StartupValley Startup of the Year Award powered by DMEXCO

Put Your Start-up on the DMEXCO Start-up Stage

23 & 24 September 2026 | Live in Cologne, Germany

Where do digital innovation, industry influence and business opportunities come together? At DMEXCO.

As one of Europe’s leading events for digital marketing and technology, DMEXCO brings together the people shaping markets, building brands and driving technological innovation.

For your start-up, it is an opportunity to showcase your business directly to investors, corporate decision-makers and potential partners—and turn visibility into valuable business opportunities.

Showcase the Potential of Your Start-up

The StartupValley Start-up of the Year Award powered by DMEXCO gives your start-up the opportunity to take centre stage on the DMEXCO Start-up Stage.

Pitch live in front of investors, leading companies and senior decision-makers, as well as an audience looking for tomorrow’s most promising innovations. Finalists gain far more than visibility—they have the opportunity to compete for attractive prizes, build valuable connections and benefit from exposure that extends well beyond the event itself.

Why Apply?

• Present your start-up to an audience of more than 40,000 digital professionals at one of Europe’s most influential events for digital marketing and technology.
• Connect with investors, venture capital firms, business angels and corporate decision-makers who could help accelerate your company’s growth.
• Receive valuable feedback from an experienced jury and industry experts on your pitch, business model and market potential.
• Benefit from additional exposure before the event through StartupValley’s editorial coverage, social media promotion and features in the StartupValley print magazine.

These are our sponsors – and here’s what you can win:

The winners will receive exclusive prizes provided by our sponsors.

SevenVentures is part of ProSiebenSat.1 Media SE and serves as the Group’s investment arm, operating a flexible investment model based on Media-for-Equity and Media-Convertible structures. In exchange for an equity stake, SevenVentures provides its portfolio companies with TV advertising inventory, tailored cross-platform marketing campaigns across ProSiebenSat.1’s television channels and digital platforms, as well as a range of additional services. With more than 15 years of proven success in the industry, SevenVentures has consistently demonstrated its ability to drive revenue growth and significantly enhance the enterprise value of its partner start-ups and scale-ups.

Prize Overview:

The top 3 startups selected by our expert jury will receive the StartupValley “Startup of the Year” Award – honoring visionary ideas, future-oriented innovations, and the entrepreneurial courage that drives real progress.

1st Place

coming soon

2nd Place

coming soon

3rd Place

coming soon

Meet the Jury!

Selin Daldal

Selin Daldal is an Investment Manager at Alstin Capital, where she identifies and supports European B2B software companies at the late-seed and Series A stages. As an investor and Board Observer, she works closely with portfolio companies including etalytics, Blockbrain, Secfix and NORBr.

Prior to joining Alstin Capital, Selin advised companies on green and digital transformation projects at McKinsey and worked in project finance at Pacifico Energy Partners. She holds a degree in Management & Technology from the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

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Christoph Halbig

Christopher Halbig is part of the SevenVentures’ management team with 10 years experience in investing in consumer businesses in GAS.  He is a board member and investor in startups such as refurbed, planted or Wellster. Prior to commencing his role at SevenVentures, he completed a double master’s degree in finance and strategic marketing at Maastricht University.

Gerrit Kemming

Gerrit is the Founder and CEO of Quintus Studios, a Berlin-based video content powerhouse. Quintus operates one of the world’s largest independent professional YouTube channel networks and was among the first media companies globally to produce television-quality documentaries for a digital-first audience. The company also maintains a global distribution network spanning television broadcasters, streaming services and digital platforms.

Prior to founding Quintus Studios, Gerrit held a senior leadership position at IMG Media, one of the world’s leading producers and distributors of sports content.

Andreas de Greiff

Andreas de Greiff is an Investment Manager at seed + speed Ventures. Following his time in the M&A team at Houlihan Lokey in Frankfurt and the completion of a Master’s degree in Management with a specialisation in Entrepreneurship & Innovation at IE Business School in Madrid, he now focuses on early-stage investments in Industrial Automation, PropTech and Robotics. His investment approach centres on scalable business models and strong founding teams.
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More jury members will be announced soon.

How to Get on the DMEXCO Stage

Submit your pitch deck

Apply with your start-up.

Reach the final

The jury will select the seven strongest start-ups.

Pitch live at DMEXCO

On 23 September 2026, the finalists will present their pitches live on the DMEXCO Start-up Stage.

Winners announced

The jury will select and announce the Top 3 winners live on stage.

Key Dates

31 August 2026
Application deadline

14 September 2026
Finalists announced

23 September 2026
Live pitches and winners announced at DMEXCO

Ready to pitch?

You are eligible to apply if your start-up:

• has a digital business model,
• is no more than five years old,
• is in its growth stage, and
• will be exhibiting with its own stand at DMEXCO.

You can find the full terms and conditions here.

APPLY NOW