Press release

Erfurt, 29.03.2021

On June 15 and 16, 2021, the Investor Days Thuringia will connect 600 players from the business community, entrepreneurs, investors and innovators in a hybrid format to generate the best deal flow. Registration for the event is now open.

As a joint initiative of the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia (STIFT) and beteiligungsmanagement thüringen gmbh (bm|t), the Investor Days Thuringia connect start-ups and innovative growth companies with potential cooperation partners and investors in Erfurt every year. The two-day event offers a wide range of the latest technologies and innovative business models on the pitch stage, know-how impulses as well as numerous networking opportunities with over 600 regional, national and international start-ups, growth companies, capital providers and SMEs.

Under the motto “Boost Your Deal Flow”, the Investor Days Thuringia will go into the next round as a hybrid edition on June 15 and 16, 2021. The Pitch Day on June 15 will focus on start-ups and growth companies. The pitch stage offers entrepreneurs the perfect opportunity to present their product and business concepts and thus convince investors, SMEs and those hungry for innovation. By live voting, a jury will select the most convincing pitch performances, which will be awarded with attractive prize money and other prizes. Feedback from the audience is sought as well, as they will decide which start-up receives the Public Award. In preparation for their pitch, all participants will receive exclusive pitch training by experienced coaches.

In addition to start-ups from Thuringia, Germany and the world, promising start-ups from the Thuringian Regional Innovation Program (TRIP) will also present themselves at the Investor Days. As an accelerator program of the Free State of Thuringia, TRIP brings its participants at full speed towards investment readyness. As a result, it creates a sound basis for market entry and the best conditions for the Thuringian start-up community to accelerate innovation.

The second day of the Investor Days focuses on transformation processes in Thuringia and brings start-ups together with SMEs in order to accelerate innovation and generate synergies and cooperation. “Small and medium-sized enterprises are increasingly aware of the innovation potential in start-ups and want to be part of this development,” explains Christiane Kilian, co-initiator of Investors Days Thuringia. “This creates approaches for supra-regional and international knowledge transfer and open innovation.” 

The interactive, hybrid event format offers plenty of space for conversation, know-how exchange, inspiration and networking on both days and offers the optimal conditions for the best deal flow for investors and promising cooperation. In addition to live pitches from start-ups and growth companies, there will be matchings with the business community as well as a digital innovation arena where entrepreneurs can present themselves with personalized avatars at virtual stands and have individual conversations with interested parties.

Registration for #IDT21 is open

Those who want to be part of Investor Days Thuringia 2021 and network with the start-up community can register now at: https://investordays-thueringen.de/en/apply/  

• Start-ups and growth companies can apply for the pitch stage including preparatory pitch trainings and exhibition in the Innovation Arena.
• VC investors, bankers and business angels looking for new technologies, innovative projects and the best deal flow are invited to participate as investors.
• SMEs, networkers and innovators can explore the start-up community and make new contacts.

The Investor Days Thuringia have established themselves as the largest event of its kind in the region, which is also supported by well-known sponsors and cooperation partners such as EY and the German Startups Association. STIFT is involved in Investor Days Thuringia as part of the ThEx innovative project and is supported by the Thuringian Ministry of Economics with funding from the European Social Fund (ESF) and state funds.