Boost for the regional culture of ideas and start-ups

The aim of the annual ideas competition is to promote the development of exceptional and, above all, innovative ideas from the university environment. "In the spirit of the transfer idea, we want to help ensure that start-up ideas and applicable research results from our university do not disappear in a drawer, but are made useful for society. The internal university competition then also means an additional boost for the regional ideas and start-up culture," says Daniel Opper, head of UniKasselTransfer. Sandra Wilhelm, who organizes the ideas competition for the UniKasselTransfer incubator, added: "Especially in these challenging times, I am incredibly impressed by how much creativity, commitment and optimism can be seen in the consultations and idea sketches. We are very pleased, it really gives us hope."

This is the 13th time the university has held this ideas competition, and this round two special prizes are being offered: with the Research Transfer Special Prize, the university is promoting the direct transfer of personal research results into concrete start-up ideas. The Social Entrepreneurship Special Prize is awarded for innovative product and service ideas that solve current social challenges and, in particular, offer added value for society as a whole.

Over the past 12 years, more than 600 sketches of ideas have been submitted. Many regional and national startups have their origins in the UNIKAT ideas competition. In its anniversary year, the UniKasselTransfer Incubator published a startup map that presents the multitude and diversity of spin-offs of the past 50 years: www.uni-kassel.de/go/Gründungslandkarte.

All idea sketches of the current round are now evaluated by three experts from the entrepreneurial practice each, on the basis of the criteria overall idea, customer benefit, market opportunities and feasibility and supplemented by a category "tips", in which practical experience knowledge can be shared. A summary from their three appraisals will be made available to all participants. The ten ideas with the highest scores will be given the opportunity to present themselves to a jury. The final placements will be announced on Thursday, 4/28-22. From 6 p.m. on that day, a festive award ceremony and closing event is planned in the Science Park, of course subject to the then current specifications.

As the central start-up consultancy of the University of Kassel, the UniKasselTransfer Incubator is of course also available to all interested parties with advice and support after the ideas competition. "We are looking forward to supporting the participants in bringing their ideas into practice," says Gabriele Hennemuth, also an employee at the UniKasselTransfer Incubator. "Among other things, we can work together to further develop the business model, network the teams with other startups and experienced companies, and help them apply for startup grants or build a crowdfunding campaign."

Information on the competition and other services offered by the UniKasselTransfer Incubator: www.unikat-kassel.de.

Contact:

Sandra Wilhelm
University of Kassel
UniKasselTransfer
Tel: 0561 / 804 7252
E-mail: ideenwettbewerb[at]uni-kassel[dot]de