Innovation award Berlin Brandenburg – Opportunities for founders and startups
This year, the federal states of Berlin and Brandenburg are once again organizing the Innovation Award for young companies and founders. The prize is offered in different categories with the aim to promote and advance innovation. As a partner of the innovation award, Ambivation supports it by publishing a guest post on our blog. In this context, we will present all relevant information regarding participation, process and application possibilities. In addition, together with the Innovation Award, an interview with Christoph Baier from Ambivation took place, in which he reports on the collaboration between startups and companies.
Launch pad for innovators: Participation in the Innovation award Berlin Brandenburg
Making your own idea visible, finding the right cooperation partners for the developed innovation and receiving financial support – this is what an application to the Berlin Brandenburg Innovation Award can do. Last year’s award winners share their experiences and provide important tips.
Being there is easy
Until June 21, 2021, companies, startups and craft businesses as well as other players with company headquarters in Berlin or Brandenburg can apply for the Innovation Award. The prize is endowed with a total of 50,000 euros. Innovative products, concepts and services from the health industry, energy technology, ICT, media and creative industries, optics and photonics, and transport, mobility and logistics clusters can be submitted – also in cooperation with universities and scientific institutions.
Never alone when you have questions
While filling out the application form for the competition, questions or uncertainties may arise. Support and answers are available here from the Innovation Award team as Innovation Special Award winner and founder of Regional Hero Pascal Schreiber tells us, “It was always open communication, even in the days of Corona, when everything was done via digital media or even over the phone, you never had the feeling that you were left alone, but questions were always answered quickly. And the application process was clear and concise.”
With visibility comes new opportunities
An Innovation Award nomination brings public attention. The press reports on the idea, the development and the team. Interviews are requested and image films are shot. This results in new opportunities, as Oliver Reimann, Innovation Award winner and co-founder of Belyntic, reveals: “We were able to do public relations this way, and it had a positive effect after just a few days. Some people approached us to establish and deepen business or development relationships.” Hanno Balzer, CEO of Lumenion, describes something similar shortly after winning the innovation award: “The award gave the idea a boost in every respect and we got a completely different visibility in the market and that’s just a very, very good combination.”
In this way, startups can also attract the attention of potential cooperation partners. What matters in the cooperation between startups and companies, and what advantages it offers, is reported by Christoph Baier from Ambivation in an interview with the Innovation Award Berlin Brandenburg.
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Prize money gives innovation a boost
Whoever can hold their own against the competition after the nomination phase becomes a prize winner. The prize money of €10,000 can make a big difference and push one’s idea further. In 2020, the Lana Labs team has chosen a very generous way of investing. “There are still companies and especially people and organizations that are significantly more in need than we are. And I think we also have to bring a corresponding social idea here and that’s why we decided to donate half of the prize money,” CEO Dan Wucherpfennig tells us.
Innovation award as a proof point
Applying for the Innovation Award works online and takes just a few minutes. From here on, there’s nothing to lose, says Dan Wucherpfennig: “The Innovation Award is what we would call a proofpoint at the startup. We were examined, it was looked, where are our effects from our innovation for the countries Berlin and Brandenburg. I can only advise every company: Use the classification for your innovative strength. But also use the many opportunities in the application process for the Innovation Award to establish contacts with other companies, other organizations and the press.”
All winners of the Innovation Award Berlin Brandenburg 2020 can be found here.
The application form for the 2021 competition can be found here.
About Ambivation
Ambivation connects innovative companies and startups for cooperation and innovation partnerships. As an innovation consultancy and matchmaker, Ambivation promotes cooperation between established companies and startups within the framework of concrete customer, supplier and research partnerships. We support companies in the identification of needs, startup identification, startup evaluation and cooperation initiation with startups. Formats such as research on relevant startups, startup monitoring, strategic cooperation consulting or event formats such as startup tours serve this purpose. Our monthly newsletter also provides information on current examples of cooperation and events.
