Founders can apply for the KfW Award Gründen 2024. With this competition, the KfW Banking Group aims to honor young companies and startups from across Germany that deserve public recognition for their ideas and courage. The competition is aimed at companies and company successors founded in 2019 or later. A total of €35,000 in prize money will be awarded.
Jury evaluates according to various criteria
The jury consists of experienced experts from KfW, development banks, politics, and business. For the KfW Award, they evaluate the business ideas based on their degree of innovation and creativity. Factors such as social responsibility and social added value are also taken into account. Economic success, ecological sustainability, and the promotion of an inclusive, diverse work environment are also considered.
Based on these criteria, one company from each federal state will be honored. The state winners will receive €1,000 each. They will then qualify for the national award, which comes with an additional €9,000. The jury will also award a special prize of €5,000. All state winners will then participate in the online voting for the Audience Award, which comes with a €5,000 prize.
KfW Award Gründen: Ceremonial award ceremony in November
The companies will be honored at a ceremony on November 7, 2024. The TV channel n-tv will also feature them in a special broadcast. A PR agency will support the companies in marketing their success stories, and selected companies will have the opportunity to be featured on TV.
Applications for the KfW Award Gründen can be submitted here.
