Frankfurt School acquires Futury – creating the largest ecosystem for start-ups and sustainable entrepreneurship in the FrankfurtRhineMain metropolitan region

- With the acquisition of Futury and its subsidiary, the FUTURE Institute for Sustainable Transformation, Frankfurt School strengthens the focus on sustainability and becomes one of the top universities for start-ups
- Creating one of the most significant innovation and start-up ecosystems with over 100 corporate partners and more than 60 spin-offs and funded start-ups
- Building synergies with all of Frankfurt School's business units, especially in the areas of research, teaching, and executive education

As of 1st January 2024, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management gGmbH acquired Futury GmbH, founded in 2015, and its subsidiary, the FUTURE Institute for Sustainable Transformation, from the Frankfurt am Main-based Werte-Stiftung.

This gives the business school access to a unique ecosystem in which start-ups and companies work together on the topics of entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainability. With the acquisition of Futury, a Frankfurt-based network with nationwide appeal and impact is created. With its programmes and initiatives, this ecosystem strengthens existing activities, offers additional growth areas, and supports Frankfurt School becoming one of the top German universities for young founders and start-ups.

With Futury as the leading platform for start-ups and companies along the four defined focus industries Construction, Waste, Food, and Cyber Security, including its strong industry network with more than 100 corporate partners, Frankfurt School is complementing its existing strengths in the areas of Finance, Banking, Real Estate, and Management & Leadership.

The FUTURE Institute for Sustainable Transformation, which is part of Futury, will seamlessly continue its mission of making academic knowledge more effectively usable for corporates and the economy. Together with Frankfurt School's activities in the field of sustainability, a beacon for the sustainable transformation of the economy in Germany will be created.

Current partner companies of Futury and the FUTURE Institute for Sustainable Transformation include the Schwarz Group, Bain & Company, Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, Metro, McDonald's, Vonovia, Goldbeck and Siemens Energy.

Utilising their unique strengths, Frankfurt School and Futury will expand existing offerings and strengthen three thematic areas: The first area is the expansion of the leading innovation ecosystem in the Rhine-Main region through a market- and industry-oriented approach to innovation. The second is the expansion of activities in research and education on sustainability and sustainable entrepreneurship. The third area is the development of new, innovative programmes for managers and companies.

“I am delighted to welcome the Futury team to our Frankfurt School Community”, says Professor Nils Stieglitz, President and CEO of Frankfurt School. “This successful addition marks an important milestone for the realisation of our strategic goals and the positioning of our business school. Here we can leverage many synergies across all our business areas and combine excellence in entrepreneurship and sustainability with excellence in research and teaching as well as in executive education.”

“As Werte-Stiftung, we are particularly pleased that we can hand Futury over into the best hands. From the original idea of supporting value-based entrepreneurship and sustainable innovation, a great ecosystem has emerged that can now continue to grow with its new "mother" Frankfurt School and implement real change,” says Carolina Röver, Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Werte-Stiftung.

Charlie Müller, founder and Managing Director of Futury GmbH, says, “It fills us with pride and great anticipation that we have gained one of the most renowned German private universities, Frankfurt School, as a new owner.” Melissa Ott, Managing Director of Futury GmbH, adds, “Based on our shared values, we have developed a clear vision: We want to establish FrankfurtRhineMain as a central hub for entrepreneurship, innovation and sustainable transformation – for companies and start-ups alike.”

In April 2024, Futury GmbH and its subsidiary will move to the Frankfurt School campus. They will continue to exist as separate companies with their own brand identity.

/ENDS

For more information, or to speak with Prof Nils Stieglitz, please contact Kyle Grizzell from BlueSky Education at +44 (0) 1582 790709 or kyle@bluesky-pr.com