Attention Munich startups: The Bavarian Founder's Award will be relaunched in 2026. After a hiatus of several years, the Bavarian savings banks will once again award the prize in four categories:
- Startup It is aimed at promising young companies that were founded between March 1, 2023 and March 1, 2026.
- Newcomer It addresses companies that are already established in the market and are continuing to grow.
- Succession successful business transfers are characterized by...
- Life's work honors individuals for their many years of entrepreneurial achievement.
While companies can apply directly for the Startup and Rising Star awards, Succession and Lifetime Achievement awards are only available through a nomination by the respective savings bank.
Application, pitch, voting
After the application deadline, a panel of experts makes a preliminary selection. The strongest applications in the Startup and Rising Star categories then pitch their business models to the jury. The three finalists in each category then participate in a public vote via the Bavarian Founders' Award's social media channels. The results of this vote account for 40 percent of the overall evaluation.
Finale at BMW Welt
The jury comprises representatives from Bavarian savings banks, the business community, the media, and the startup ecosystem. The award ceremony will take place on July 20, 2026, at BMW Welt in Munich.
You can apply here:
https://www.bayerischer-gruenderpreis.de/#gruenderpreis-kategorien
Parallel to the Bavarian Founders' Prize, there is also the Munich Founders' Prize of the Savings Banks, which is also worth a look.
