The
Innovation
Award
We’re inspired by creative ideas,
eco-friendly innovations
for a green future.
The GfK Credit Insurance and Factoring Service Company is looking for unique start-ups and talents that drive ecological change in a lasting and innovative way. We make ideas marketable through our expertise, financial strength, and heart for the environment.
Here’s what you can look forward to:
The most conclusive participant will be rewarded with €15,000 and will be supported with up to €75,000. To make this innovation marketable, we are adding a founder support program on top.
The GfK Audience Award
The audience special prize increases your chances of winning! A special idea, a social project – the winner of the audience’s hearts will be decided by the audience and will receive €5,000.
Tickets for the 2025 Innovation Award in Cologne
On 16 October 2025, Flora Cologne will become a hub for courage, innovation and visions of the future: During the day, the GfK Business Meeting will offer inspiring keynotes, captivating industry talks and surprising insights from high-profile speakers and experts from the worlds of sport, business and start-ups, who will show ways out of the crisis and encourage people to start their own businesses. In the evening, the Innovation Award, as a leading platform for sustainable projects, will provide a stage for visionary start-ups and exceptional talents.
Requirements for participation:
- Your idea must have a sustainable, positive impact on the environment.
- The more creative your concept, the better
- Your idea should be innovative
- Your plan should have a future-oriented approach
- The uniqueness of the business idea should be a distinguishing feature
- Eco-friendly measures are self-explanatory
Application documents:
- Corporate profile/Corporate philosophy
- Extract from the Register of Companies
- What makes your company special?
We’re looking forward to powerful ideas and creative applications for 2026
Application deadline is the 15.07.2026
to christina.paap@gfkmbh.com
Sponsorship of the Innovation Award – why become a sponsor?
Over the past few weeks and months, we have been working intensively on the topics of sustainability, innovation and start-ups, not only through our innovation award, but also in response to numerous enquiries from our cooperation partners, insurers and customers. We have often been asked how we are able to manage and organise such a project. The answer is simple: with a great deal of passion! However, the question of how an ‘external’ partner can contribute to the topic of sustainability and innovation at eins presented us with a new challenge! We are therefore all the more delighted to present our new project, ‘Innovation Mentor’.
Your advantages as a innovation sponsor
Sponsor | Premium Sponsor | |
|---|---|---|
Exclusive networking opportunity at the business meeting followed by the Innovation Award ceremony | ||
Invitation to the evening event, including voting rights for the audience award of the Innovation Prize | ||
Invitation to the evening event with two guests, as well as double voting rights for the audience award of the Innovation Prize | ||
Presentation of innovation mentors on our social media channels and on the GfK website | ||
Logo publication with every post on social media about the Innovation Award and Business Meeting | ||
Presentation of the sponsors in a separate episode of the podcast: “Vogt and Paap – Yesterday, Today, and Forever” | ||
Video interview at the business meeting, filmed by “Be.A.Star-Productions,” for free personal use | ||
Logo on the photo wall on the day of the event | ||
Certificate “Innovation Mentor” | ||
Certificate “Premium Innovation Mentor” |
The Innovation Award sponsors:
The finalists for the Innovation Award 2025:
A brief review of the final round of the Innovation Award 2024
… and from the year 2023
The 2023 award ceremony
Interview with award winner Sebastian Modl from Atta
