Over the past five years, the relevance and profile of the Formnext Start-up Challenge has continued to rise among the international start-up scene. Today, internationally successful companies like 3Yourmind, Dyemansion, Sinterit, Trinckle 3D, Kumovis, and many more have used the challenge as a springboard and accelerator for their firms. Winning the competition has enabled them to raise their profile, find prospective clients, and also establish contact with investors.
“Well-publicized success story”
“The Start-up Challenge is a well-publicized success story that has been rewarding very interesting young companies from additive manufacturing for a number of years. Among other advantages, it has given them the opportunity to showcase their business to a specialist international audience as part of Formnext and get off to a flying start in the AM market,” says Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice President Formnext at exhibition organizer Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH.
The five winners all receive an impressive Formnext exhibition and marketing package, which includes, among other things, a fully equipped exhibition booth in the Formnext 2020 Start-up Area and inclusion in all relevant and worldwide marketing and communication activities. In addition, the winners can participate in a pitch event at Formnext, receive an individual company profile from a media sponsor, and benefit from corporate coaching.
The international panel of high-profile representatives from all corners of the industry comprises Dr. Kristian Arntz, Managing Director and Partner at ACAM Aachen Center for Additive Manufacturing GmbH, Stefanie Brickwede, Head of 3D Printing@DB and Managing Director of Mobility goes Additive, Arno Held, Chief Venture Officer, AM Ventures, Tobias Kuhl, Senior Project Leader, Entrepreneurial Network at UnternehmerTUM GmbH, Alexander Oster, Director Additive Manufacturing, Autodesk, and Michael Petch, Editor-in-Chief at 3D Printing Industry. The winners will be announced in September 2020. The submission deadline is 4 September 2020.
AM Ventures Impact Award 2020
This year, for the first time in the competition, a young company will also be selected from the applicants to receive the AM Ventures Impact Award in recognition of approaches to sustainability relating to the 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations. Environmental considerations (such as green energy and resource conservation) and social aspects (for example, education and equality) play an important role in this.
“The potential offered by additive manufacturing for addressing the major global sustainability challenges is significant. The technology can be used to make drives more efficient, minimize material consumption, accelerate repairing cycles, and extend battery ranges," says Arno Held. “In all areas, AM can improve the world if we use the technology correctly. The Impact Award aims to help raise awareness of this.”
Any up-and-coming company with a product or service that is market-ready in terms of customers, product status, and revenue can take part in the Formnext Start-up Challenge, provided the start-up is not majority-owned by an established company and was founded after 31 December 2014.
For more information and the terms and conditions of entry, please visit www.formnext.com/startup
Background information on Formnext
Formnext is the leading trade fair for Additive Manufacturing and the next generation of intelligent manufacturing solutions. It focuses on the efficient realization of parts and products, from their design to serial production. Formnext shows the future of innovative manufacturing. Formnext is organized by Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH. (formnext.com)
About Mesago Messe Frankfurt
Mesago, founded in 1982 and located in Stuttgart, specializes in exhibitions and conferences on various topics of technology. The company belongs to the Messe Frankfurt Group. Mesago operates internationally and is not tied to a specific venue. With 160 members of staff Mesago organizes events for the benefit of more than 3,300 exhibitors and over 110,000 trade visitors, conference delegates and speakers from all over the world. Numerous trade associations, publishing houses, scientific institutes and universities work with Mesago closely as advisers, co-organizers and partners. (mesago.com)
Background information on Messe Frankfurt
Messe Frankfurt is the world’s largest trade fair, congress and event organiser with its own exhibition grounds. With more than 2,600 employees* at 30 locations, the company generates annual sales of around €733 million*. We have close ties with our industry sectors and serve our customers’ business interests efficiently within the framework of our Fairs & Events, Locations and Services business fields. One of the Group’s key USPs is its closely knit global sales network, which extends throughout the world. Our comprehensive range of services – both onsite and online – ensures that customers worldwide enjoy consistently high quality and flexibility when planning, organising and running their events. The wide range of services includes renting exhibition grounds, trade fair construction and marketing, personnel and food services. Headquartered in Frankfurt am Main, the company is owned by the City of Frankfurt (60 percent) and the State of Hesse (40 percent).
For more information, please visit our website at: www.messefrankfurt.com
*preliminary figures 2019
Background information on TCT (Content Partner)
Established in 1992, TCT Group’s mission is to accelerate design-to-manufacturing innovation. Through global trade shows, conferences, magazines, websites and digital products TCT delivers business-critical insights on the technologies that help manufacturers make better products, more quickly and cost-effectively. Through the TCT Awards TCT celebrates the most innovative products and applications across the design-to-manufacturing process chain. The TCT Group is owned by Rapid News Publications Ltd, part of Rapid News Group. (thetctgroup.com)
Background information on the Working Group Additive Manufacturing (Honorary Sponsor)
Within the Working Group Additive Manufacturing, about 150 companies and research institutes collaborate under the direction of the German industry federation VDMA. Here, plant engineers; component and material suppliers; industrial companies that work with metals and plastics; service providers in software, manufacturing, and processing; and numerous researchers all work toward the same goal: the industrialization of additive manufacturing techniques. (am.vdma.org)