Here we answer frequently asked questions.
If we can’t help you here, please feel free to contact us at unique@witeno.de.
The UNIQUE Ideas Competition supports students, graduates, researchers and employees of the University of Greifswald and the research institutes in Greifswald and the surrounding area in the development of their ideas up to the foundation of a company.
The UNIQUE ideas competition was first organized in 2006 to support students, researchers and employees of the University of Greifswald in the development of their ideas up to the foundation of a company. Since 2020, the project, which is financed by ESF funds from the state, has been carried out by WITENO GmbH – Wissenschafts + Technologiepark NORD°OST°, as an association of the start-up centers at the Greifswald location, in cooperation with the University of Greifswald together with the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Research and Technology e.V. (INP) Greifswald, the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, Partial Institute Greifswald as well as the Friedrich Löffler Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems. In the past years, more than 120 teams of researchers and students each developed start-up concepts with validated potential and, as a result, founded more than 30 companies from all areas of the university.
UNIQUE addresses students, employees and alumni (up to five years after graduation) of the University of Greifswald, the Unimedizin Greifswald, the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology e.V. (INP) Greifswald, the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics, Partial Institute Greifswald as well as the Friedrich Löffler Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Insel Riems.
You can participate in the competition as an individual or in a team. If you are a team, at least one team member must meet these requirements.
No, no matter whether your idea is already fully developed or you are still in the starting blocks or have no idea at all – you can participate in the competition at any stage. If your idea is not yet mature or you don’t have one yet, the Fit2Start workshop series will help you develop your idea further and prepare the idea sketch. You can also join a team if you don’t have an idea of your own. We are also happy to help you develop your idea outside of the workshops, just get in touch with us!
Wenn Du ohne Idee mitmachen möchtest, gibt es zwei Möglichkeiten: Entweder Du schließt Dich bei einer anderen Idee an oder Du entwickelst noch eine Idee. Für beides empfehlen wir Dir an den Workshops Fit2Start teilzunehmen, denn hier lernst Du andere Gründungsinteressierte und Ideenträger:innen kennen. Sprich uns aber gerne an, wir können Dir Kontakte zu Teilnehmer:innen vermitteln, die noch auf der Suche nach einem Team sind!
The UNIQUE ideas competition offers all participants an exciting, new experience in which they not only develop their own ideas, but also themselves. Through the Fit2Start workshop series and the individual advice and support throughout the competition, a motivating environment is created. Participants have the opportunity to meet like-minded people, exchange ideas with them and support each other. The diverse prizes range from financial support to non-cash prizes that help participants advance their ideas.
Last but not least, there is not only the chance to further develop the business idea, but also to expand one’s own competencies and skills.
Our former participants can answer this question even better than we can. Take a look at the Hall of Fame page, we asked the teams from last year about their experiences.
No, participation is free of charge.
You don’t have to have a team to participate in the competition. You can participate completely on your own, but you also have the possibility to find team members at the Fit2Sart workshop series. You can also contact us, maybe we have a suitable team member in mind.
You can register in the application portal from 01.04.2022 to 18.05.2022, on 19.05.2022 you will be notified whether you have made it to phase 2.
To be announced
Fit2Start is a free online workshop series that prepares you to enter the competition. We teach you everything you need to create your idea sketch from scratch. This includes design thinking, strategy and pitch training, and market and customer analysis.
In addition, you will get to know other people interested in founding a company and possible new team members during the workshops. The following dates are scheduled for the workshops:
– 26.04.23
– 03.05.23
– 10.05.23
– 17.05.23
– 24.05.23
Participation in the workshop series is not mandatory to enter the competition. Nevertheless, we recommend each and every competition participant:in to attend the workshop.
Yes, the UNIQUE ideas competition team is available to answer your questions and provide advice throughout the competition. We support you in the development of your idea and your concept, give you feedback on your idea sketch and help you with the business model. Since we are not part of the jury, we can accompany you individually and independently. Contact us by e-mail at: unique@witeno.de – alternatively you can contact someone from our team directly.
The evaluation is carried out in several stages. In phase 1, the applications are not yet finally evaluated; there is only a pre-selection for the next phases.
Only phase 2 and phase 3 are included in the jury’s final evaluation, i.e. the written idea sketches and the pitch to the jury. The evaluation of the idea sketches is submitted to us by the jury members before the jury meeting, therefore the pitch has no subsequent effect on this part of the evaluation.
The scoring categories for the written evaluation are (50% of the total score):
– Innovation/originality
– Market potential/exploitation prospects
– Customer:internal benefit
– Probability of realization/feasibility
– Motivation/competencies of the founder or the team
– Regional significance/structural effectiveness for MV (only included in the evaluation in the event of a tie).
The following categories will be evaluated during the pitch to the jury:
– Presentation (10% of the total score)
– Discussion (30% of the total score)
– Founding personality/motivation (10% of the total evaluation)
The prices will be announced soon
The ideas competition is held at several university locations in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The winners of the competition (with the exception of special prizes) have the opportunity to take part in the state-wide “Inspired” ideas competition and present their ideas to a jury of experts once again. Here, too, there are numerous prizes. In addition, the winners of all locations are invited to the Rock-it Week, an intensive 5-day workshop in Rostock and to the Berlin Valley Tour.
More information can be found here.
Your idea was not awarded, but you still want to continue? Great! There are only 3 placements in the categories, but that doesn’t mean that only 3 of the ideas can be realized! That’s why we remain your contact after the competition and support you as needed in the further development, the business plan, networking or funding applications.
In addition, there is the next competition in Greifswald in the fall: the business plan competition “Set sail!”
Check out the Hall of Fame or our Instagram page! You can find out what happens after the competition from former participants here.
