THE BERLIN NEWCOMER STARTUP AWARD
SIX YEARS CELEBRATING NEWCOMER ENTREPRENEURSHIP!
Watch out Newcomers: This could be your chance to kickstart your startup!
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!
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€ + 2.500€ budget
for coaching / consulting.
What is in it for you?
- you are living in Berlin,
- you moved to Germany within the last 8 years, i.e. in 2016 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
The 2024 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!
We’re offering a series of free online events to support you with ideation and other topics.
Check out our program here and join us to co-create, exchange, and network!
We only accept applications submitted via the application form on this website.
The call for applications will be open until the end of the day on September 30, 2024.
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!
Yes, you need to upload a video to complete your application. But a great video doesn’t necessarily need a lot of money or fancy equipment. We’re just interested to get to know you and your business concept a little better!
Please answer these questions with your video (120 seconds):
1. What is your business idea, and what is the market gap you are addressing with it?
2. Tell us who you are and why your personal and professional history make you the one to develop this solution.
3. Share with us your view of business responsibility. How do you consider social and ecological sustainability in your business model and practices?
Be creative and use what you’ve got! There are many resources on how to make a convincing pitch video online. You can also find inspiration from past finalists' videos on our YouTube.
There are a few formal requirements for your 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 sbl@singa-deutschland.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.
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 + 2.500€ budget for coaching and consulting
- 2nd prize: 7.500€ seed capital + 2.500€ budget for coaching and consulting
- Business Responsibility prize: 5.000€ seed capital + 2.500€ budget for coaching and consulting
- Public voting prize: 5.000€ seed capital + 2.500€ budget for coaching and consulting
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, we've got you covered! All finalists will be supported with preparing their big entrance at the online award show.
You’re interested in learning more about how to present your idea in preparation for your application? Check out our YouTube.
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. 🌟
Evaluating the entrepreneurs’ business ideas, analyzing potentials, and deciding which (future) businesses should win the big prize is not an easy task – but our expert jurors like a little challenge!
As a team with diverse backgrounds and expertise, they not only pre-select the six finalists to compete for the public voting prize, but also evaluate their live pitches at the final award show.
Decisions on the winners of the 3 main prizes are based on the following criteria:
- degree of innovation of product or service solution
- clear understanding of and attractiveness for a target group
- competition in the market
- feasibility
- business model
- entrepreneur / team and network
- business responsibility
| 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!”
| Website |
sbl@singa-deutschland.de