Retrospect

What has happened so far

2017:

A learning software, a virtual platform and social media services: Three teams of students convinced in the final of the first start-up competition "Lift-Off" of the University of Göttingen on 22 June 2017. The winners received cash and non-cash prizes with a total value of around 14,000 euros. The competition was organised by the University of Göttingen's start-up funding department in cooperation with the Southern Lower Saxony Innovation Campus (SNIC).

First place and the audience prize went to the "Edutapps" group, which wants to launch a mathematics learning software for smartphones and tablets on the market. The second placed team "Siteghost" wants to help companies and individuals to create a website from existing social media sites. Third place went to the "missionmate" team, which wants to program an Internet platform that helps like-minded people motivate themselves to achieve their goals, such as regular sports or weight reduction.

"Our common goal is it to strengthen the innovation and establishment network in south Lower Saxony further, so that establishment-interested, foundresses and founders on their way as broad a support as possible experience , so university president Professor Dr. Ulrike Beisiegel. 16 start-up teams applied in November 2016, eight of which reached the final. In addition to a workshop program, they received support from mentors to allow their ideas to mature. The competition was sponsored by Sparkasse Göttingen, GWG Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftsförderung und Stadtentwicklung Göttingen mbH, Faktor Entscheider-Medien GmbH and Wirtschaftsförderung Region Göttingen GmbH.


2018:

Sensors for the field, interpreters for the deaf and consulting for the retail trade: The University of Göttingen has once again honoured three teams of students, doctoral candidates and postdocs for their innovative start-up ideas. In this year's finale of the "Lift-Off" start-up competition, a total of eleven teams presented their projects to around 220 guests from business, science and politics. A jury of experts from business and science had selected the teams from a total of 22 applications. In addition, an audience prize was awarded at the end of the evening. The competition took place for the second time this year, once again organized by the University of Göttingen's start-up support in cooperation with the Southern Lower Saxony Innovation Campus (SNIC).

First place this year went to the Farm-Inspector team, which developed its own sensors to provide an efficient, inexpensive and sustainable monitoring system for fields. The SIGNfind team was awarded second place. It is developing an interactive platform to optimize the social problem of interpreter placement for deaf people. Third place went to the Onspiration team, which aims to provide stationary retailers and small businesses with automated, centralized consulting for the digital world. The audience award went to Team Once a Month. The Social Entrepreneurship project aims to support the production of affordable and washable bandages in Tanzania, thereby creating jobs and giving girls the opportunity to participate in school lessons during the period.

The winning teams received cash and non-cash prizes with a total value of around 15,000 euros. In addition, last year's first place winners, who were also supported by an Exist start-up scholarship, presented their project EduTapps, a mathematics learning software for smartphones and tablets. The Lift-Off start-up competition is sponsored by Sparkasse Göttingen, GWG Gesellschaft für Wirtschaftsförderung und Stadtentwicklung Göttingen mbH, Faktor - die Entscheider-Medien für die Region, Industrie- und Handelskammer Hannover and Wirtschaftsförderung Region Göttingen GmbH.