Mönchengladbach, Germany. -15th February 2020- Press Release. 
Banco Santander, through Santander Universities in Germany, and the Ruhr University of Bochum (RUB) signed a cooperation agreement so that newly created start-ups developed by university students can continue to develop.

With its Worldfactory start-up centre, Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) is already building a new entrepreneurial setting in the Ruhr – with significant funding from the North-Rhine Westphalia authorities. At the same time as these activities, RUB is now also creating additional offers to expand its repertoire of future entrepreneurs even further still. To achieve this, RUB and Santander agreed a cooperation to further develop future student-led start-ups.

To realise the competition –Santander Entrepreneurial Idea Competition– and the award of scholarships locally, Santander is cooperating with the Faculty of Economics at RUB and its Centre for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Transformation (CEIT).

Ideas competition for scholarships

Each year up to 10 students will be awarded Santander Scholarships, part of a new ideas competition organised by RUB. These are aimed at potential entrepreneurs and will be financed by Santander Universities. Only students can take part in the competition. The winners will be given the opportunity to travel to the renown Babson College in Massachusetts, USA, on a scholarship and to take part in intensive training. It is one of the world's leading universities in entrepreneur and skills training. 

"The programme is outstanding and allows out students to take part in intensive training at a top international institute for entrepreneurship," explains Prof. Dr. Axel Schölmerich, Dean at the RUB. "This extends what we currently offer, such as the start-up centre, in a very logical and attractive way."

"Encouraging young people and their entrepreneurial development is one of the primary aims of our global Santander Universitäten division. We are delighted to be working in cooperation with Ruhr-Universität Bochum to give students with an entrepreneurial spirit the opportunity to further their ideas for a start-up," says Fernando Silva, member of the board of Santander Deutschland.

Worldwide network

Thanks to the additional long-term agreement signed, RUB is now also a partner of the worldwide network of Santander Universitäten with around 1,000 universities in more than 20 countries, including several German universities. Santander is promoting higher education, in special entrepreneurship, employability and education, particularly through scholarships for students.

Press contact
Alicia Santa Maria
Communications
02161 690-5749
alicia.santamaria@santander.de 

More information: presse.santander.de

Banco Santander (SAN.MC, STD.N, BNC.LN) is a retail and business bank with registered office in Spain and offices in ten key markets across Europe and America. Santander is the largest bank in the Eurozone based on market value. At the end of June 2019, Santander, which was founded in 1857, held assets under management (deposits and investment funds) for 1.03 billion euros. Santander has around 142 million customers, 13,000 branches and around 200,000 employees worldwide. In the first half of 2019, Santander generated attributable profits of 4,045 billion euros, a year-on-year increase of two per cent.

Santander Universities is part of Santander Universities, through which Banco Santander has established around 1,200 unique cooperations with universities worldwide since 1996. These cooperations differ from those of other national and international banks: Banco Santander supports academic institutions in the areas of teaching and research, international cooperations, transfer of knowledge and technology, company initiatives, exchange opportunities for students and innovation. For more information on Santander Universities, visit www.santander.com/universities and Santander Universitäten in Germany visit www.santander.de 

Santander Consumer Bank AG is one of the Top 5 retail banks in Germany based on the number of customers. It offers retail and business customers comprehensive financial services through a variety of channels. Be it online, via video consultancy or in person in one of its branches – Santander offers a wide range of services and products from current accounts and credit cards, to construction financing and securities. In Germany, the bank is the largest manufacturer-independent financier of mobility and is also leading in consumer goods. The wholly-owned subsidiary of the Spanish Banco Santander has its registered office in Mönchengladbach. For more information visit www.santander.de