The second phase of the Munich Business Plan Competition has found its five winning teams. The awards ceremony took place as part of the Startup Demo Night, where, in addition to the award winners, a total of 70 Bavarian startups presented their latest technology innovations to an audience of around 600 startup enthusiasts, investors, and industry experts. In addition to detailed expert feedback on all submissions in Phase 2 of the competition, the winning teams will receive additional prizes totaling €9,000.
Novel cancer drugs & virtual reality in the industrial sector
In first place was EpicureThe Munich-based startup focuses on developing novel cancer drugs, particularly for the treatment of leukemia. Epicure's strength lies in the potentially lower toxicity and higher efficacy of its lead compound compared to current treatment options, which could represent a significant improvement in patient care. Matthias Heiß, co-founder at Epicure, says:
"We became aware of the business plan competition through the spin-off service at LMU Munich. By participating in the competition, we are further developing our business plan and learning a lot about the entrepreneurial requirements for a pharmaceutical startup. We are also making contacts here – with potential investors, but also with partners who can advise us on business and legal matters."
The runner-up, Unware, is developing a VR platform specifically for industrial use that requires no physical equipment. This aims to lower the barriers to VR use in industry and education and make the technology more accessible and comfortable for long-term use.
The expert jury was also impressed by the team from QualiwiseQualiwise is developing a platform that helps industrial manufacturers and suppliers optimize quality management processes through the use of AI. This is intended to simplify communication and improve quality assurance, leading to more efficient production and procurement processes.
The Fluvion team, ranked fourth, is developing so-called biomimetic bioreactors to enable the industrial production of biological fluids and pharmaceutical active ingredients without animal products. Finally, Certhub from Munich, which took fifth place, aims to accelerate the approval process for medical devices from medical technology companies through the use of AI-supported software.
A breath of fresh air from innovative startups
The winning teams in Phase 2 of the Munich Business Plan Competition develop new concepts in very different, highly specialized fields. Max Akhmedschin, head of the Munich Business Plan Competition at Baystartup, says:
"The winners' business ideas bring fresh perspectives to their respective industries, whether through the introduction of new technologies, products, or services. Their strengths lie primarily in the application of modern technologies to solve specific industry problems, making them important players in their respective markets."
Final competition phase runs until 11 June
Founding teams from Munich and throughout Southern Bavaria can participate in the final phase 3 of the Munich Business Plan Competition until June 11, 2024. The competition requires a business plan of approximately 30 pages, focusing on the team, roadmap, and financial planning.
