FAU Sandbox
The ZiMT is currently supporting the FAU Sandbox, which was first initiated in summer 2019 and is going into its second round. FAU Sandbox is a summer program offered by the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, providing funding for student-initiated business ideas.
The Sandbox provides ten participating teams with max. 2,000€ that can be spent for software licenses, hardware, market research, marketing, developer / service provider fees, domestic travel and anything that helps boost the business idea after the nomination to the FAU Sandbox program. Fellows get access to co-working spaces (InnoLab in Erlangen and Joseph’s in Nuremberg) and mentoring for the two months, as well as further workshop opportunities (e.g how to pitch).
One key-member of each team needs to be enrolled at FAU. But the faculty doesn’t matter. We are looking forward to both non technical and technical business ideas. Teams have to participate at the kick-off, and deliver a midterm- and the final pitch presentation. Everything else is optional, but we highly recommend to use the offers made by our partners in the startup ecosystem. By taking part in the FAU Sandbox innovation fund, teams do not give up any rights to their intellectual property.
I believe FAU Sandbox Program provided me with encouragement, support and means to go from an idea on paper to a prototype. Without this program, most likely I would not have followed through with my idea.
V. Azizov, Development Team ELISA UltraWasher