The evening was opened by Federal Chancellor Friedrich Merz. In his speech, he called for more speed in the modernization of Germany as a business location and emphasized the importance of founders for economic renewal. "It won't work without them," said Merz. Germany must become "faster, simpler and more digital". Entrepreneurs who take risks on a daily basis deserve more attention and better framework conditions.

Newcomer of the year: AI, climate and new interfaces

The Newcomer of the Year category shows that entrepreneurship today takes very different forms. It honors founders who have achieved particular success in a short space of time.

Ruth Bosse (Munich) was named Newcomer of the Year. With her company Ark Climate, she develops tools that support cities in implementing climate protection measures.

The title of Newcomer of the Year went to Christian Nistel (Osnabrück), founder of Droidrun. The start-up is working on a technology that enables app interactions without physical smartphones and thus addresses new forms of human-machine interfaces.

Founder of the year: New markets, global scaling

Julie Lepique (Berlin) was honored in the Founder of the Year category. With Femtasy, she has built a platform that has established a new content category in the field of audio erotica as a first mover.

Founder of the Year is Dr. Jarek Kutylowski (Cologne), CEO of DeepL. The company is one of the most internationally visible AI start-ups in Europe and has established itself as a globally scalable software product with its translation technology.

Investor of the year: Capital with a strategic view

In addition to founders, the Startup Association also recognizes those who make growth possible: Investors with a long-term focus.

Judith Dada (Berlin), General Partner at Visionaries Club, was honored as Investor of the Year. She is one of the most influential investors on the European technology scene and focuses in particular on early-stage AI start-ups.

Investor of the Year was Simon Schmincke (Berlin), General Partner at Creandum. His focus is on seed and Series A investments in technology companies with international growth potential, particularly in the areas of fintech, AI and software.

Impact Entrepreneur of the Year: impact beyond the market

The Impact category is decided by a community vote, in which almost 6,000 people took part this year. The focus is on start-ups that create added value for society.

The award was presented to Prof. Dr. Pia Wülfing (Hamburg), founder and CEO of PINK! Against Breast Cancer. With the digital health application PINK! Coach, she supports breast cancer patients in coping with their illness.

Impact Entrepreneur of the Year is Ali Abderrahmane (Berlin), founder of JUHI. The start-up brings young people together with older people in need of support and organizes help in everyday life.

Special prize: Bridge builder between science and the start-up scene

This year's special prize, awarded jointly with PwC Germany, went to Prof. Dr. Ann-Kristin Achleitner. The professor at the TUM School of Management has been one of the most influential personalities in the German start-up and venture capital scene for many years.

In particular, she was recognized for her contribution to linking science, the capital market and business practice. She is also active as an investor and sits on the supervisory boards of several listed companies.

Selection procedure and background

The German Startup Awards have been presented since 2020. Almost 500 people were nominated for this year's edition. The selection is made in a multi-stage process by a jury of representatives from the startup and scaleup scene as well as the established economy.

The award ceremony is therefore not only intended to honor individual achievements, but also to reflect current developments in the German startup ecosystem - from artificial intelligence and digital health to climate and impact innovations.