Terms of registration and participation for the innofab_ Ideenwettbewerb (innofab_ ideas competition)

Competition

The innofab_ Ideenwettbewerb (innofab_ ideas competition) is open to the best research-related ideas from the Technical University of Wildau (TH Wildau) and the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg (BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg). The aims of the competition are to promote the start-up culture in the state of Brandenburg, to strengthen networking among each other and to act as an impulse generator for the utilisation and further development of scientific ideas.

Dates of the competition 

until May 16, 2022:
Submission of research-specific ideas via the application form on the website www.innohub13.de/en/innofab.

thereafter:
Evaluation of the ideas by the evaluation committee and nomination of the final teams or candidates.

May 31, 2022
Invitation of the finalists to innofab_ Pitch Coaching (Please note: The coaching is held in German only.)
2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Venue: Startblock B2 in Cottbus as well as digitally
financed by Businessplan-Wettbewerb Berlin-Brandenburg, conducted by Tom Spike
Further information on pitch coaching will follow after nomination.

June 14, 2022
The finalists of innofab_ will present their ideas at the 7th BTU-Transfertag.

This will be followed by a jury meeting to select the winners and a festive award ceremony.

Eligible participants

Students, doctoral candidates, employees and alumni (from graduation 2017) of TH Wildau and BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg are eligible to participate. We are looking for innovative business ideas from science with a regional connection. The business must not have been founded yet.

Participation in the competition

All research-based business ideas/research objects/products or services with a connection to research topics of the above-mentioned institutions may participate in the innofab_ Ideenwettbewerb (innofab_ ideas competition). Participation is possible as an individual as well as a team, whereby the team size is limited to a maximum of four members per team. One contact person per team must be named.

Participants may submit several idea papers, both as an individual and as part of a team. However, only one business idea per participant can be awarded an innofab_ prize. Registration for the competition is non-binding for participants.

The following information must be submitted using the innofab_ registration form:

• Personal information on the individual or team (max. 500 characters).
• Name of the scientific business idea/research topic/product or service.
• Short text describing the idea/research subject/product or service in general terms. (500 - 1500 characters)
• Short text describing the problem that the idea or research object is intended to solve. (max. 500 characters)
• Short text describing the concrete approach to solving the problem presented by the idea. (max. 500 characters)
• Short text describing the usefulness and applicability of the idea in the Brandenburg region. (max. 1000 characters)
• Short text describing the customer benefit, the target group and the most important competitors. (max. 1000 characters)
• Short text describing the total capital requirement and how this is to be financed and what costs and turnover can be expected. (max. 1000 characters)
• Short text describing the concrete market entry, sales and marketing strategies with which the idea can be established on the market. (max. 1000 characters)

Restrictions on participation

Only idea papers that have been uploaded in full by the respective submission date [May 16, 2022, 11:59 p.m.] will be considered in the competition.

The submitted business idea(s) must have been developed independently by the participant(s) and must not infringe the rights of third parties. In addition, the submitted ideas must be in accordance with public order and morality, as well as ethically and morally defensible.

If the submitted business idea/research object/product or service is related to a start-up, the start-up must not yet have taken place.

The participants shall indemnify the organisers against all conceivable claims by third parties that could be derived from the infringement of any copyrights, statutory property rights, trade secrets and other rights by the submitted documents. Participants are advised to have their ideas examined under patent law. It is their own responsibility to protect their ideas under patent law and not to infringe the rights of third parties.

Participants who are not eligible to participate in the competition are excluded from participation.

Implementation of the competition

Participation in the innofab_ Ideenwettbewerb (innofab_ ideas competition) and the preparation and submission of ideas papers does not give rise to any claims on the part of the participants, e.g. no claims for fees or expenses against the organisers of the ideas competition. The organisers accept no liability for the statements and conduct of jury members, coaches and their services in relation to third parties or other persons involved in the competition.

The submitted idea papers will be preselected by a suitable evaluation committee (consisting of employees of the organisers). The selected participants qualify to take part in the pitch coaching and the public presentation at the 7th BTU-Transfertag.

The jury for the ideas competition is made up of representatives from TH Wildau, BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg and other partners.
The jury may call in experts to assess the ideas paper.

Submitted idea papers will always be treated confidentially. All members of the evaluation committee, the jury and the reviewers agree to maintain confidentiality before reviewing the idea papers and to cooperate confidentially.

The evaluation of the idea paper is based on the following criteria: Customer benefit, market opportunities, regional relevance, feasibility and degree of innovation. The criterion degree of innovation will be given special consideration and double evaluation.
No reason is given for negative decisions. A negative decision should not be understood as a qualitative assessment of the submitted idea or its value, but merely represents the result of internal considerations.

If none of the submitted idea papers is deemed worthy of a prize by the jury, no prize may be awarded.

The organisers reserve the right to terminate the innofab_ Ideenwettbewerb (innofab_ ideas competition) without prior notice and without giving reasons. This applies in particular to any reasons that would disrupt or prevent the ideas competition from proceeding as planned.

Prizes

As part of the competition, the finalists will win an invitation to participate in a pitch coaching session on May 30, 2022.

At the innofab_ Ideenwettbewerb (innofab_ ideas competition), 1st, 2nd and 3rd place as well as the audience award will receive prize money from the following companies:
1st prize, 1,500 EUR (Actemium BEA GmbH)
2nd prize, 1,000 EUR (LEAG)
3rd prize, 500 EUR (Rotec Bürotechnik GmbH)
Audience Award, 1,000 EUR (Kjellberg-Stiftung)

A jury of seven will decide on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd places on June 14, 2022 during the 7th BTU-Transfertag.
Whoever can win the favour of the guests present will receive the public prize of the innofab_ Ideenwettbewerb (innofab_ ideas competition).

Prizes in kind cannot be paid out in cash. The prize will be handed over exclusively to the winner. Prizes cannot be transferred to third parties.

Any additional costs associated with claiming the prize shall be borne by the winner. The winner is responsible for any taxation of the prize.

Data protection

Each participant agrees that his/her data may be stored solely for the purpose of processing and implementing the competition. The personal data of the participants will not be passed on to unauthorised third parties by the organisers. After prior consultation, the participants agree to present their ideas at the closing event and in the press. Each participant agrees that his/her name and a short description of his/her idea as well as pictures may be used in press, media and social network reporting.

Competition coordination

The two contact persons listed below are available to answer any questions and provide assistance regarding the ideas competition and the entire process.

BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg
Innovation Hub 13
Dr. Markus Schwenke
Platz der Deutschen Einheit 1, 03046 Cottbus
+49 (0)355 69 4699
markus.schwenke@b-tu.de

BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg
Startup Revier East
Cheng-Wen Jaw
Erich-Weinert-Straße 1, 03046 Cottbus
+49 (0)355 69 3991
cheng-wen.jaw@b-tu.de

Participation and legal process

Participation is free of charge and requires registration by submitting the ideas paper. Participation in the competition implies agreement with the above conditions. Legal action is excluded.

Severability clause

Should individual provisions of these conditions of participation be or become invalid or unenforceable in whole or in part, the validity of the remaining provisions of these conditions of participation shall not be affected. The invalid or unenforceable provision shall be replaced by a valid and enforceable provision whose effects come as close as possible to the economic objective pursued by the contracting parties with the invalid or unenforceable provision. The above provisions shall apply mutatis mutandis in the event that the Conditions of Participation prove to be incomplete.

Cottbus/Wildau, April 14, 2022