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Cottbus start-up wins main prize in business plan competition!
BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg's start-up qgm wins main prize at BPW for innovative special gas production for quantum computers.
Cottbus start-up wins main prize in business plan competition!
On Tuesday, April 29, 2025, the Berlin-Brandenburg Business Plan Competition (BPW) honored the region's best business ideas in the Friedrichstrasse Auditorium in Berlin. The start-up “quantum grade materials (qgm)” from the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg received the main prize in this second phase of the competition. The jury particularly praised the innovative approaches of the company, which produces high-purity special gas for quantum computers and X-ray optics. A novel, patented technology enables the efficient processing of a previously unusable raw material, which could be of great importance for the future of quantum computing technology.
Dr. David Uebel and Roman Brendler, the two founders of qgm, accepted the prize worth 15,000 euros. During the event, Franziska Giffey, Senator for Economic Affairs, acknowledged the relevance of this technology, particularly in drug research, where advances in quantum computing research could potentially lead to the fight against diseases such as Alzheimer's. Dr. Uebel emphasized that the win was a significant sign and confirmation of her work. He recommends other founders to take part in the BPW in order to benefit from the high quality of the event and the valuable feedback from the expert jury.
Results of the second phase
A total of 201 concepts and business ideas were submitted as part of the second phase of the BPW. In addition to qgm, the Easymeister team, which offers a digital learning platform for the IHK master's examination, received the audience prize of 2,000 euros. Heiko Schwendtner from Easymeister was pleased with the win and the opportunity to invest in the further development of the platform.
The BPW, which is considered Germany's largest regional business start-up initiative, is organized by the Investitionsbank Berlin (IBB) and the Investitionsbank des Landes Brandenburg (ILB). In addition, the universities in Berlin and Brandenburg support this valuable project. The initiative is also financed by the Senate Department for Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and funds from the European Union.
A look at business plan competitions in Germany
Business plan competitions are an important platform for start-ups in Germany. Around 50 nationwide and over 60 regional competitions promote the creation of marketable business plans, which are crucial for starting a company and applying for funding. The participants go through several phases, starting with idea generation through the rough concept to the finished business plan. The overall winner receives cash or non-cash prizes as well as valuable feedback from experts and the opportunity to exchange ideas with other founders.
The roots of these competitions lie in the USA, with the first competition being the “MIT $100k Entrepreneurship Competition”. In Germany, the first competitions were launched in 1995, including the Berlin-Brandenburg Business Plan Competition and the Munich Business Plan Competition (MBPW). Some of the best-known competitions in Germany include the **Science4Life Venture Cup**, which focuses on life sciences, energy and chemistry, and **start2grow**, which encourages participants from all industries to present their ideas.
The commitment and support of investors and institutions are crucial for the successful implementation of start-up ideas. Participating in competitions provides a valuable opportunity to secure the resources and advice you need on your journey to starting a business.