We are looking for your innovative and unusual startup ideas and business models. Are you a pupil, student, alumnus or employee of a school or university in the Rheingau-Taunus district or someone with entrepreneurial thinking from the Rheingau-Taunus district and you (or your Team) deal with ecological, innovative, social or societal issues in an entrepreneurial way? Then you’ve come to the right place!

The categories: Where do you find yourself?

Category 1: Best business idea from schools and universities

The three best entrepreneurial ideas from pupils, students or employees of schools or universities based in the Rheingau-Taunus district as well as business ideas of participants of programmes of the Gründungsfabrik Rheingau, which have been developed within the last two years as a part of a course, programme or input from the Gründungsfabrik Rheingau, will be awarded.

Your idea does not have to be realised yet, but the will to do so should be clearly visible!

Category 2: Best start-up from universities in the district

The three best entrepreneurial ideas and/or business models that have been implemented within the last two years by students, alumni or employees of the colleges and universities located in the district – EBS University, Hochschule Geisenheim University and Hochschule Fresenius – as well as participants in the Gründungsfabrik Rheingau programme will be awarded.

Your company or business idea may already be established. However, it does not necessarily have to be operational.

Category 3: Best start-up from the Rheingau-Taunus district

The three best entrepreneurial ideas from the population of the Rheingau-Taunus district that have been realised within the last two years will be awarded a prize.

Your company or business idea may already be established. However, it does not necessarily have to be operational. Your business should have a clear connection to the region.

The prizes: Kick-start your start-up

The prize is not intended to fund your dream, but to give your idea and its further development a boost and a stage.

As a participant in one of the categories, you have the chance to win €1,500 (1st place), €1,000 (2nd place) and €500 (3rd place). In addition, you can use a co-working space in the Gründungsfabrik free of charge for three months, provided there is a need for development space, and you will receive a wild card for one of the programmes at the Gründungsfabrik Rheingau.

Now it’s important: these are the dates that you should already make a note of:

Application period: from 1 July to 16 October 2024

Announcement of the finalists: 4 November 2024

Pitch final and award ceremony: 20 November 2024 at the ‘Neues Forum’ of EBS University in Oestrich-Winkel

The jury: Your ideas and projects will be scrutinized by a jury of sponsors and representatives from both universities in a two-stage selection process.

Stage 1: Selection of the best submissions for the final by the jury

Stage 2: In the final, you must convince not only the jury, but also the audience in the EBS ‘New Forum’. Voting: 50% audience and 50% jury.

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General conditions: A few rules for participation

• Individuals or teams can apply.
• Applications can only be submitted for one category.
• The categories in detail:
  • Category 1: Open to business ideas from pupils, students, and employees
  • Category 2: Open to start-ups by students, alumni or employees of universities located in the Rheingau-Taunus district
  • Category 3: Open to founders who are based in or come from the Rheingau-Taunus district.
• The following must be submitted: A description of the start-up idea as well as a pitch deck with 10 charts containing all relevant information.
• At least one member of the team will be required to attend the Final and award ceremony on 20 November 2024 on behalf of the team.
• The applicants assure that their submitted business ideas or business models originate exclusively from them and that no rights of third parties are infringed.
• Participants consent to their personal data, in particular their name and email address, being stored beyond the duration of the competition.
• The award winners agree that their names and a brief description of their ideas will be announced during the award ceremony, subsequently on the Gründungsfabrik Rheingau homepage and in a press release.
• The award winners agree that photos and videos of the event may also be used by the Gründungsfabrik Rheingau and sponsors after the event.
• False information in the registration or in connection with the submission will lead to exclusion.

We look forward to your application!

The Team of the Gründungsfabrik Rheingau