Göttingen honors entrepreneurial spirit: The winners of the Lift-Off” competition have been chosen!

Göttingen honors entrepreneurial spirit: The winners of the Lift-Off” competition have been chosen!

On May 21, 2025, the final of the “Lift-Off” start-up competition took place in the Alte Mensa conference and event center at the University of Göttingen. Over 200 guests attended the awards, where ten teams were honored for their innovative ideas. The competition, which aims to promote start-ups, celebrated its anniversary this year and saw lively participation from a total of 66 teams competing for prizes in various categories.

The University of Göttingen reported that the prizes were awarded in the categories “Start-up Potential”, “Science”, “Life Science”, “Sustainable Land Use” and “Social Entrepreneurship”. The audience had the opportunity to vote for their favorites in the “Start-up Potential” and “Science” categories, which contributed to an interactive award ceremony experience.

The award winners and their innovations

The “Complego” team took first place in the “Start-up Potential” category. This team has developed a digital solution that makes inspections, maintenance and repairs in companies more efficient. Second place went to the “SmarterMelody” team, which simplifies learning through learning songs. Particularly noteworthy was the audience award, which “Complego” also received.

In the “Science” section, the “BubbleFilter” team was the big winner with an innovative solution for cleaning membranes using ultrasound. The “SmartMembrane” team, which increases the efficiency of drug development through the use of sensors, artificial intelligence and automation, secured second place. The audience award went to “ArtifiCell”, which presents solutions for 3D miniature tissues for drug development.

In addition to the main categories, special prizes were also awarded. In the “Life Science” category, “ArtifiCell” was awarded, sponsored by the Life Science Factory. For “Sustainable Land Use”, the “SPIDA” team received a prize for a digital platform that supports agricultural activities in Africa, sponsored by the WissenWecken Foundation. In the “Social Entrepreneurship” area, the “FactCheck” team was honored for its online portal for checking political statements.

Support and promotion of start-ups

The total of over 43,500 euros in material and financial resources were provided by 16 sponsors, including the main sponsors SerNet GmbH, Sparkasse Göttingen and the Life Science Factory. This shows the regional economy's commitment to supporting young start-ups and their innovative ideas.

How fuer-gruender.de highlights, the prize money in German start-up competitions adds up to 2 to 3 million euros annually. The individual bonuses can range from a few thousand to 100,000 euros and offer start-ups a valuable injection of capital in the early stages.

In addition to the prize money, participants benefit from workshops, seminars and pitch training offered as part of the competition. These training offers help to close skills gaps and receive valuable feedback on start-up ideas and business plans. Networking opportunities through award ceremonies and pitch events allow participants to make contacts with business angels, investors and representatives of large companies.

The event highlights the importance of start-up competitions for promoting entrepreneurship and creating innovative solutions in different areas. The “Lift-Off” competition at the University of Göttingen has established itself as an important platform that not only offers young innovators a stage, but also has respected partners and supporters at their side.