First start-up award for internationals in Germany
We are looking for migrant entrepreneurs in Germany that are committed to make a positive impact. Whether you are starting your startup journey or already have an established company, this is the right place for you to get support and visibility.
Impressions from the #IFA23
Pitches, empowerment, networking and so much more.
International Founders are not getting enough visibility
It's already hard to build a company from the ground up. But the difficulties of someone coming to a foreign country without knowing the culture and language are by far more challenging. We will honor the founders who, despite all this, have the motivation and persistence to set up their company in Germany. And then support them with a broad network, mentors and visibility.
“The ecosystem here has great support opportunities for expat founders - you just need to network with other international founders living in Germany and it starts to come together!” - William Harris / International Founder based in Berlin
The process &
what you can expect
Application
15.07.2023 - 17.03.2024
Let us know who you are and what your project is all about.
Your start-up must not have been founded before 01.01.2017.
Please note that teams that have not yet founded a company but are planning to do so in the near future can also apply.
While you are preparing your application you can take part in our expert talks and get in touch with our network partners.
Pre-screening
18.03.2024 - 31.03.2024
Our pre-screening team consists of successful founders and industry managers and will choose the 10 best projects to participate in the bootcamp.
Bootcamp
04.04.2024 - 05.04.2024
A series of workshops, top speeches and networking. The 10 pre-qualified teams will have the opportunity to learn new skills and to get in touch with potential investors. Then 5 teams will be selected for the finals.
Finals
April 2024
The 5 finalists will pitch at our award ceremony in front of a prestigious jury and an audience consisting of investors, mentors, managers, entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs to be.
The IFA offers you the opportunity already during the application period to get feedback from experts, meet new people and expand your network. As a finalist you will get recognition and visibility throught our network partners and the chance to present your business to a wider audience consisting of entrepreneurs, investors and experts from public and private sectors.
As a winner you will also obtain a wildcard for the first Cohort of the Wide Thinkers Startup Program – An equity-free three-months-long acceleration program.
But more important you will show how immigrants enrich the German start-up landscape.
Show how immigrants enrich the German start-up landscape.
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Who can apply?
Below you can see our application criteria.
"International Founders": First generation migrants that were born abroad and have their own immigration experience. The international founder must have at least 20% equity in the start-up to be considered a founder.
The head office of your start-up is located in Germany.
The finalists will be responsible for covering their travel, food and accommodation costs, if applies.
As a start-up is a young company, it should not be older than 7 years.
As we want to support the international founder the participation in the bootcamp is necessary for them to benefit from networking and learnings.
Our Ambassadors
Renomated personalities sharing one vision.
Giving international founders in Germany more support and visability on their start-up journey.
"Immigrants took part in founding 52% of Silicon Valley Startups. It's clear to see that sometimes the most innovative heads come from elsewhere. And to attract them we need to built a welcoming culture for expats in Germany. The International Founders Award is one step in the right direction."
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"Like the city of Frankfurt, Eintracht stands for cosmopolitanism. A diverse and international startup ecosystem is a great asset for the digital region FrankfurtRhineMain and the perfect breeding ground for innovation"
"70 Percent of our international students would like to stay in Germany after graduation, but only about one out of four does so. Among the international students, we find a very high proportion of STEM-students and many with a high propensity to start their own firm. We should definitely make it more attractive to them to stay in Germany!"
"International founders are incredibly important for our world. They rethink and shape our future so that we can all live in a better tomorrow."
"We at better ventures love diverse founder teams. They are proven to be the stronger, more resilient teams - and diversity has many facets, including different backgrounds."
" Innovation is global, geostrategically important and creates progress, prosperity and jobs. International challenges need international solutions. That is why I support IFA with the initiative to promote and support international founders in Germany.“
"International Founders can make an important contribution to the startup ecosystem in bringing more diversity into the startup scene. Similarly to women in startups, international founders or founders with migration background are underrepresented in the German startup and venture business. I am looking forward to supporting the International Founders Award team to help change that."
"International Founders are a key element for the Startup Ecosystem to grow, to achieve more diversity and creativity, and ultimately, for societies to flourish"
Upcoming and past Events
Renomated personalities sharing one vision.
Giving international founders in Germany more support and visability on their start-up journey.
El tema de nuestro siguiente Talk es #emprendedores latinos en Alemania. Un pequeño grupo de latinoamericanos contarán como ha sido su experiencia emprendiendo en este país. Además tendremos un panel de discusión con los consules de Argentina, Chile, Colombia y Brasil, en el cual los panelistas hablaran del panorama actual.
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Nelson Farfan Espada from Bolivia shares with us what his years of experience in the Entrepreneurship World have taught him. Everything from how to start upwards to how to scale a profitable business, this bespoken Fortune 100 Strategist decided to pull back the curtains and give us an educational insight.
Do you want to know what it means to be an international founder in Germany? During this international Founders meetup, Christian Castro Büch will share his experience as an international founder in Germany. Christian is from Colombia and is the Co-Founder of Frankfurt based StartUp Split Tech-Solutions GmbH.
FAQs
Some frequently asked questions and answers for you.
The online form guides you step by step through the entire application process. It is recommended that you copy the questions into a word document, as caching does not always work.
The selected jury will evaluate the applications in three categories: business model, pitch quality, entrepreneurial story.
No. Great ideas and early stage start-ups are also welcome to participate.
The Jury will be announced after the application deadline.
No. All international founders are welcome at IFA. As long as founders are international citizens or immigrants living in the Germany, it doesn't matter what country they are from originally.
The IFA offers you the opportunity already during the Roadshow to get feedback from experts, meet new people and expand your network. Check out our events !
No. Only german based start-ups or start-ups intended to be established in Germany can apply.
Recognition and visibility throught our network partners and the chance to present your business to a wider audience consisting of entrepreneurs, investors and experts from public and private sectors. As a winner you will also obtain a wildcard for the first Cohort of the Wide Thinkers Startup Program – An equity-free three-months-long acceleration program.
Of course! The contest might help you to find a team.
No, participation is completely free.
Just send an email to contact@internationalfoundersaward.com
The last IFA was powered by:
& supported by:
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The last IFA was powered by: