A new tailor-made support program provides three startup teams with easy access to one of the liveliest startup ecosystems in Europe. Startups from all over the world can apply until 31 January 2019 for the Future Hamburg Award. Hamburg offers international startups the perfect breeding ground to start. After all, more than 10,000 millionaires live in the bustling metropolis on the water. Thus Germany’s trading metropolis, in combination with a strong creative industry and innovative industries, also has the highest gross domestic product per inhabitant.
What makes Hamburg one of the most dynamic startup locations in Europe?
Founders from all over the world appreciate Hamburg, to start with their digital business ideas. Because the startup ecosystem is considered one of the strongest in Europe. Important key players such as Google, Facebook, Hootsuite or Yelp have chosen Hamburg as the location for their corporate headquarters. As the most important trading metropolis in northern Europe, Hamburg is one of the best places to open up new markets with innovative ideas. The German business metropolis in particular offers a high potential to network with world market leaders and innovation champions. So some of the most successful start-ups such as myTaxi, Jimdo or Xing have their origins as a startup in Hamburg. With a growing number of coworking spaces, accelerators and startup hubs, the attractiveness of the location has been steadily increasing for several years.
“For many technology-driven startups, Hamburg is one of the best options in international comparison,” says Veronika Reichboth of the startup unit of Hamburg Invest. That’s why Hamburg Invest and Hamburg Marketing have launched a new initiative for founders: the Future Hamburg Award. “The award connects innovative startups with established companies and provides the founders with tailor-made coaching for the market entry and for the further development of their business model,” she explains.
In the recent past, there was a boom in the Hamburg startup ecosystem with considerable investment. According to the auditing firm EY, the startup scene was pushed in 2018 with 548 million euros of venture capital. International investments also play a growing role, accounting for around a third. “One reason for the investments is that the Hanseatic city is a global leader in vertical industries such as logistics, media, life sciences and aviation,” says Reichboth. At the same time, future fields such as fintech, e-commerce and blockchain are growing steadily. For example, there are more B2B business models here than in other German cities. “The broad-based economy and the short distances of a city-state offer startups ideal conditions,” says Reichboth. The Future Hamburg Award is the ticket – for the business location of Hamburg as well as for Germany and Europe. “With this low-threshold program, we invite the next Game Changers to become part of our startup ecosystem in Hamburg!”
Who can participate in the Future Hamburg Award?
The award is aimed at innovative startups from all over the world. Companies should not be on the market for more than ten years and have a digital, technology or knowledge-based approach. In addition, companies should be able to demonstrate a functional or demonstrable prototype wherever possible.
What awaits the winning teams?
Three selected startup teams receive exactly what they need to gain a foothold in the German market and to be internationally successful. The special feature of the Future Hamburg Award: The “Start Me up in Hamburg” package is worked out individually with the winners and adapted to their needs in a modular manner. One of the highlights is the award ceremony in the context of the OMR Festival with more than 40,000 marketing and technical experts in May 2019 in Hamburg. The founders can also present their company in front of the professional audience. In addition, the winners will receive a wide range of media packages, high-quality business coaching and professional pitch trainings. During their stay in Hamburg, the teams also receive up to six months of free co-working and exclusive networking events. In order to enable the widest possible range of companies to participate, the application process at www.future.hamburg has been deliberately kept simple.
Start Me up in Hamburg Package:
Tailored premium business coaching. Personal advice from the startup unit, the experts from Hamburg’s startup ecosystem by the Startup Unit, the experts from Hamburg’s startup ecosystem press and media package in the five-digit range. Up to six months of free co-working in Betahaus and Beehive Demo Day: Pitch your startup in front of entrepreneurs, investors and decision makers! Exclusive Networking Events: meet local investors and experienced entrepreneurs.
Application until 31 January 2019