The EWOR Advantage: 5 Reasons RWTH Aachen University Students Should Look Beyond Local Incubators

As a student at RWTH Aachen University, you may be familiar with the local incubators and entrepreneurial programmes offered on campus. While these initiatives provide valuable support, expanding your horizons could significantly increase your odds of long-term success. In fact, one study found that 87% of startups that went through top-tier programmes were still active after five years, compared to just 44% of those that went it alone. That’s the kind of difference the right programme can make.

But how do you know if an incubator programme is right for you? With so many rigid, one-size-fits-all options out there, finding the right fit can be tough. That’s where EWOR comes in: a uniquely flexible platform combining global mentorship, funding opportunities, and a prestigious network – designed specifically to help ambitious founders thrive.

In this article, we’ll explore five key reasons why RWTH Aachen University students should look beyond their local incubators and consider EWOR to accelerate their entrepreneurial journey.

1. Access to Global Mentorship

Many university incubators and local programmes offer mentorship from faculty, alumni, or nearby founders. While helpful, these perspectives are often limited to regional markets and conventional startup paths.

EWOR operates borderless, on a global scale. Fellows are paired with mentors who have founded and scaled companies across continents and industries – including unicorns like SumUp, Adjust, and ProGlove. Rather than sporadic office hours, mentorship is built into the fabric of the programme – modular, consistent, and personal.

RWTH Aachen University's local incubators, such as the Collective Incubator, provide valuable mentorship opportunities for early-stage entrepreneurs. These programs connect startups with experienced business leaders, investors, and successful founders from the local ecosystem. Mentors offer personalized coaching, sharing insights and advice based on their own entrepreneurial journeys. This local network provides crucial support for developing business models, refining value propositions, and navigating the challenges of market entry. The value of local mentors lies in their understanding of the regional landscape and their ability to connect startups with relevant industry partners and potential investors within the Aachen community.

With EWOR, you’ll have the chance to work with mentors who have scaled their businesses across different countries and industries, providing invaluable insights that can help your startup succeed in the global marketplace.

2. Larger Funding Opportunities

While local incubators may provide grants or limited seed funding, securing substantial capital is often a challenge for early-stage entrepreneurs. EWOR offers up to €500,000 in initial funding for selected startups, which can significantly boost your ability to develop your business. Moreover, EWOR provides access to a global network of investors, venture capital firms, and angel investors, ensuring that you have the opportunity to secure further rounds of funding as your startup grows.

RWTH Aachen University offers various funding opportunities for student startups through its local incubators and programs like the Collective Incubator and the RWTH Incubation Program. The university actively supports entrepreneurship and has been recognized as a top startup university. While specific details on seed funding amounts for student startups through these incubators are not explicitly stated in all sources, the RWTH Incubation Program is described as a pre-seed stage program focused on deep-tech, aiming to help startups become investment-ready and secure early funding. Additionally, the university benefits from state and federal funding initiatives like "Excellence Startup Center.NRW" and "EXIST-Potentiale" to strengthen its startup culture and provide support. The Exploratory Research Space (ERS) at RWTH also offers Seed Fund Projects, typically lasting 6 to 12 months, to foster interdisciplinary research and develop emerging fields, with a total budget of up to 200,000 € for all new Seed Fund projects. This funding can cover staff expenses, including student assistants.

By choosing EWOR, RWTH Aachen University students can tap into larger funding sources, giving them the financial support needed to scale their businesses more effectively.

3. A Highly Selective and Prestigious Network

One of the main advantages of EWOR is the highly selective nature of its community. EWOR accepts only the top 0.1% of applicants, bringing together some of the world’s most talented and ambitious entrepreneurs. 

This exclusivity doesn’t just elevate the quality of each cohort — it also unlocks access to an extraordinary network of investors, mentors, and industry leaders. Just to name a few: Fabrice Grinda, one of the world’s leading angel investors and founder of OLX; Christian Kroll, founder of Ecosia, Europe’s largest search engine after Google; and Vaitea Cowan, co-founder of Enapter, (€640M IPO) and a Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Energy. 

RWTH Aachen University's local incubators, like the Collective Incubator and the Living Labs Incubator, foster a strong network and community. The Collective Incubator acts as a co-innovation platform connecting students, researchers, and companies. It provides a space with flexible workstations, conference rooms, and a large Maker Space for prototyping, encouraging collaboration on new projects. The community includes students, researchers, projects, and startups, facilitating connections between talent and innovation. The Living Labs Incubator focuses on connecting and supporting transdisciplinary projects, acting as a hub for collaboration between academia, policy, business, industry, and society. Both incubators offer networking opportunities and events, helping students build valuable connections and collaborate on their ventures.

While local incubators at RWTH Aachen University may provide valuable networking within the campus or regional ecosystem, EWOR’s global network opens doors to entirely new levels of collaboration. Fellows work alongside peers from dozens of countries and industries, connecting with elite investors, unicorn founders, and seasoned operators.

As many fellows have said, the community is one of the most unexpected – and most valuable – parts of the experience. “The real magic lies in the community: the kind of conversations, insights, and connections that lead not only to breakthroughs – but to lasting friendships with some of the most fascinating people they’ve ever met”.

4. Flexibility and Remote Access

Many local incubators require in-person participation, which can be limiting for students balancing coursework, part-time jobs, or other commitments. 

RWTH Aachen University's innovation ecosystem includes the Collective Incubator and the RWTH Incubation Program, focusing on deep-tech startups. The Collective Incubator provides co-working and maker spaces, fostering a community of students, researchers, and companies. The RWTH Incubation Program is a 3-month hybrid program, combining digital and in-person events, making it accessible to European teams without requiring relocation. This hybrid format, with workshops mostly virtual and some in-person days, impacts student participation by offering flexibility while still providing opportunities for networking and access to physical resources like co-working spaces. Full-time commitment is expected, though participation in workshops is around 3-5 hours weekly.

EWOR’s fully remote programmes are built for modern entrepreneurs – offering the flexibility to participate from anywhere, on your terms. RWTH Aachen University students can access top-tier mentorship, founder-led education, and global resources without needing to relocate or follow a rigid schedule. Whether you’re validating an idea or scaling your first product, you’ll have the freedom to build around your life, not the other way around.

And if you're worried about missing out on in-person connection – don’t be. EWOR hosts real-world gatherings like the EWOR Connect and EWOR House, a multi-day retreat where fellows, alumni, and investors connect in person. We also organise city-based meetups and our flagship Grand Pitch event, which brings hundreds of top-tier investors together twice a year. So while the programme is remote-first, it’s far from remote-only.

5. Comprehensive Entrepreneurial Education

Local incubators often provide valuable workshops and learning modules, but they may be limited in scope and depth. EWOR offers over 200 exclusive videos, workshops, and educational modules designed by top entrepreneurs and industry experts. This comprehensive entrepreneurial education covers everything from refining your business idea to scaling and securing funding, ensuring that you develop both as an entrepreneur and a leader.

RWTH Aachen University's local incubators, such as the Collective Incubator and the Living Labs Incubator, offer various educational support for aspiring student entrepreneurs. The Collective Incubator provides a co-working space and a community for student initiatives and startups, with a focus on teams in the early stages. They offer resources and networking opportunities. The Living Labs Incubator supports transdisciplinary projects and institutions, offering workshops and discussion forums. RWTH also provides workshops and courses to develop entrepreneurial skills. The Founders' Bootcamp is a compact seminar covering business model generation and robustness checks. Online courses like "Thinking & Acting like an Entrepreneur" and "Start-up CFO" are available through platforms like edX, covering entrepreneurial mindset, idea generation, and financial aspects. Additionally, the Incubation Program offers a structured program with weekly workshops led by experts on topics like fundraising, legal basics, and scaling.

With EWOR, you’ll gain access to a more extensive and detailed entrepreneurial education, giving you the tools needed to overcome challenges and succeed in today’s competitive startup landscape.

That’s a Wrap

While RWTH Aachen University's local incubators offer great resources for students starting their entrepreneurial journey, EWOR provides an unmatched opportunity for those looking to take their startup to the next level. With access to global mentorship, larger funding opportunities, a highly selective network, flexible remote programmes, and comprehensive entrepreneurial education, EWOR offers RWTH Aachen University students the chance to build and scale their startups on a global stage. If you’re ready to look beyond local incubators and accelerate your entrepreneurial success, EWOR could be the ideal platform for you.

Image credits: Andrew Stutesman on Unsplash