A total of 109 applications, from the Netherlands to Israel, were received on the topics of circular economy and climate protection. The experts of the partner companies of garage DU invited the best 10 start-ups to Duisburg for the pitch event.
In the Rheingoldsaal of the Duisburg Handwerkerhof, they presented themselves to the enthusiastic Duisburg audience and the partner companies announced their "matches", i.e. with which start-ups they will implement projects. Beforehand, the founders got to know Duisburg's Inner Harbor, before they went on a harbor tour after a neighborhood tour through Ruhrort, where they met the partners' experts and outlined their first projects.
Welcome to Duisburg! Reception by Michael Rüscher, Councillor for Economic Affairs, Safety and Order of the City of Duisburg, and the garage DU team at the breakfast at the Duisburg start-up incubator startport.
Future and eventful history: Ruhrort sets standards in environmental protection with the UrbanZero project and stands for the port economy like hardly any other district. Sandra Altmann, Head of Corporate Development at GEBAG, presented the start-ups with the diverse projects of the City of Duisburg and GEBAG, including UrbanZero, after tour guide Frank Switala outlined the district's eventful past.
During a two-hour boat tour through the impressive port of Duisburg and across the Rhine, start-ups and the companies' experts were able to get to know each other personally and hold in-depth project discussions.
Kick-off event for garage DU and the Rheingoldsaal of the Handwerkerhof: The former hall space exudes real start-up flair and celebrated its premiere with the pitch event.
This is how it has to be: Arndt-Hendrik Zinn, founder and CEO of the start-up Zolitron, talking to Duisburg companies.
Upside-down world at the pitch event: In a reverse pitch, the partner companies introduce themselves to the start-ups and the audience. What do they do and why are they a good match for our start-ups? Fabienne Stahl, among others, who works in corporate development at Duisburger Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesellschaft, explained this in an impressive pitch.
Fast lane pitches: The start-ups presented themselves in short pitches to the almost 150 spectators.
This is how you scan today! Carlo Rickert from the start-up Lumoview shows how buildings can be digitized in seconds.
There was plenty of food for everyone at two food trucks: bowls and burgers, plus hot and cold drinks and home-brewed beer from Handwerkerhof.
Fast Lane Pitches Part 2. After the break, Laurelie Martin, founder of United Share, kicks off the second round of pitches.
After the pitches, the companies' experts withdrew for consultation. Who convinced in the personal interview and on stage? With whom will it go into the project implementation phase up to the Demo Night on 26.10.?
Free your Mind: While the experts consulted with each other, the Duisburg mental magician Marcel Wunder impressed the audience on stage. He used clever tricks to elicit words from the participants in the audience, whose anagrams he then used to construct "Who gets the match?
It's a Match! Our partner companies are starting project implementation with seven start-ups. Over the next five months, start-ups and companies will be accompanied by project coaches and innovation managers during the implementation phase. The awards, insights into the projects and many more surprises will be presented at the Demo Night on 26.10. in the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord.