The Startup Design Award is a competition organized by the Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of Bayreuth – however, startups from all over Germany are welcome to apply. The institute focuses on the central themes of innovative entrepreneurship and places the development of entrepreneurial and innovation skills at the heart of its work. With this award, the institute aims to support young, innovative Startups and give them a platform.
To qualify for the competition, startups must already be officially founded and have at least one prototype of their submitted product. Furthermore, the product must not have been on the market for more than five years. There are separate categories for physical and digital products. The application deadline is May 20One week later, applicants will learn whether their submission met all the criteria and is nominated for the award. The startups will then be evaluated by a panel of experts. The awards ceremony is scheduled for June 17.
The application deadline is May 20
The jury’s assessment focuses on six questions:
- What problem does the product solve, or what social benefit does it bring?
- Is the product novel/innovative?
- How appealing are the choice of materials, texture, finish, packaging and graphic design?
- How sustainable is the product?
- Is the product intuitive to use?
- Can the product create emotional added value with its design?
There's a cash prize to be won, the amount of which has yet to be determined. The organizers of the Startup Design Award also promise valuable contacts with potential investors, representatives from the business world, higher education institutions, and other startups.
Further information and the opportunity to apply can be found here.
