Ten startup teams are bringing new momentum to the media industry in North Rhine-Westphalia

This is the new MGZstart cohort from the Media Startup Center NRW

With innovative concepts, technological expertise, and strong entrepreneurial execution, the new cohort of the MGZstart fellowship program at the Media Startup Center NRW (MGZ) is kicking off. A panel of industry experts has selected ten startup teams from various sectors of the media industry.

The range of funded companies in the 2026 MGZstart cohort spans from film and TV production to games and platforms. Among them are teams that develop documentary and fictional content, as well as those that produce artistically oriented corporate films. Independent studios and applications for new learning environments and for women’s sexual self-determination demonstrate how the media landscape is converging between entertainment and education. The cohort is rounded out by AI-supported production workflows, a creator agency, and solutions for sustainable material cycles in the film industry.

This selection comes at a time of noticeable momentum for the startup scene: North Rhine-Westphalia recorded 658 new startup launches in 2025, a 33 percent increase over the previous year. Cologne, a media hub, also confirms this upward trend with a record year: 112 new startups (+53 percent) and an ecosystem of around 890 startups underscore the region’s dynamism.

Jonathan Natzel, Managing Director of the Media Startup Center NRW:

“Ten teams, ten different startup ideas, and one common thread: they’re developing market-ready companies for a media industry in transition. The new MGZstart cohort shows how creativity and entrepreneurial courage give rise to business models that provide concrete answers to the industry’s current transformation. Especially in the MGZ’s 20th year, it becomes clear how important strong founders are— those who lead the way with conviction and entrepreneurial clarity. We support them in building sustainable companies from good ideas.”

You can find all the information about the teams in the MGZ press release: Ten startup teams are providing new momentum for the media industry in North Rhine-Westphalia – Mediengründerzentrum NRW

The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is the MGZ’s principal shareholder; the City of Cologne is another shareholder. The State of North Rhine-Westphalia is a key sponsor. In addition, the MGZ receives funding from the Minister for Federal and European Affairs, International Affairs, and Media of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and Head of the State Chancellery, the Pensionskasse Rundfunk, Sparkasse KölnBonn, and WBS.LEGAL.