Techem and Futury Launch Strategic Partnership to Drive Innovation and Sustainability in the Rhine-Main Region

Eschborn/Frankfurt a.M., February 28, 2026. Techem, a leading provider of smart and sustainable building solutions, and the startup incubator Futury are entering into a strategic partnership to specifically strengthen the innovation ecosystem in the Rhine-Main region. Together, the two organizations aim to drive new momentum for sustainable, digital solutions in the real estate and energy sectors and support regional talent in developing market-ready innovations.

Through this collaboration, Futury is combining its strong network of startups, industry, and academia with Techem’s broad expertise in digitalization and its long-standing expertise in energy efficiency and sustainable building solutions.

A driving force behind a strong innovation ecosystem in the Rhine-Main region

Matthias Hartmann, CEO of Techem: “As a company with strong roots in the Rhine-Main region, we are particularly committed to promoting local innovation and actively shaping the future of sustainable buildings together with reliable partners. The transfer of knowledge from the latest scientific findings, fresh startup ideas, and our more than 70 years of practical experience is essential in this regard—especially in the areas of energy efficiency and digitalization. This allows us not only to stay at the cutting edge of technology for our customers but also to position ourselves as an innovative digitalization service provider for the real estate sector. With Futury, we have a partner at our side who shares this vision and plays a key role in driving it forward.”

Melissa Ott, Managing Director at Futury: “With Techem, we are gaining a partner who shares our vision of a professionally connected startup ecosystem and brings valuable industry expertise to our collaboration.”

Charlie Müller, Founder & Managing Director of Futury: “The partnership with Techem is a significant step in the further development of our regional innovation ecosystem. Our combined strength lies in supporting young founders by providing an environment where ideas are not only conceived but can also be quickly tested, refined, and scaled. Techem brings not only technological expertise and market insight to the table but also a clear vision for the future of sustainable buildings.”

Key areas of focus for the collaboration

As part of the partnership, Techem and Futury will specifically support startups and innovation projects that address the following key areas:

• Energy efficiency and climate-friendly building solutions
• Smart metering & digital consumption data
• Electric mobility & charging infrastructure (with a focus on scalability)
• Cybersecurity in the energy and building sectors
• Climate and building efficiency technologies

This broad scope of topics supports startups in developing practical, innovative solutions for digital, sustainable, and secure building systems.

Among the first areas of focus for this collaboration are the transfer of scientific findings into practice, the early validation of innovative ideas, and the targeted support of young startup teams through mentoring, coaching, and access to networks. One example are the Futury Build Days, which took place on April 23 and 24 at Techem X in Rödelheim to address specific business challenges and strengthen entrepreneurship.

These priority areas form the starting point for a long-term collaboration that brings science, the startup scene, and the real estate industry closer together and strengthens the innovative power of the entire Rhine-Main region.

Image information: Techem and Futury Launch Strategic Partnership to Drive Innovation and Sustainability in the Rhine-Main Region.

About Futury

FUTURY is Europe’s leading industry-driven startup ecosystem, based in Frankfurt am Main. Working closely with universities, companies, investors, and policymakers, FUTURY promotes entrepreneurial thinking, sustainable startups, and the structured transfer of scientific excellence to the market. The goal is to establish a dynamic and professionally networked innovation ecosystem that will give rise to around 1,000 new startups by 2030. FUTURY is supported by a strong alliance of 33 partners from companies and foundations, as well as four universities—the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, Goethe University Frankfurt, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, and TU Darmstadt. As one of ten startup factories nationwide, FUTURY will receive up to 10 million euros in funding from the federal budget. FUTURY is thus at the forefront of a new startup dynamic in Germany, with the goal of using the Rhine-Main region as a base to sustainably strengthen Germany’s position as a leading location for knowledge-based startups.