Heinz Bettmann welcomed numerous guests to the RTZ anniversary in Cologne who wanted to share their experiences and memories from “20 years of RTZ.” Many of them have accompanied RTZ over the years and are now active in the area of startups and innovations.
In the last two and a half decades, RTZ has undergone impressive development: It was the test winner of the Stiftung Warentest für Gründerberatung, was a founding member of various biotechnology associations and initiated the founder magazine RheinZeiger. Most recently, RTZ published the “Startup Guide Cologne”, which comprehensively presents the city's start-up ecosystem.
Dr. Heinz Bettmann also drew personal conclusions: In the 20 years, he read business plans for around 375 days, coached founders for almost 3,000 hours, wrote around 250 reports and moderated 50 Kalker round tables. He emphasized that start-up support is hard work.
Rheinzeiger — the company's successful magazine
The in-house magazine, “RheinZeiger”, has also enjoyed a large number of interested readers since its premiere in January 2003. The free, six-month magazine, which reports on projects, visions, goals and results in and around the start-up scene, is still distributed as an online format today by vfw eV (Verein zur Förderung der rechtsrheinischen Werbewirtschaft Köln e.V.).
The anniversary in 2019 was also a big farewell party for the now sole managing director of the center. Dr. Heinz Bettmann went into his well-deserved retirement on 30.09.2019 and handed over the business to his successor, André van Hall.
Merger of BioCampus Cologne and RTZ Cologne
In a decisive step, RTZ and BioCampus Cologne have joined forces in 2019 to create an even more effective platform for research and innovation. This merger marks a milestone in the development of the start-up in Cologne and beyond.
The start-up center on the right bank of the Rhine as an incubator for startups and young companies, which focuses on promoting entrepreneurial spirit and offering innovative business ideas a space to develop, complements BioCampus Cologne perfectly. As a center for biotechnology and life science, among other things, the campus offers companies in these industries an ideal environment for research, development and collaboration.
The combination of these two institutions creates a synergy that enables startups to benefit from RTZ's entrepreneurial resources and network, develop further and then be based on the BioCampus as an established company.
André van Hall is now managing director of both BioCampus Cologne and RTZ Cologne. Together, the team from both companies is embarking on a journey to an important innovation location for life sciences in Cologne.
thanksgiving
A big thank you goes out to our tenants, who enrich RTZ with their innovative ideas and commitment and contribute to a lively community.
Special thanks go out to our valued colleagues who, with their dedication and professionalism, help make RTZ a place of inspiration and success.
Looking to the future, we are full of anticipation for the coming years. We are determined to continue to create a dynamic environment that offers founders and companies room to grow and succeed.
And finally, we raise the glass to many more years of innovation, collaboration and success. Cheers to the future of RTZ and to all those who are part of our exciting journey!
Gaby Frebel & Carina Springborn
RTZ anniversary
The Cologne Technology and Founder Center on the Right Bank of the Rhine was founded in 1997 and is now celebrating its 25th anniversary.
May 21, 2024
News
Hagen Campus — a location for innovation and technology for more than 100 years
history
Gottfried Hagen built batteries for the automotive industry in his factory over a hundred years ago.
1983 The Hagen company went bankrupt. Some of the existing buildings were rented out to smaller companies and artists, and a hall was used as a mosque.
1987 LEG (Landesentwicklungs-Gesellschaft) acquired the site with 46 buildings (2 of which are listed buildings) and 53 rental agreements.
1991, in spring, LEG presented its final usage concept, which only provided for the preservation of a group of six buildings or listed parts of buildings on Rolshover-Straße. The majority of the existing building is demolished and the gained land made available for new buildings
1995 All demolition work was completed and renovation work began on the old buildings.
The RTZ
Laying the foundation stone
In July 1997, the time had come. On the 'Hagen Campus', construction work for the Technology and Start-Up Center on the Right Bank of the Rhine (RTZ) And then the Biofactory started.
The patron table for RTZ was heralded in a top-class manner.
On May 20, 1999, the Rechtsrheinische Technologie- und Gründerzentrum Köln GmbH opened its doors. The management of the center was assigned to Dr. Heinz Bettmann as managing director and to Mr. Norbert Günnewig (Sparkasse Köln) as additional managing director.
The role of RTZ and value for Cologne's economy
At the Cologne Technology and Founder Center on the Right Bank of the Rhine, known as RTZ for short, young founders with innovative ideas from the life science and/or innovative technology scene are given time and space to (further) develop their ideas. The founders will find their rooms on a total of 4,000 square meters of office and laboratory space.
In addition to office and laboratory space, RTZ offers its tenants fully equipped seminar and meeting rooms, business support and an extensive network. The incubator supports and accompanies people who want to start up in implementing their ideas. 40 founding companies currently form a vital community.
The center acts as a platform for innovation and promotes the exchange of knowledge and ideas between various players from business and academia. In addition to space and time, the center offers support through valuable networking events for companies that want to develop and scale their technology-based business models.
RTZ contributes to strengthening Cologne as a technology location by creating an environment in which companies can grow and flourish, while promoting regional economic development.
The strategic location and transport connections to the most important motorways, infrastructure facilities and the proximity to Cologne/Bonn Airport are a major advantage.
Development of RTZ Köln GmbH
Contrary to all expectations, the Technology and Start-Up Center developed brilliantly. After 10 years, it was possible to demonstrate a track record that no one would have dared to dream of when it was founded.
The positive development of the company continued consistently in the following years.
May 2019 — 20th anniversary celebration of RTZ Köln GmbH — Greetings
On the occasion of RTZ's 20th anniversary in Cologne, around 200 guests gathered to celebrate, discuss and network together. The mayor's words of praise for the work of the RTZ were honored, as was the memory of Wolfgang Clement, who broke ground for the construction of the RTZ. Dr. Michael Henze conveyed warm greetings from Minister Pinkwart, while Konrad Beikircher spoke his “greeting” in his characteristic way.
At the anniversary of the RTZ, the Lord Mayor did not miss the opportunity to highlight the success story of the incubator and its significance for Cologne as a business location. “Cologne is an important location for industry and also for start-up companies. Today, digitization is an extremely important factor for the future orientation of industry. And so it is almost logical that the Digital Hub Cologne is also based in RTZ.”
Dr. Heinz Bettmann welcomed numerous guests to the RTZ anniversary in Cologne who wanted to share their experiences and memories from “20 years of RTZ.” Many of them have accompanied RTZ over the years and are now active in the area of startups and innovations.
In the last two and a half decades, RTZ has undergone impressive development: It was the test winner of the Stiftung Warentest für Gründerberatung, was a founding member of various biotechnology associations and initiated the founder magazine RheinZeiger. Most recently, RTZ published the “Startup Guide Cologne”, which comprehensively presents the city's start-up ecosystem.
Dr. Heinz Bettmann also drew personal conclusions: In the 20 years, he read business plans for around 375 days, coached founders for almost 3,000 hours, wrote around 250 reports and moderated 50 Kalker round tables. He emphasized that start-up support is hard work.
Rheinzeiger — the company's successful magazine
The in-house magazine, “RheinZeiger”, has also enjoyed a large number of interested readers since its premiere in January 2003. The free, six-month magazine, which reports on projects, visions, goals and results in and around the start-up scene, is still distributed as an online format today by vfw eV (Verein zur Förderung der rechtsrheinischen Werbewirtschaft Köln e.V.).
The anniversary in 2019 was also a big farewell party for the now sole managing director of the center. Dr. Heinz Bettmann went into his well-deserved retirement on 30.09.2019 and handed over the business to his successor, André van Hall.
Merger of BioCampus Cologne and RTZ Cologne
In a decisive step, RTZ and BioCampus Cologne have joined forces in 2019 to create an even more effective platform for research and innovation. This merger marks a milestone in the development of the start-up in Cologne and beyond.
The start-up center on the right bank of the Rhine as an incubator for startups and young companies, which focuses on promoting entrepreneurial spirit and offering innovative business ideas a space to develop, complements BioCampus Cologne perfectly. As a center for biotechnology and life science, among other things, the campus offers companies in these industries an ideal environment for research, development and collaboration.
The combination of these two institutions creates a synergy that enables startups to benefit from RTZ's entrepreneurial resources and network, develop further and then be based on the BioCampus as an established company.
André van Hall is now managing director of both BioCampus Cologne and RTZ Cologne. Together, the team from both companies is embarking on a journey to an important innovation location for life sciences in Cologne.
thanksgiving
A big thank you goes out to our tenants, who enrich RTZ with their innovative ideas and commitment and contribute to a lively community.
Special thanks go out to our valued colleagues who, with their dedication and professionalism, help make RTZ a place of inspiration and success.
Looking to the future, we are full of anticipation for the coming years. We are determined to continue to create a dynamic environment that offers founders and companies room to grow and succeed.
And finally, we raise the glass to many more years of innovation, collaboration and success. Cheers to the future of RTZ and to all those who are part of our exciting journey!
Gaby Frebel & Carina Springborn
RTZ anniversary
The Cologne Technology and Founder Center on the Right Bank of the Rhine was founded in 1997 and is now celebrating its 25th anniversary.
May 21, 2024
News
Hagen Campus — a location for innovation and technology for more than 100 years
history
Gottfried Hagen built batteries for the automotive industry in his factory over a hundred years ago.
1983 The Hagen company went bankrupt. Some of the existing buildings were rented out to smaller companies and artists, and a hall was used as a mosque.
1987 LEG (Landesentwicklungs-Gesellschaft) acquired the site with 46 buildings (2 of which are listed buildings) and 53 rental agreements.
1991, in spring, LEG presented its final usage concept, which only provided for the preservation of a group of six buildings or listed parts of buildings on Rolshover-Straße. The majority of the existing building is demolished and the gained land made available for new buildings
1995 All demolition work was completed and renovation work began on the old buildings.
The RTZ
Laying the foundation stone
In July 1997, the time had come. On the 'Hagen Campus', construction work for the Technology and Start-Up Center on the Right Bank of the Rhine (RTZ) And then the Biofactory started.
The patron table for RTZ was heralded in a top-class manner.
On May 20, 1999, the Rechtsrheinische Technologie- und Gründerzentrum Köln GmbH opened its doors. The management of the center was assigned to Dr. Heinz Bettmann as managing director and to Mr. Norbert Günnewig (Sparkasse Köln) as additional managing director.
The role of RTZ and value for Cologne's economy
At the Cologne Technology and Founder Center on the Right Bank of the Rhine, known as RTZ for short, young founders with innovative ideas from the life science and/or innovative technology scene are given time and space to (further) develop their ideas. The founders will find their rooms on a total of 4,000 square meters of office and laboratory space.
In addition to office and laboratory space, RTZ offers its tenants fully equipped seminar and meeting rooms, business support and an extensive network. The incubator supports and accompanies people who want to start up in implementing their ideas. 40 founding companies currently form a vital community.
The center acts as a platform for innovation and promotes the exchange of knowledge and ideas between various players from business and academia. In addition to space and time, the center offers support through valuable networking events for companies that want to develop and scale their technology-based business models.
RTZ contributes to strengthening Cologne as a technology location by creating an environment in which companies can grow and flourish, while promoting regional economic development.
The strategic location and transport connections to the most important motorways, infrastructure facilities and the proximity to Cologne/Bonn Airport are a major advantage.
Development of RTZ Köln GmbH
Contrary to all expectations, the Technology and Start-Up Center developed brilliantly. After 10 years, it was possible to demonstrate a track record that no one would have dared to dream of when it was founded.
The positive development of the company continued consistently in the following years.
May 2019 — 20th anniversary celebration of RTZ Köln GmbH — Greetings
On the occasion of RTZ's 20th anniversary in Cologne, around 200 guests gathered to celebrate, discuss and network together. The mayor's words of praise for the work of the RTZ were honored, as was the memory of Wolfgang Clement, who broke ground for the construction of the RTZ. Dr. Michael Henze conveyed warm greetings from Minister Pinkwart, while Konrad Beikircher spoke his “greeting” in his characteristic way.
At the anniversary of the RTZ, the Lord Mayor did not miss the opportunity to highlight the success story of the incubator and its significance for Cologne as a business location. “Cologne is an important location for industry and also for start-up companies. Today, digitization is an extremely important factor for the future orientation of industry. And so it is almost logical that the Digital Hub Cologne is also based in RTZ.”
Dr. Heinz Bettmann welcomed numerous guests to the RTZ anniversary in Cologne who wanted to share their experiences and memories from “20 years of RTZ.” Many of them have accompanied RTZ over the years and are now active in the area of startups and innovations.
In the last two and a half decades, RTZ has undergone impressive development: It was the test winner of the Stiftung Warentest für Gründerberatung, was a founding member of various biotechnology associations and initiated the founder magazine RheinZeiger. Most recently, RTZ published the “Startup Guide Cologne”, which comprehensively presents the city's start-up ecosystem.
Dr. Heinz Bettmann also drew personal conclusions: In the 20 years, he read business plans for around 375 days, coached founders for almost 3,000 hours, wrote around 250 reports and moderated 50 Kalker round tables. He emphasized that start-up support is hard work.
Rheinzeiger — the company's successful magazine
The in-house magazine, “RheinZeiger”, has also enjoyed a large number of interested readers since its premiere in January 2003. The free, six-month magazine, which reports on projects, visions, goals and results in and around the start-up scene, is still distributed as an online format today by vfw eV (Verein zur Förderung der rechtsrheinischen Werbewirtschaft Köln e.V.).
The anniversary in 2019 was also a big farewell party for the now sole managing director of the center. Dr. Heinz Bettmann went into his well-deserved retirement on 30.09.2019 and handed over the business to his successor, André van Hall.
Merger of BioCampus Cologne and RTZ Cologne
In a decisive step, RTZ and BioCampus Cologne have joined forces in 2019 to create an even more effective platform for research and innovation. This merger marks a milestone in the development of the start-up in Cologne and beyond.
The start-up center on the right bank of the Rhine as an incubator for startups and young companies, which focuses on promoting entrepreneurial spirit and offering innovative business ideas a space to develop, complements BioCampus Cologne perfectly. As a center for biotechnology and life science, among other things, the campus offers companies in these industries an ideal environment for research, development and collaboration.
The combination of these two institutions creates a synergy that enables startups to benefit from RTZ's entrepreneurial resources and network, develop further and then be based on the BioCampus as an established company.
André van Hall is now managing director of both BioCampus Cologne and RTZ Cologne. Together, the team from both companies is embarking on a journey to an important innovation location for life sciences in Cologne.
thanksgiving
A big thank you goes out to our tenants, who enrich RTZ with their innovative ideas and commitment and contribute to a lively community.
Special thanks go out to our valued colleagues who, with their dedication and professionalism, help make RTZ a place of inspiration and success.
Looking to the future, we are full of anticipation for the coming years. We are determined to continue to create a dynamic environment that offers founders and companies room to grow and succeed.
And finally, we raise the glass to many more years of innovation, collaboration and success. Cheers to the future of RTZ and to all those who are part of our exciting journey!
Gaby Frebel & Carina Springborn