Keen on operating in Europe? You’ll want to enter The Future Hamburg Award

If you’re looking to operate in Europe, The Future Hamburg Award could be your fast track to one of Europe’s most vibrant startup hubs.

The Future Hamburg Award — a new support programme aimed at innovative tech entrepreneurs from around the globe — will provide three international startup teams with immediate access to the German city. Applications close on 31 January.

The city — which hosts regional corporate offices of internet giants like Google, Facebook and Twitter — has seen a growing number of co-working spaces, accelerator programmes and startup hubs.

The Future Hamburg Award will provide three international startups with access to the German city, applications close on 31 January

In a statement yesterday (22 January), Hamburg Marketing — which runs the Future Hamburg Award in partnership with Hamburg Invest — cited research by auditing company Ernst & Young, that reveals that the city’s startup scene received venture capital to the tune of €548-million last year.

Commenting in the same statement, Hamburg Invest’s Startup Unit director Veronika Reichboth said one of the reasons for the high investment volume is that the Hanseatic city is a global leader in vertical industries like logistics, media, life sciences and aviation.

Hamburg Marketing added that “forward-looking” fields such as fintech, ecommerce and blockchain continue to grow “even further”.

“For many technology-driven startups, Hamburg is one of the best options when compared internationally, ” added Reichboth.

‘Entry to Hamburg, Germany, Europe’

Hamburg Marketing said the Future Hamburg Award can serve as an “entry ticket”, not only to Hamburg as a business location, but also to Germany and Europe as a whole.

Applicants are expected to have a digital or tech-oriented business that has been on the market for no more than 10 years. In addition, the companies should be able to represent a functional or demonstratable prototype.

Winners to pitch at OMR Festival

The three Future Hamburg Award winners will have the opportunity to pitch their solutions in front of a specialist audience of more than 40 000 marketing and tech experts at one of Europe’s largest digital marketing conference, OMR Festival which takes place on 7 and 8 May in Hamburg.

In addition, the winners are set to receive a comprehensive media package, high-end business coaching and professional pitch training, as well as six-months access to a free coworking space and exclusive networking events.

“On the one hand, this award is aimed at creating networks between innovative startup businesses and established companies.

“On the other hand, it provides founders with tailor-made coaching sessions regarding market entry and the further development of their business model,” further explained Reichboth.

Featured image: The Port of Hamburg (liggraphy via Pixabay)