Newcomer in Berlin? Got a startup Idea? This is your chance!
APPLY NOW! Watch out Newcomers: This could be your chance to kickstart your startup!
Do you have an exciting business idea? Or have you just entered the journey of creating your own startup? Did you come to Germany within the last 8 years? Are you now living and working in Berlin? If so, this is a competition for you.
The Berlin Newcomer Startup Award offers you not only the opportunity to work on your concept and get feedback from experienced trainers, jury members, and peers, but also – 🥁🥁🥁 – 27.500€ seed capital in total plus individual coaching and support for the winners!
The Berlin Newcomer Startup Award offers you not only the opportunity to work on your concept and get feedback from experienced trainers, jury members, and peers, but also – 🥁🥁🥁 – 27.500€ seed capital in total plus individual coaching and support for the winners!
What is in for you?
We know it’s not all about the prize money.
The Berlin Newcomer Startup Award has even more to offer:
The Berlin Newcomer Startup Award has even more to offer:
Valuable Networking Opportunities
Connect with fellow entrepreneurs, industry experts, and potential partners - both online and in person.
Expert Feedback on Your Ideas
Receive constructive input and guidance from experienced founders, mentors, and professionals.
Visibility for you and your startup idea
If selected as a finalist, you’ll have the chance to present your (future) business to a broader audience - gaining exposure, recognition, and new opportunities.
Our Prizes:
Program Overview
Check out our key milestones and don't miss important events!
28 August
28 August
Applications open
Bring your idea to life! Fill out the application form and tell us about your business concept. The questions are designed to help you reflect on your idea and highlight its potential.
➡️ After this phase, our team and experts will select 12 applicants who advance to the next round.
28 September
28 September
Applications close
This is the final deadline to submit your application.
➡️ Once applications close, the evaluation begins. The selected 12 applicants will be asked to send a pitch deck and a pitch video. You’ll have 3 days to submit them, so preparing these materials in advance is highly recommended.
20 October
20 October
Peer Pitch Review & Finalist Announcement
All applicants are invited to join the Peer Pitch Review, where you can practice your pitch in front of experts from different fields and receive direct feedback.
➡️ At the end of the event, the 6 finalists (selected beforehand) who will present at the Award Day will be officially announced.
This is your chance to sharpen your pitch, connect with fellow entrepreneurs, and see if you made it to the final stage!
This is your chance to sharpen your pitch, connect with fellow entrepreneurs, and see if you made it to the final stage!
5 November
5 November
Award Day
The 6 finalists take the stage to pitch their ideas in front of an expert jury and a diverse audience of supporters, media, and people from Berlin’s startup community.
➡️ 4 teams will become the winners of the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award 2025.
Your moment to shine - celebrate innovation and migration with us!
Your moment to shine - celebrate innovation and migration with us!
Key Program Events
Join our community activities designed to help you grow your startup, build connections, and gain valuable insights before the Award Day.
Everything you need to know.
Still wondering if this is for you? Take a look at our FAQs and read the conditions for participation
Sure!
- Apply online between Aug 28 – Sep 28 by filling out the application form.
- Shortlist announced: 12 applicants will be selected and asked to submit a pitch deck and short video.
- Finalists announced: On Oct 20 during the Peer Pitch Review, 6 finalists will be announced at the end of the event.
- Award Day: The finalists pitch live on Nov 5.
You are eligible to apply for the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award if:
- you are registered and living in Berlin,
- you moved to Germany within the last 8 years, i.e. in 2017 or later,
- you have the nationality of one of the countries from the DAC List of ODA Recipients,
- you are over 18 years old,
- If you apply with a team: Only the main applicant is required to fulfill the above criteria.
Good ones of course 🙂 There’s no limitation to a specific sector or industry.
The 2025 edition of the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award is addressing Kickstarters only.
Meaning: We are searching for (future) entrepreneurs who are still in the ideation phase or currently working on their business plan and building networks, as well as Newcomers who have started or are already finished the founding process – so long as you have not entered the market yet!
The 2025 edition of the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award is addressing Kickstarters only.
Meaning: We are searching for (future) entrepreneurs who are still in the ideation phase or currently working on their business plan and building networks, as well as Newcomers who have started or are already finished the founding process – so long as you have not entered the market yet!
No. The 2025 edition of the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award is addressing Kickstarters only. Therefore, your startup’s market entry is an exclusion criterion.
We’re offering a series of free online events to support you with ideation and other topics.
Check out our program and join us to co-create, exchange, and network!
Applications open on Aug 28 and close on Sep 28. You can apply online via our application form.
Sure! You can apply as an individual or with a team of co-founders / co-creators. Just keep in mind: The person submitting your application needs to be eligible to participate, and will be the one presenting your team at the final pitches if you are nominated as a finalist.
As our program events, application selection process, and the pitch and award ceremony will be held in English, we are only accepting applications in English. However, as we are an international community, and many of us speak different first languages, we welcome your application even if you are still on your way to mastering English!
No. You only need to fill out the application form at first. The pitch video is only required if you are shortlisted.
If you make it to the 2nd round among the 12 applicants, we will ask you to send us a pitch video:
- max. 120sec
- horizontal format (preferably 16:9)
- mov or mp4
- file name = your name
To complete your application, please send your video via wetransfer to apply@newcomeraward.de.
If you are nominated as a finalist: Some parts of your application (see application form for more information) may be published on our social media or website for the public voting and / or in preparation for the award ceremony.
For all other applicants: We will only share your answers with the jury for evaluation and will not publish anything without your permission.
After Sep 28, all applications are reviewed. 12 applicants are shortlisted and asked to provide a pitch deck and video. From there, 6 finalists are chosen and announced on Oct 20.
The 6 finalists will be published on our website after Oct 20. Anyone can vote online, until the last pitch on the Award Day. After that, the SINGA Team will count the votes and will announce the Audience Prize winner together with the other winners.
Information about our jury and the criteria they evaluate can be found here.
This is probably the most asked question when it comes to a competition ;)
The winners will be awarded with:
- 1st prize: 10.000€ seed capital
- 2nd prize: 7.500€ seed capital
- Business Responsibility prize: 5.000€ seed capital
- Public voting prize: 5.000€ seed capital
Besides great opportunities to co-create, exchange and build networks, our finalists will benefit from valuable feedback to their business ideas from our jury as well as more visibility and public awareness.
No worries — you’ll get coaching and capacity-building workshops in October to prepare you for the stage.
Send an email to apply@newcomeraward.de - we'll get back to you as soon as we can!
Check out some highlights from the 2024 Edition!
See you in 2025!
MEET THE BNSA 2024 FINALISTS!
Discover the innovative startup ideas from our 2024 Berlin Newcomer Startup Award finalists.
By Tapas Dwivedi
Relatable is an app designed to help couples resolve conflicts at home within 30 minutes through AI-guided conversations.
By Bella Davis-Riemer
Monarch AI is an AI-driven parental control app that proactively detects harmful behaviors like bullying and predatory actions.
By Ajit Naik
HeidiMed offers "Heidi", an empathetic chatbot that helps seniors manage medications seamlessly via WhatsApp or SMS.
By Tea Bano
TreeScatter uses AI and remote sensing to create fast and affordable forest inventories.
By Raymond Miranda
Myhejo is a personalized tool that helps users turn fear into growth through storytelling, coaching, and community support.
MEET THE 2024 JURY!
We’re excited to announce that we’ve received dozens of diverse, creative, and innovative applications for the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award! Now, it’s time to dive into the selection process. We’ve assembled a diverse jury with expertise in entrepreneurship, investment, and government initiatives to ensure a well-rounded evaluation.
Peter is an Investment Director at Impact Partners, managing €350M in assets and investing in social impact businesses across Europe.
Viktoria is the CEO of Avant Now, an impact hub supporting tech solutions for societal challenges, with a focus on helping founders overcome barriers.
Mihri is the co-founder of beams, a Work Intelligence Platform to help companies reduce SaaS costs, and winner of the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award 2021.
Norbert has led startup initiatives for the Berlin Government since 2017, developing the Berlin Startup Agenda to promote impact startups, diversity, and inclusion.
Public Voting
Thank you for your votes in 2024!
See you next year!
See you next year!
Who should win the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award? We’re interested to find out which business idea is the most convincing to you as a potential future client, supporter, business partner, or investor. That’s why we invite you to be a part of our “extended jury”!
Our jury preselects 6 awesome finalists! You support your favorite by giving them your vote, sharing the link to their profile with your network – and in the end making them the winner of the extra prize of 5.000€!
SINGA Newsletter
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BNSA Winners
Get inspired from previous BNSA winners and their business ideas throughout the years!
BNSA 2023 First Prize Winner
Join OCTO Labs
By Omid Moradiannasab
BNSA 2023 Second Prize Winner
DeepFile
By Bayangmbe Mounmo
BNSA 2023 Third Prize Winner
ReloSync
By Niharika Rakheja
BNSA 2023 Audience Prize Winner
HeyOtters
By Matinuch Ouyyamwongs
BNSA 2022 First Prize Winner
Pilio
By Ali Khan
BNSA 2022 Second Prize Winner
Thoughtful and innovative 3D printer
By Cindy Valdez
BNSA 2022 Third Prize Winner
Aman Collective
By Mudar Obaid Dabbous
BNSA 2022 Audience Prize Winner
Thoughtful and innovative 3D printer
By Cindy Valdez
BNSA 2021 First Prize Winner
MOTORSKINS
By Juan Opitz-Silva
BNSA 2021 Second Prize Winner
Beams
By Minaz Mihri
BNSA 2021 Third Prize Winner
Jasmine Online Shop
By Rima Alqaq
BNSA 2021 Audience Prize Winner
Portable Wind Turbine
By Rabee Abdelrahman
Business Lab 2019 First Prize Winner
Beelinguapp
By David Alejandro Montiel
Business Lab 2019 Second Prize Winner
Carbon Mobile
By Firas Khalifeh
Business Lab 2019 Third Prize Winner
MyHelpBuddy
By Aravinth Palaniswamy
Business Lab 2019 Kickstarter Winner
ZeroWaste Era
By Livia Zimermann
Business Lab 2019 Kickstarter Winner
Dr. Kalla Co
By Khiralddin Kalla
Business Lab 2019 Kickstarter Winner
Co-Tasker
By Tarek Abousamra
Business Lab 2019 Kickstarter Winner
Aalaa Vegan Tales
By Alaa Ziat
Business Lab 2019 Kickstarter Winner
Hachiko
By Eslam Elsayed
Business Lab 2018 First Prize Winner
Reviving Home
By Abdulhadi Soufan
Business Lab 2018 Second Prize Winner
Nuiversity
By Dr. Fadi Alshalabi
Business Lab 2018 Third Prize Winner
Bote
By Raafat Hantoush
Business Lab 2018 Kickstarter Prize Winner
DishCourt
By Arabi Abdelhaq
Business Lab 2018 Kickstarter Prize Winner
Aram Craft
By Ghada Alkotob
Business Lab 2018 Kickstarter Prize Winner
Roots and Radicals
By Monica Kisic
Business Lab 2018 Kickstarter Prize Winner
Big Berlin Food Coop
By Johanna Kühner
Business Lab 2018 Kickstarter Prize Winner
MOTORSKINS
By Facundo Gutierrez
Initiated by
SINGA Deutschland
SINGA Deutschland was founded in 2016. We are devoted to creating meaningful connections between locals and newcomers. Our portfolio includes programs with focus on entrepreneurship and the working field like Business Lab by SINGA, Inclusive Entrepreneurship, Kompetenzwerkstatt, Perspektive neuStart where SINGA Business Lab is one of the initiators. We are also proud of our successfully completed project Integration neu denken. Building up on the experiences, approaches, methods and networks from it, we created a new, international project: Shaping Inclusive Societies. Our activities are taking place in Berlin and the surrounding area. At the same time we support organizations and initiatives all over Germany in implementing innovative projects that lead towards an inclusive society.
Website Funded by
City of Berlin Senate Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises
The state office for development cooperation – as part of the Department for Economics, Energy and Public Enterprises – coordinates Berlin´s development cooperation activities. It supports NGOs, universities and other stakeholders in achieving the sustainable development goals, supporting human rights and working for global justice.
“We support the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award because we believe in the power of people from all over the world in finding innovative solutions for a better world!”
Website “We support the Berlin Newcomer Startup Award because we believe in the power of people from all over the world in finding innovative solutions for a better world!”
Meet our team
Contact our Project Lead!
-
Izabella Neves de MoraisIzabella Neves de Morais is a Project Lead with 15 years of experience. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Advertising & Publicity, a Master’s in Service Design, and a Postgraduate qualification in Social Innovation Management.
She has five years of experience in the financial sector and two years leading EU-funded programmes. With expertise in the Latin American, European, UAE, and Indian markets, she has managed high-impact global projects, large-scale startup events, and equity product development. As a teacher, speaker, and mentor, she specialises in developing scalable solutions for immigrant women and international communities with an impact-focused approach.
FEEL FREE TO CONTACT US :)
apply@newcomeraward.de
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All text, photo, and video materials belong to their owners and are for demonstration purposes only. Please do not use them in commercial projects.