The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy's "Start-up Competition – Digital Innovations" is entering its final stages. Applications are only possible until April 3.
Digital startups are once again invited to participate in the 2018 ideas competition. This year, the startup competition will honor one startup with a special prize in the "Smart Living" category for business models related to the digitalization of the living environment. To apply, a sketch describing the project is sufficient. A company does not need to be founded yet.
Last year The Munich companies received rfrnz and Hawa Dawa one main prize each. inveox and neolexon were honored. Project manager Wolfram Gross says:
„Unser Sonderpreis in Kooperation mit der Geschäftsstelle Smart Living des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Energie würdigt die Tatsache, dass der Markt für Smart-Living-Anwendungen in Deutschland sein Volumen einer Studie zufolge bis zum Jahr 2022 auf 4,3 Milliarden Euro verdreifachen wird. Kein Wunder, denn die Menschen begeistern sich für die Digitalisierung ihres Lebensumfeldes und haben steigende Anforderungen an ihr Zuhause hinsichtlich Energieeffizienz, Sicherheit, Komfort- und Assistenzfunktionen. Startups haben eine gewaltige Chance, von dieser Entwicklung nicht nur zu profitieren, sondern sie auch zu prägen. Das wollen wir unterstützen – genauso wie alle anderen klugen Geschäftsideen auf digitaler Basis.“
Every submission to the startup competition receives feedback
The ideas competition is divided into two phases: Interested parties can submit a proposal with up to fifteen pages of their idea until 6 p.m. on April 3. A team of experts will analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks of the proposal. Participants will receive written feedback on whether their idea could be implemented and marketable. The 50 best idea sketches will have the opportunity to incorporate the feedback into their concept and resubmit it in the second phase of the competition, which ends July 2. The best startup projects will be awarded prizes at the IFA 2018 in Berlin in early September.
