Start-Ups Generate Frequency Mannheim has understood

TEXTILEREI MANNHEIM START-UPS GENERATE FREQUENCY

Desolate neighbourhoods, an exodus of industry, retailers, and customers - many cities face very similar challenges. Mannheim has decided to do better. Incubators promote start-ups and invest in urban development. Text: Ina Köhler. Photos: Textilerei

Mannheim takes action. A company called Mannheimer Gründungszentren GmbH, a subsidiary of the municipality, has started establishing target group specific business start-up centres. They don’t merely focus on the fashion and textile industries, but also on music, tech, medical technology, and other subsectors of the cultural and creative industries. A total of 28,000 square metres have been made available. Today, this centre alone supports approx. 300 young businesses. Nico Hoffmeister, the Community Manager of Textilerei, joined Startup Mannheim in 2015. Back then, the founding and competence centre for the fashion and textile industries opened in a listed building in the heart of the city. Eleven companies on 400 square metres - that sounds a little cramped at first glance. The focus is, however, on bundling know-how and developing infrastructure. Hoffmeister and two consultants cover the fashion segment. The consultants were made available by the gig7 competence centre for women in business. “More often than not, founders don’t know where and how to start. We can support their self-marketing measures by offering knowhow, workshops, and seminars, as well as conveying trade contacts. They can sell their products at Textilerei and we help them, for example, with trade fair appearances, as well as in terms of marketing and sales.” Hoffmeister benefits from his many years of professional experience in the fashion industry at Falke and, most recently, at Sixty Group.

Textilerei offers workshops and machinery for the manufacturing of products in small batches. Another vital factor is the development of networks with local companies and retailers such as Quartier Q6Q7, Engelhorn, Trendfabrik, and Luxury Loft. The support of Textilerei is, however, limited in time. Leases run for two years and cannot be extended beyond five years. This ensures a healthy rotation of start-ups. After all, every business model should be scalable to guarantee that the founders can eventually stand on their own two feet.

Start-ups rejuvenate retail areas. In addition to pop-up concepts such as those in Mannheim’s Q6Q7, Textilerei also operates its own concept store.

Nico Hoffmeister’s extensive industry experience enriches Textilerei’s start-ups with real expertise.

“WE HAVE ESTABLISHED OURSELVES AS A CONTACT POINT” Nico Hoffmeister, the Community Manager of Textilerei, sat down to chat with us. Textilerei is an initiative of Mannheim’s creative industries

centre C-HUB. Photo: Thommy Mardo

How does Mannheim differ from other cities in terms of urban development?

Mannheim decided to create thematic contact points for founders and to promote specific areas at a very early stage. In addition, the decision paths are short. There are central contact points for founders. We have very close ties to the city administration. Mannheim takes economic and structural support very seriously. Our mission to create a healthy and vibrant start-up ecosystem in Mannheim comes with the responsibility of stimulating urban development.

How has the launch of Textilerei changed Mannheim?

The project has been very successful and has become more professional over time. Our initial focus is to provide an impetus for individual companies and to create a network for them. We did a great job in some cases; we maintain a large network that reaches far beyond Mannheim. In addition, our incubators - above all the resident companies and individuals - contribute to urban development. We perceive ourselves as a kind of engine in this respect. The Jungbusch district, which is where the creative industries hub C-HUB is located, used to be considered a “problem area” with a high crime rate. This has changed very much for the better. It is now a trendy district known for its nightlife. We utilise the infrastructure of the various hubs, as well as the cultural and creative players, to create events, occupy social spaces, and organise pop-up galleries and installations at places one wouldn’t expect them. It’s all about changing perceptions.

How do you cooperate with the “real” economy?

We have managed to establish ourselves as a contact point for both sides: the real estate industry has realised that the “creativity” concept works. In Q6Q7, we were afforded an opportunity to use 500 square metres for a pop-up project titled Hometown Glory. It offered a lifestyle mix consisting of fashion, jewellery, beauty, art, and cuisine. It was so successful that we replicated the project in autumn 2018. Today, I get calls from centre managers who tell me about temporary vacancies and offer those spaces to our labels at reduced rental fees or even free of charge. This benefits both sides. In some cases, it results in long-term partnerships. The Liebesglück label, for example, has been in its initial pop-up store for two years now.

What does the future hold?

We intend to further strengthen our role as a competence platform and interface for retailers. We are keen to increase awareness for young, creative impulses in the retail industry and to position our labels as supra-regional businesses. We also strive to accelerate the integration of the cultural and creative industries, as well as our own infrastructure, within the city. This should make Mannheim even more attractive for young and ambitious start-ups from all over the world. www.startup-mannheim.de, www.textilerei.de

MADE IN MANNHEIM Backed by the city and coached by a team with fashion industry experience: textile start-ups that have emerged from Mannheim’s Textilerei.

KATRIN LEIBER. The idea of the inventor: shoes and bags with interchangeable heels and fronts. All shoes are manufactured in Italy. The heels are individually produced utilising 3D printers.

www.katrin-leiber.com TRAUTH FABRIKATE

What does Vienna’s “Neni am Naschmarkt” have in common with Berlin’s “Coda Dessert Bar”? Both teams wear aprons from Mannheim. Gabriel Franz-Trauth, the son of a Palatinate winemaker, developed basic aprons for cooks and baristas inspired by his father’s working aprons. All materials are rock solid: Scottish fabrics, vegetable-tanned cowhide, and metal eyelets. It didn’t take long for famous chefs and restaurateurs to take notice of the chic aprons that can be customised. Trauth thus occupies a niche for which he received the “Gastro-Vision-Award” in 2017 and an award from “Kultur- und Kreativpiloten”. www.trauth-fabrikate.com

KALAIKA

Nets replace jute. Tina Cetrez’s label Kalaika has developed fashionable shopping bags made of nets in many colours and materials. The bags are crocheted by small family businesses. Her accessories range also includes bamboo bags, gold pendants, necklaces, bracelets, and key chains. She has attended the Fashion Week in Berlin four times. The label’s own online store completes the business model. www.kalaika.berlin

MIZAAN

Meriem Lebdiri launched her label in 2012. Mizaan is a collection for women who want to dress fashionably in a subtle and muted manner, regardless of skin colour, origin, or religious affiliation. “Modest Fashion” was a topic long before top model Halima Aden posed for the cover of Vogue. Fashion shows dedicated to this booming sector led newcomer Lebdiri to Frankfurt, Munich, London, and Washington. Nico Hoffmeister secured an area in Mannheim’s Q6Q7 for the launch of the label’s collection and online shop. Furthermore, Mizaan received an award titled “Kultur- und Kreativpiloten Deutschland 2018”, an initiative of the German government for young founders. www.mizaan.de

PIAF & PONTI. Made in Germany: this children’s collection is manufactured in one of Textilerei’s workshops. The first concept store opened in Mannheim’s city centre with additional products for kids. www.piafponti.com