The best idea is the "pasture fence robot": 14th UNIKAT ideas competition at the University of Kassel

The jury awarded the second prize of 2,000 euros to "Gradu App". Beatrice Frichs, an economics graduate, has been working as a tutor for business mathematics at the University of Kassel for five years, teaching students the basics they lack. Due to different educational backgrounds from different federal states and the effects of corona, she has long been confronted with the challenges faced by STEM students in particular. Now she wants to develop a solution that not only benefits "her" students, but also helps students nationwide to improve their math skills. The prize was presented by Marc Finke from Kasseler Sparkasse, who sponsored the prize.

Jakob Michel and Dr. Samer Telawi received the 3rd prize of 1,500 euros for their idea "Safe Light". The service invention, for which a patent application has already been filed, enables the targeted "recycling of light" to make car headlights, for example, simpler, more efficient and more economical. This innovation can be used, for example, in the area of pedestrian safety, room lighting or even in airplanes. The prize was made possible by the Unternehmerverband Nordhessen and presented by its chairman, Thomas Meyer.

The team from "Alioth" won over the audience in short pitches from all the top ten teams: He Wang and Lukas Langheim are students at the art college. They have developed a training solution for astronauts that is also suitable for rehabilitation and athletics training. Nadja Porsch, a member of the jury, presented the non-cash prize.

Around 80 guests were impressed by the diversity and innovative power of the start-up ideas in the 14th UNIKAT ideas competition. A total of 32 ideas from the University of Kassel and the Student Research Center were submitted this year. Most of the ideas came from the School of Art and Design, the Faculty of Electrical Engineering/Computer Science and the Faculty of Ecological Agricultural Sciences. Students, staff and alumni from the Faculties of Economics, Human Sciences, Social Sciences and pupils from the Student Research Center also took part.

In his welcoming address, Dr. Oliver Fromm, Chancellor of the University of Kassel, pointed out the University of Kassel's founding strength - a total of three start-up projects are currently being financed via EXIST Research Transfer with a total of 3.6 million euros and three more via EXIST Start-up Grants with a total of 366,000 euros. A further two founders are receiving Hessen Ideas grants. For many of these start-ups, the UNIKAT ideas competition represents the first step on their journey to entrepreneurial success.

After the award ceremony, Daniel Opper, Head of UniKasselTransfer, invited two former winners of the UNIKAT Ideas Competition to the stage: Lena Cielejewski, founder and Managing Director of prosumergy GmbH, won the special prize "Building+Environment" in 2014, while Dr. Florian Gerland, founder and Managing Director of Larabicus GmbH, was awarded 1st prize in 2020. The two role models vividly described their impressive journey from taking part in the competition to founding their companies. Along the way, they were supported by the University of Kassel's start-up advisory service in acquiring EXIST grants and were able to use rooms on the start-up floor of the University of Kassel. Prosumergy is now based in the Science Park Kassel. "We are grateful that Lena Cielejewski and Dr. Florian Gerland are supporting the UNIKAT competition today as experts and jurors," says Gabriele Hennemuth, who organized this year's competition together with Viktoria Mayer. "The UNIKAT ideas competition would not be possible without the commitment of the many volunteer assessors, the dedicated jury and the sponsors."

The award ceremony took place at the Science Park Kassel, which is one of the supporters of the UNIKAT ideas competition alongside the Kasseler Sparkasse, the Unternehmerverband Nordhessen, the VDI and the Techniker Krankenkasse.

Contact:
Gabriele Hennemuth
University of Kassel
UniKasselTransfer | Incubator
Tel.: 0561 804-1859
E-mail: hennemuth@uni-kassel.de