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The “Starting Business” start-up service supports students and scientific staff who are starting their own business, from conception to implementation. To date, a large number of sustainability-related start-ups have been successfully founded, and there are already spin-offs of companies. Some content is only available in German.
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Crafting Future
Crafting Future was founded in 2020 by students of Leibniz University and currently employs 18 staff. They represent a wide variety of courses of study: Business Administration, Business Information Systems, Social Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, International Business, Economics and Product Design.
Crafting Future develops and produces measurably sustainable reusable plastic products - Made in Germany. The startup's mission is to challenge the plastics industry, fight waste and the climate crisis with their sustainable alternatives for zero waste. The startups goal is to close material cycles by introducing effective bowl-to-bowl recycling so that resources can be reused again and again. Crafting Future want to push the use of bioplastics to create a sustainable alternative to petroleum.
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eco:fibr
Starting off as the voluntary project "Musa Fibra", which was initiated in 2017, the idea evolved into the business start-up eco:fibr GbR in 2020. A limited company (GmbH) spinoff is planned in 2022. The team currently consists of seven people who have studied life science, water- environmental- and coastal engineering, mechanical engineering and economics, among other subjects. eco:fibr has developed an environmentally friendly process for extracting cellulose from pineapple plant remains. This process makes it possible to produce sustainable pulp from a waste product, which is an alternative to conventional pulp made from wood fibers.
With their mission of "turning waste into purpose", eco:fibr aims to actively combat a throwaway culture by using existing residual materials as raw materials.
In the long term, eco:fibr wants to recycle as many plant residues as possible worldwide, and supply the alternative raw materials to the paper and packaging industry.
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Fenntec
Fenntec builds robots for weed control without the use of pesticides. The robots are designed to replace the prevailing environmentally harmful method of weeding by spraying herbicides. They will make organic food more affordable by replacing time-consuming hand weeding. Currently, the GmbH is focusing on onion cultivation. Soon, the robots will be able to work a field of up to 40 hectares and will be used on a large scale in various crops by organic farmers. A long-term goal is also the autonomisation of their robots. Fenntec GmbH was founded in May 2020. Today, the GmbH employs four people, from the Department of Computer Science and Physics and students of Mechanical Engineering at Leibniz Universität Hannover.
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HAIP Solutions
HAIP Solutions is a tech startup from Hannover founded in 2018. True to the motto "TechforGood" they develop, produce and distribute user-oriented hyperspectral imaging (HSI) camera solutions for B2B customers in the field of agriculture/forestry, research, food as well as recycling. The startup wants to develop technology for meaningful purposes. The special cameras offer completely new analysis possibilities, whereby in the field of agriculture or plant breeding, for example, plant stress (e.g. nutrient deficiency, diseases, drought stress) can be detected, which is not yet visible to the human eye. They are also used for sorting machines in the recycling sector, e.g. to separate different types of plastic such as PE, PP or PET and thus be able to produce recycled materials over and over again. The food industry uses hyperspectral technology, for example, to sort out foreign substances in the process chain or to check the quality of food, such as bumps on fruit that cause products to ripen too quickly. In this way, the startup wants to bring more sustainability into the supply chain. HAIP Solutions was founded by four students of Leibniz University. Currently, the team consists of seven people.
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Hummex Analytics GmbH
The startup Hummex Analytics was founded in 2025 with the goal of making high-quality gas analysis more accessible. By launching the company, the four-person team from the Department of Sensor and Measurement Technology at LUH succeeded in bringing their technology from the research lab to the market. The company’s core technology is the non-radioactive electron capture detector (X-ECD), which offers an alternative to conventional radioactive detectors for halogenated environmental contaminants such as pesticides, disinfection byproducts, and ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons. The non-radioactive method offers time savings and cost reductions in applications such as chemistry, food laboratories, breweries, water, the environment, and others, as it eliminates the bureaucratic hurdles and safety measures associated with handling radioactive materials. In addition to the X-ECD, the team also offers custom software and electronics development and is working to increase the X-ECD’s compatibility with even more gas chromatographs. Through the further development of analytical technology, the company aims to contribute to environmental protection and safety.
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LIGARO
Through LIGARO, an interdisciplinary team led by Florentine Adam, Tim Gatz, and Leander Lehmann—in collaboration with Joanna Kappes and Mona Körding—is developing innovative, bio-based adhesive solutions for the wood, paper, and packaging industries. The adhesives are free of formaldehyde-based crosslinkers and biodegradable—and thus comply with current regulatory requirements for environmentally friendly wood glues, including the provisions of the EU REACH Regulation. Particularly innovative is the use of proteins derived from waste materials, which combines ecological and economic benefits. The goal is to make the adhesives versatile and specifically adaptable for various applications. For this development, LIGARO has already been awarded first place in the “Hottest Innovation” category at the Startup-Impuls Competition 2026. The grant runs from November 1, 2025, to October 31, 2026, and amounts to 140,000 euros.
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Phaeosynt GmbH
Since 2021, the Phaenosynt team has been working on sustainable, animal-free antibody production. The startup was founded in 2023 and developed the world’s first vegan pregnancy test, hey mela®, in 2025. The company now employs 13 scientists from the fields of biotechnology and business.
The production of antibodies without animal cells—which are typically derived from insects or mice—is made possible by the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, which serves as a eukaryotic expression system for recombinant antibodies (Phaenobodies) and other proteins. By using the algae, antibodies can be produced more cost-effectively while maintaining consistent batch quality and can be flexibly adapted. Therefore, the offering is aimed at diagnostic companies, biotech firms, and research institutions that can set a sustainable and ethical new standard with this animal-free antibody solution.
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Nefino
Since 2014, PhD students in economics at Leibniz Universität Hannover have been working together as research associates to develop innovative solutions for the digitalisation of the renewable energy market. In 2018, the spinoff from LUH and the foundation of Nefino GmbH took place. The company now employs 18 staff, including working students thanks to the good connection to LUH.
Nefino develops innovative data analytics software and offers software solutions for the global wind and photovoltaic energy market. Its services include potential zone analysis. Using its own geo-information system, Nefino can analyse areas of different sizes (from small municipalities to entire federal states) and determine their suitability as renewable energy sites. More than 100 different land restrictions are taken into account, including nature conservation areas, building protection areas, infrastructure, height restrictions, etc.
In addition, Nefino has built an extensive wind turbine database that lists every wind turbine in Germany on a daily basis, including operator data, settlement distances and other market-relevant information. Other services include the development of decarbonisation strategies for industry and commerce as well as decommissioning cost forecasts for wind turbines.
With these solutions, Nefino offers services for the planning through to the decommissioning of wind and solar power plants for a wide range of interested parties, from electricity providers and wind farm operators to the federal states as well as land owners and municipalities.
Nefino GmbH plans to further expand its services and become the standard data and analysis service provider for wind power and photovoltaics in Germany in the long term, as well as expand its offering to other countries.
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Mango.Bananen
Mango.Bananen is a zero-waste company founded in 2020 by two students in Hanover. It manufactures all of its products itself and then sells them (along with products from other companies) via its online shop (Content: German only) and at regional markets. Among other things, it sews and manufactures reusable coffee filters, tea bags, make-up removal pads, napkins, handkerchiefs and much more. These are made from 100% natural raw materials: either cotton or linen. The thread and labels used are also made from 100% organic cotton. In addition, a screen printing process with sustainable ink is used to print the fabric bags. Other products include small items made from sisal, such as scouring pads and wren nests, which are crocheted by the founders. Recently, a homemade vegan deodorant cream in a returnable jar has also been added to the range. The range also includes in-house, sustainable stainless steel bottles, dishwashing brushes and coconut shells, offering customers a wide selection of plastic-free and vegan zero-waste products.
In addition to manufacturing and selling products, the website, Instagram and Facebook pages provide insights into sustainable everyday living. This includes presenting the products, of course, but also recycling, storing and processing food, sustainable consumption, travelling by public transport and upcycling objects and clothing. One of the guiding principles is that many small steps taken by each individual can make a big difference.
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WasteSide
WasteSide is a sustainability app for students that promotes sustainable behaviour through gamification. On the platform, participants can challenge each other in various challenges – i.e. playful challenges – such as choosing a reusable cup for their coffee to go, and collect points for environmentally friendly behaviour. These points can then be redeemed for small vouchers and prizes. Register here!
The project idea impressed the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment in 2023, making the team one of the winners of the Youth Climate Competition. More information can be found here and on Instagram or LinkedIn.
More Information (external link)
