For the fourth consecutive time, the Startup Incubator Berlin (SIB) is presenting awards for innovative startup ideas.
“Make It Lean” is the motto of the competition, as the so-called Lean Startup method is to be applied throughout the development process from idea to prototype, in order to quickly achieve market readiness for the new offering.

Prize money of over 13,000 euros is up for grabs — the three main prizes are determined by a large online public vote, and additional special prizes are awarded by an expert jury. This gives young startups the opportunity to reach a broad audience and even potential investors early on with their founding idea. The jury also includes business angels and the competition’s industry partners.

Most recently, over 30 young startups had applied, and some of these competition teams were subsequently able to qualify for the SIB’s funding programs and bring their business ideas to life there. For other startups, the “Make It Lean Contest” led to initial pilot projects with sponsors. Even in the run-up to the competition, aspiring founders receive comprehensive knowledge and skills; through various workshops and networking events, interested parties also have the opportunity to receive expert feedback and individual coaching.

The prize money is once again funded by sponsors from Berlin’s business community and the startup scene, who are represented on the expert jury and also support the participating teams as advisors on content matters. Sponsors have a variety of individual presentation opportunities across all competition phases: From the kick-off in September 2021 to the festive award ceremony in February 2022 and beyond, they can communicate their commitment to entrepreneurship and the startup economy in a highly visible way.

As in the previous year, the competition will be accompanied by intensive social media communication and supported by a regional poster campaign during the voting phase. The strong public interest was clearly visible on the Startup Incubator Berlin website: Over 170,000 visitors used it to learn about the competition entries, which were submitted in the form of short pitch videos. In the online voting, over 93,000 votes were ultimately cast, determining the winning teams. Here is a look back at the 2020/21 Contest!

Interested sponsors of the “Make It Lean Contest 2021/22” are warmly invited to contact us regarding a partnership by 31 July 2021: Sandra Thumm