Start-up Your Idea! – The GUIDE Idea Competition 2024
Do you have an innovative idea that is waiting to be put into practice? Then Start-up Your Idea! - the ideas competition of the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE), offers the perfect opportunity to take the next steps on the way to realizing your idea.
Why should you take part?
- Discover the potential of an idea: Let's find out together whether your idea or research result has the potential to become a successful start-up! The ideas competition offers the opportunity to specify your vision and lay the foundation for its implementation.
- Support and prizes: Attractive non-cash and cash prizes await the winners, which GUIDE awards in cooperation with partners from the start-up ecosystem and which support the further development of the idea. In addition, the GUIDE team will be on hand as a sparring partner and coach to help participants move their project forward.
- Networking and exchange: The competition brings together talented minds from different disciplines. It offers you a great opportunity to expand your personal network, exchange ideas with like-minded people and learn from each other.
So take part and let your ideas flow!
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How can I participate?
The competition is divided into two categories - BASIC and ADVANCED. With these two categories, GUIDE wants to promote both initial ideas and more advanced concepts. Whether technical solutions, digital services or social projects - all ideas are welcome!
We are looking forward to all submissions and are looking forward to a great event with exciting ideas.
Competition categories
- BASIC: Do you have a rough idea of how to (better) solve a target group-specific problem, but don't have a concrete business model in mind yet? Then this category is just right for you! All you have to do here is outline the main features of your idea in the entry form. Describe it very briefly: What is the problem, what could a solution look like and which target group are you addressing?
- ADVANCED: If your idea has already been developed further, this category offers you more space to explain the business model. To do this, fill in the additional fields “Unique selling point”, “Business model”, “Market & competition”, “Results to date & next steps” in the entry form.
Organization of the competition
- After reviewing the submissions, the jury will invite 10 teams per category to the semi-finals. There, the participants will present their idea live in front of the jury for the first time. In preparation for this pitch, GUIDE will provide all invited participants with an online course on “pitch training” worth 200 euros from 12.11.2024.
- In the semi-finals, 5 teams per category will qualify for the final on 05.12.2024.
- For the final, the selected teams will prepare pitch presentations including a pitch deck. To support the finalists, we have prepared a group pitch training session with an experienced trainer. The training will take place on 29.11.2024.
- Based on the pitch training, the finalists have the opportunity to adapt their pitch deck and submit it by 04.12.2024.
- The grand finale will take place on 05.12.2024 in front of the jury and a large audience in the library hall at Campus Essen
Dates at a glance
| End of the submission deadline for the ideas competition: | 11.11.2024 |
| Access to the “Pitch training” online course for all participants: | 12.11.2024 |
| Invitation to the semi-final: | bis 18.11.2024 |
| Semi-final: | 26.11.2024 |
| Group pitch training: | 29.11.2024 |
| Individual coaching: | 03.12.2024 |
| Final submission of the pitch presentations: | 4.12.2024 |
| Finale: | 05.12.2024 in the afternoon |
What do you have to do?
Simply download the entry form, fill it out and send it as a PDF by email to info@ude.guide by 11.11.2024. The document should not exceed a size of 3 MB.
DOWNLOAD
Participation form BASIC (PDF)
Participation form ADVANCED (PDF)
Participation & requirements
- Students, employees and researchers of the University of Duisburg-Essen and the University Hospital Essen can participate.
- Participation is possible as an individual or as a team.
- Projects that have already been founded may only be submitted if their founding date is after November 1, 2023.
- The ideas submitted must have been developed independently by the participants and must not infringe the rights of third parties. Each idea may only be submitted once per annual GUIDE ideas competition.
- Participation in GUIDE Start-up your idea! takes place from 23.09.2024 by submitting the completed entry form for the BASIC or ADVANCED category. The entry form is available on the website. Applications can only be accepted if they are received in writing, in German or English, complete and on time by 11.11.2024 (11:11 a.m.).
- The winners of GUIDE Start-up your idea! will be announced at the award ceremony and on the GUIDE website and the GUIDE LinkedIn and Instagram accounts.
- Non-cash prizes and special prizes cannot be paid out in cash.
- Participation in the competition implies agreement with the conditions of participation stated here.
Prizes
All participants who have submitted the form correctly and in full will receive access to the “Pitch Training” online course worth 200 euros.
All semi-final participants will also receive a group pitch training course worth 700 euros.
BASIC category:
1st place - non-cash prizes on the topic of start-ups/entrepreneurship as well as participation in the sbm I GUIDE courses “Orientation course entrepreneurship” and “sbm goes hightech” with max. 2 people
2nd place - non-cash prizes on the topic of start-ups/entrepreneurship and participation in the sbm I GUIDE Entrepreneurship Orientation Course with a maximum of 2 people
3rd place - non-cash prizes on the topic of start-ups/entrepreneurship
ADVANCED category:
The winners will receive prize money for 1st to 3rd place and - regardless of their ranking - attractive special prizes to support their start-up idea from our partners in the start-up ecosystem.
1st place - 1,000 euros
2nd place - 750 euros
3rd place - 500 euros
Special prizes from the start-up ecosystem
The special prizes offered by our partners provide participants with the perfect support from the start-up ecosystem to tackle the implementation of their own idea.
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startport: Ticket for 10 admissions for startport coworking (use a workstation at startport for 10 days within 6 months of issue & book meeting rooms at discounted rates) |
Further special prizes will follow shortly.
Finale and award ceremony
On December 5, 2024, all participants and of course all those interested in founding a company at UDE are invited to the grand finale including pitch presentations and award ceremony.
Registration is possible at: Eventbrite
Do you have any questions?
The GUIDE start-up coaches are happy to answer questions and act as idea sparring partners in advance. Simply book a GUIDE XPresso appointment on our website.
Contact:
Till Schlusen
till.schlusen@uni-due.de