TUM IDEAward
Do you have an idea and/or technology with market potential? In addition, you meet social challenges? With your founding idea you want to create added value?
Then apply for the TUM IDEAward!
Take your chance to become one of the finalists, benefit from constructive feedback of the jury and receive an individual pitch training. Within a tailored workshop you will outline hands-on first steps towards a sustainable start-up. And at the public award ceremony of the IDEAward, you will also have the opportunity to present your innovative idea to a broad audience.
The three winning teams will receive prize money of totaling 37,000 euros (1st place: 15,000 euros, 2nd place: 12,500 euros, 3rd place: 10,000 euros) from the Zeidler Research Foundation and an individual start-up coaching from TUM start-up consultancy to accompany their idea until market launch.
Participation is open to scientists (master students), graduates, employees and alumni of TUM.
The detailed participation criteria can be found here (pdf). Application phase 2024: 01 June to 30 June
- The participation in the competition can be done as an individual (relation to TUM required) or a team
- A team must consist of 50% TUM scientists (min. master students) and/or graduates (min. BSc.). The other 50% can be students or external members
- Application until 30 June via the online form
- Excluded are ideas which are already financed by funding programmes such as EXIST or similar
- Furthermore, ideas that have already been implemented in existing companies or companies where related business activities have already been initiated, are excluded from entry
- Founding may not take place until the prize is awarded
- save-the-date: 11 July, 3-5 p.m., Infosession go-for-it! for all applicants
After an initial selection, the best ideas and projects will be admitted as finalists to phase 2.
Further information regarding the conditions of participation can be found here (pdf).
Selected as finalists, 10 teams will be invited in early august, to submit a detailed description of the project via email to ideaward(at)tum.de by September 30, 2024.
Required documents and dates:
- ten-page detailed idea sketch
- CVs of the team members as an attachment to the idea sketch
- Clarification of the patent situation and requirements via TUM ForTe Patents & Licenses with deadline 20 September
- Presentation to a Jury (KW 46)
- Participation in a Pitch Training (KW 47)
- Participation on the ceremony award event on 28 November
- Participation in a Deep Impact Session
Further information regarding the conditions of participation can be found here (pdf).