Investor Days Thuringia 2020
International, interactive and innovative – this was the first digital edition of Investor Days Thuringia. A total of 50 start-ups and growth companies virtually presented their innovations to around 600 players in the start-up community and investors. The best four business concepts were awarded the prizes.
The first Digital Edition of the event was more internationally than ever before. Around 600 participants from all over Germany, Uruguay, the USA, Spain, Sweden and Norway took part in the event including start-ups, growth companies, investors, SMEs and those who are hungry for innovation. Under the motto “playing changes” the participants could network digitally and discover new technologies.
Hosts: Katja Butzmann (bm|t), Christiane Kilian (STIFT), Karin Rabe (bm|t)
Christiane Kilian from STIFT as well as Karin Rabe and Katja Butzmann from bm|t opened and moderated the two-day event, which was broadcasted from Erfurt. Finally, State Secretary Valentina Kerst, Thuringian Ministry of Economics, Science and Digital Society, welcomed all participants. Following Hans Elstner, the pitch winner of Investor Days 2018, shared the success story of his start-up “rooom AG” from Jena and presented his interactive VR trade fair, which all guests of the Digital Edition could visit live.
At the “Elevator Pitch”, 19 ambitious international start-ups presented their innovative business models in an online pitch in order to impress as many investors and cooperation partners as possible. This time the virtual stage belonged not only to the founders, investors could also introduce themselves to the online community with a pitch.
The accompanying program of the Digital Edition made in possible for all participants to experience the event as interactively and eventfully as possible. During the breaks between the pitches, the “Rooom AG” VR trade fair was available to all participants. A total of 50 start-ups and growth companies live introduced themselves with personalized avatars on their virtual stands as well as their innovative products to investors and guests. The virtual innovation arena offered its guests the entire spectrum of interaction: from virtual business card exchanges to appointment arrangement and instant video calls with the exhibitors.
Using the event app from Erfurter plazz AG, the participants were able to receive information on the agenda points such as pitchers and exhibitors, to network directly with each other via chat and plan 1: 1 meetings in advance of the event.
Virtual Innovation Arena of rooom AG
Christiane Kilian (STIFT), Karin Rabe (bm|t) and Katja Butzmann (bm|t) are happy about the first results of the digital edition: “With our new online format we were able to attract even more international attention for the Investor Days Thuringia as well for the Free State and thereby expand the cross-border opportunities for new business cooperations.”
The start-ups were particularly excited about the pitch awards. In a live voting, the jury selected the three best pitch performances for the award. Also the guests could vote online for their favourite pitchers. As the event highlight the best pitches were rewarded with the prizes. Together with the organizers State Secretary, Valentina Kerst, digitally presented the certificates to the winners.
The winners of the Pitch Awards are:
PartiQla GmbH from Jena (PREIS from E&Y – 2.000 EUR and AUDIENCE PREIS from GRUENDELPARTNER Rechtsanwälte, Steuerberater, Wirtschaftsprüfer – 1.000 EUR)
MotionMiners GmbH from Dortmund (PREIS from Apropro Haarbeck Projektmanagement – 2.000 EUR)
Revincus GmbH from Weimar (PREIS from the STIFT and bm-t 3.000 EUR)
The second event day, “Meet the Rising Stars” on the 17. of June, focused on innovative tech growth companies that are looking for cooperation partners and investors for follow-up financing. 15 selected growth companies presented their business models to potential investors in a digital format. The investor questions were discussed in the VR innovation arena or in online 1: 1 meetings. The second day of the event also opened up a lot of opportunities for discussions with other guests both in the context of the Virtual Innovation Arena and via the event app.
Photo gallery
Die Investor Days Thüringen sind eine Initiative der Stiftung für Technologie, Innovation und Forschung Thüringen (STIFT) und der bm-t beteiligungsmanagement thüringen gmbh.
