How does a good idea become a marketable product? The story of the Saxon start-up allpacka illustrates the role that Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS) can play in this process. In August 2026, the foldable bicycle cargo box ‘allpacka One’ will go into series production. Born from a student’s idea, it was further developed with the support of the StartUpLab Lab X at HTW Dresden - University of Applied Sciences and ultimately led to series production via company formation and crowdfunding.

The StartUpLab@FH funding scheme run by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) as part of the ‘Research at Universities of Applied Sciences’ programme also plays a part in this. The example of allpacka illustrates what the StartUpLab@FH funding scheme is intended to achieve: universities become places where entrepreneurial ideas can flourish, practical experience can be gained, and innovative potential can be further developed with a view to practical application and business start-ups. To this end, the StartUpLabs not only provide premises and technical infrastructure, but also support consultancy, further training and interdisciplinary networking both within and outside the university.

The story behind the company’s founding: from an everyday problem to a product ready for mass production

The development of allpacka began in 2020 as a response to an everyday challenge. Lukas Ludwig and Daniela Weiß, who were engineering students at the time, were looking for a simple way to transport their shopping by bike when their rucksack and panniers didn’t offer enough space. The first prototype of a foldable cargo box was created on the terrace of their shared flat in Dresden. Jonathan Vincentz later joined the team; in 2024, the three of them founded allpacka GmbH.

Through continuous testing and further development, the initial prototype was transformed into a product ready for series production. In total, more than 24 prototypes were produced. During a trial phase lasting over two years, more than 20 people tested the box through over a distance of roughly 5,000 kilometres. The folding mechanism developed was patented in Germany. This was followed at the end of 2024 by a successful Kickstarter campaign, which secured more than 1,100 orders. The allpacka One allows a bicycle’s luggage rack to be expanded by 30 litres of storage space when needed and can carry a load of up to 20 kilograms. It makes a conventional bicycle more versatile for shopping, parcels and other everyday transport – without cyclists having to permanently sacrifice the manoeuvrability and everyday practicality of a normal bicycle.

With the start of series production, the development project is now entering its next phase. The injection-moulded parts are manufactured in Germany, whilst assembly takes place at the allpacka sites in Dresden and Leipzig. What began as a student’s idea has thus evolved into a product ready for series production and a company.

Find out more about Lab X at HTW Dresden: https://www.htw-dresden.de/en/university/facultys/info-math/research/smart-production-systems/projects/translate-to-english-lab-x

Text source: HTW Dresden - University of Applied Sciences