The textile industry is undergoing a transformation: sustainability, the circular economy, material innovation, and smart textiles are opening up new opportunities for innovative business models and startups. At Hof University in particular—with its strong expertise in textiles and materials science—ideas with significant potential for application and commercialization are constantly emerging. The example of tex-lock’s textile-based bicycle lock demonstrates, among other things, that these ideas can give rise to successful companies .
The underlying research, conducted as part of an EXIST startup grant through the university, was closely linked to the regional textile sector. For the resulting product, the core textile component is still manufactured today by a company in Upper Franconia, while the startup itself was later founded and further developed in Leipzig.
New collaboration with Germany’s only textile accelerator
Against this backdrop, the StartUpLab at Hof University of Applied Sciences is expanding its network in the textile sector and will collaborate in the future with the textile accelerator “Stoff im Kopf” at Reutlingen University of Applied Sciences. The program is Germany’s only specialized textile accelerator and supports startups and innovative teams in the fields of FAIR, FASHION, and SMART Textiles through a qualification program lasting several months. In addition to workshops and individual coaching, the teams gain access to a broad network spanning industry, research, and the textile sector, as well as to experts across the entire textile value chain.
Complement to Hof University of Applied Sciences’ startup offerings
The collaboration specifically complements Hof University of Applied Sciences’ existing entrepreneurship activities with a specialized focus on textiles. While the StartUpLab supports students and researchers in developing their ideas through coaching, networking opportunities, and training formats as part of the “GO! Gründungshub Oberfranken” program, “Stoff im Kopf” opens up additional development opportunities and access to a Germany-wide specialized network, particularly for textile and material-related innovation projects.
Kick-off at the Münchberg Campus
On May 7, 2026, an initial kick-off event was held at the Münchberg Campus.
Together with professors and other faculty members, the “Stoff im Kopf” program was presented by colleagues from the “Center of Entrepreneurship” in Reutlingen, along with the existing offerings of the StartUpLab and GO!
Camilla Lenz, StartUpLab Hof University
In the subsequent discussion, initial ideas were already exchanged on how entrepreneurship, innovation, and technology transfer can be even more firmly anchored in the textile context in the future—for example, through project work, interdisciplinary formats, or new points of connection in teaching.
Further Strengthening Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer
The collaboration is part of Hof University of Applied Sciences’ growing activities in the field of entrepreneurship and technology transfer. The goal is to raise awareness of innovation and entrepreneurial thinking among students and researchers at an early stage while simultaneously creating new spaces for the development of application-oriented ideas. Another exchange format to deepen the collaboration is already in the works.
Application phases begin in summer 2026
Interested parties can already sign up for upcoming programs: The next application phase for “Stoff im Kopf” begins in June 2026, with the kick-off for the new cohort taking place in early July. Applications for the next round at the GO! Start-up Hub Upper Franconia will also open in May 2026.
