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.

Alstin Capital is a generalist early-stage venture capital fund based in Munich with a focus on B2B software. Since its inception in 2012, Alstin has been investing across Europe in fast-growing, late-seed and Series A software companies. Initial ticket sizes typically range between €2m and €8m. At the heart of its strategy is an “all-in” approach: alongside capital, Alstin actively supports founding teams through sales coaching (KPIs, go-to-market strategy, and sales force development), social media, PR and marketing assistance, strategic advice on scaling and expansion, and access to relevant industry contacts, such as potential clients and partners.

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.

The Pioneers Club is a startup platform for founders who demonstrate progress rather than just pitching. The principle is simple: show progress and get everything else you need.

Startups regularly share their updates, receive feedback from experienced mentors, and thereby gain visibility within the investor network and the wider community. Last year, the Pioneers Club hosted Germany’s largest online startup challenge, featuring over 70 startups and more than 70 mentors. Following the event, several of the participating startups successfully raised funding.

Germany’s largest startup challenge is planned to take place again this year. The exact dates will be announced in due course, and the application phase is not yet open.

The platform is complemented by Makers Home in Neumarkt, a founder house designed for co-working, co-living, and building together. The ultimate goal is to identify strong founders at an early stage and provide them with exactly what they need: mentors, capital, visibility, community, and the space to make genuine progress.

seed + speed Ventures is a pre-seed and seed venture capital fund focusing on enterprise, B2B software, and hardware-enabled software startups. As a lead or co-investor, seed + speed supports ambitious founding teams across the DACH region and the rest of Europe with initial investments ranging from €500k to €2m. Furthermore, seed + speed actively drives the growth of its portfolio companies by providing tailored coaching from in-house sales advisors. These specialists offer targeted support to build successful, sustainable sales structures, laying the foundation for accelerated, efficient scaling.

The Green Deal

“The Green Deal” is a YouTube show where sustainable startups pitch to a panel of judges made up of well-known creators and influencers. Those who manage to impress the panel don’t win a financial investment – instead, they win something that is often far more valuable: genuine reach within established communities. Viewers vote for their favourite via the comments section, ultimately crowning the series winner. Sustainability meets the creator economy.

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

SevenVentures Digital Audit

• Comprehensive Digital Audit valued at approximately €10,000 Digital
• Environment: Analysis of the digital competitive landscape Workshop with the SevenVentures investment team focusing on finance and marketing
• Website Anatomy: Technical website, SEO, and GEO audit
• User Experience: Website and app analysis featuring concrete optimization recommendations
• Paid Media: Google Ads audit & META marketing efficiency screening
• Strategic recommendations for action to sustainably boost digital performance

2nd Place

Pioneers Club Makers Home Scholarship

• Up to 12 months of rent-free living and working in the new Founder House

• Exclusive access to experienced top mentors

• Direct networking with selected venture capital investors from the Pioneers Club network

• Ideal conditions to purposefully develop and scale your startup

3rd Place

coming soon

Meet the Jury!

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.

Prof. Dr. Anabel Ternes von Hattburg

Anabel Ternes von Hattburg is a futurist, psychologist, entrepreneur and journalist. She advises companies and institutions on the future, innovation, sustainability and artificial intelligence. As the founder of several initiatives and a member of numerous supervisory boards, she is committed to responsible transformation and societal progress. With her interdisciplinary expertise, she bridges the gap between science and practice, driving initiatives for a sustainable, digital and human-centred future.

Photo: Copyright- Bettina Volke Fotografie

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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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Manuel Kania

Manuel Kania is the founder of the Pioneers Club and Makers Home in Neumarkt. With the Pioneers Club, he is building one of the most accessible pre-funding platforms for ambitious founders. His focus is on talent with a deep understanding of genuine problems—individuals who challenge existing structures and translate that clarity into decisive action. Manuel combines performance with heart. Inspired by companies like Patagonia, his mission is to elevate the visibility of reflective, responsible, and courageous founders, accelerating their path to success.

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