The KfW Entrepreneurs' Award 2023 starts its final phase - applications still accepted until 1 July 2023

• Businesses established in or after 2018 can take part
• One company per state, one national prize and one special prize will be awarded
• More awards: the KfW Capital Awards for Best Female Investor and Best Impact Investor
• The prizes are worth a total of EUR 45,000

The application phase for this year’s KfW Entrepreneurs’ Award is entering its final round and will close on 1 July 2023. Young companies and start-ups from all sectors that were founded from 2018 onwards can participate. Companies that were taken over as part of a succession can also apply. All the companies must be based in Germany. The intent is to motivate young entrepreneurs in particular this year.

The patron of the competition is Dr Robert Habeck, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The jury consists of experienced people from KfW, promotional banks, politics and business. They will judge the business ideas based on their levels of innovation and creativity. If the concept takes social responsibility or creates added value for society, that will also play a decisive role. Economic success, environmental sustainability and the promotion of an inclusive, diverse working environment are also included in the assessment.

One company from each federal state is awarded a prize and receives prize money of EUR 1,000 each. They will then go on to compete for the national award, which comprises an additional EUR 9,000 in prize money. In addition, a special prize is awarded to one company that makes a particularly strong impression on the jury. After the competition, a “people’s choice” award will be determined in an online vote and comes with a prize of a further EUR 5,000.

In addition, KfW Capital, KfW’s subsidiary responsible for business with growth capital, is presenting the KfW Capital Award for the second time. This will be awarded for the categories of Best Female Investor and Best Impact Investor and will be worth EUR 5,000 in each case. With this award, KfW Capital aims to draw attention to the issues of gender and impact, i.e. the effectiveness of an investment, as these are important for the ongoing development of the VC ecosystem.

All award winners will be honoured at a ceremony on 19 October 2023. The TV channel n-TV will report on this in a special broadcast. The companies will also receive support from a PR agency on how to market their success story.

Press contact for the KfW Capital Award:

KfW Capital, Sonja Höpfner,° sonja.hoepfner@kfw.de, +49-69-74314306, www.kfw-capital.de/award

The online application form and other information can be found at

www.kfw-awards.de(in German only)