Deep Tech Award - Terms of participation

The Senate Department for Economics, Energy, and Business is awarding the Deep Tech Award 2025 as part of the Deep Tech Berlin campaign.

The Berlin Deep Tech Award honours research-based, application-oriented and tried-and-tested software and hardware products from Berlin that are characterised by a high degree of innovation and great future potential (marketability) and create added value for users.

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Bio- & Healthtech
• Artificial Intelligence
• Photonics & Quantum Technologies
• Web3 & distributed ledger technologies (DLT)

Further information on the individual categories can be found under 3) Categories.

The awards are presented to products that have a connection to Berlin. This means that the products were predominantly developed in Berlin and the submitting company is based in Berlin.

• 05.01.2026 Announcement of the competition call and start of the submission period
• 13.02.2026 End of the submission period
• after 06.04.2026 Announcement of the nominees
• 20.05.2026 Announcement of the winners and award ceremony
   

3) Categories & Jury

The winners will be selected by an independent jury of experts. Each category will have its own jury consisting of three renowned experts from the fields of business, science, and associations.

Advanced Manufacturing

Modern manufacturing and new materials form the basis for the industries of tomorrow. The focus is on innovative materials, circular materials, additive processes, automated production chains, and intelligent machines that take precision, efficiency, and sustainability to a new level. The awards recognize solutions that translate breakthroughs in materials technology or novel production methods into marketable applications – with clear relevance for industry, energy, or mobility.

• [N.N]
• [N.N]
• [N.N]

Bio- & Healthtech

Breakthroughs in biotechnology, medical technology, and digital health have a direct impact on society. Innovations that sustainably improve diagnostics, therapy, prevention, or care are recognized—from personalized technologies and bioprocesses to smart wearables and data-driven health solutions. The decisive factors are medical benefits, scientific soundness, technical depth, and the potential to strengthen health systems in the long term.

• [N.N]
• [N.N]
• [N.N]

Artificial Intelligence

The future of AI lies beyond the hype – deep in the technological substance: from Explainable AI (XAI) and privacy-preserving machine learning to synthetic data and cognitive computing. We honor pioneers who don’t just use AI as a mere feature, but master complex, research-intensive challenges. We are looking for solutions that combine technological robustness with radical innovation and set new standards. The decisive factor is the leap from ‘proof of concept’ to scalable deep tech application – made in Berlin for the world.

• Dr. Theresa Züger, Head of the AI & Society Lab at HIIG
• Fabian Westerheide, CEO of Asgard Capital and organizer of the Rise of AI conference
• Franziska Weindauer, Managing Director of TÜV AI.Lab

Quantum technologies, photonics & microelectronics

Quantum-based processes, photonic systems, and highly integrated semiconductor technologies are opening up new dimensions in terms of computing power, sensitivity, communication, and energy efficiency. The award recognizes developments that harness quantum effects, precisely control light, or advance microelectronic architectures—for example, in sensor technology, communication, chip design, or manufacturing. Scientific excellence, high feasibility, and the potential to shape key future markets are important factors.

• Dr. Gabrielle Thomas – Group Leader Marketing Menlo Systems GmbH
• Prof. Dr. Markus Krutzik – Head of Joint Lab Integrated Quantum Sensors (Ferdinand-Braun-Institut)
• Dr. Barbara Wellmann, Director Lead Quantum.Link Deloitte Consulting GmbH

Web3 & distributed ledger technologies (DLT)

Decentralized systems enable new forms of digital infrastructure, from distributed networks and smart contracts to tokenized assets and interoperable ecosystems. The Deep Tech Awards recognize projects that use these technologies to redesign security, transparency, or digital ownership models. The focus is on practical applications that offer added value: solutions that address real problems and lay the foundation for new economic or social models.

• Prof. Dr. Ing. Katarina Krüger—Professor at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences
• Dr. Christoph Haupenthal—Director of the Institute for Applied Blockchain at the Digital Business University of Applied Sciences
• Regine Haschka-Helmer—CEO of Seedlab GmbH and co-founder of Ndini Autonomous AI Agent 

The competition offers total prize money of up to €50,000. The title “Deep Tech Star” and €10,000 will be awarded in each of the five deep tech categories. The winners of the “Deep Tech Star” will each receive a certificate and an award sculpture. They can advertise in their marketing activities using both the “Deep Tech Star” logo provided and a reference to the Deep Tech Award, stating the year in which it was awarded.
In addition to the prize money, there are intangible prizes to be won for the winners and finalists (1st to 3rd place in each category), including annual memberships with partners and invitations to exclusive events (e.g., Deep Tech Dinner).

The winners and their products can also be featured in articles and interviews on the organizer’s campaign website www.berlin.de/deeptech and those of its cooperation partners.

The award ceremony will take place on May 20, 2026.

Companies based in the state of Berlin that submit a product that was predominantly developed in Berlin are eligible to participate in the competition. Submissions from small and medium-sized enterprises are expressly welcome.

We are looking for research-based, application-oriented, and proven software and hardware products from Berlin that are characterized by a high degree of innovation and great future potential (marketability) and create added value for users.

• Degree of innovation: Integration of new and relevant research results and new and relevant technology (en)
• Purpose and added value of the product for users
• Quality and development potential of the business model

Three Deep Tech finalists will be nominated from the submissions received in each category, from which the Deep Tech Star 2026 for each category will be determined at the award ceremony on May 20, 2026.
If too few submissions are received in a category, we, as the organizer of the award, reserve the right to suspend the category in question and thus not award a prize in that category.
In order to receive the prize money, the requirements of state aid law under the so-called “de minimis” rule must be met (this will take place after the award ceremony).

Formal requirements for submitting competition entries

• Please note that you can only apply for one of the above-mentioned categories with your respective competition entry.
• Submissions that have already been awarded the title “Deep Tech Star” in the past are generally excluded from re-entry. An exception applies if the submission has been further developed to such an extent that it represents a new product according to objective criteria. The assessment of whether it is a new product is at the discretion of the organizer, whose decision is final.
• Special rule for the “Artificial Intelligence” competition category: Due to the large number of submissions in recent years, from 2026 onwards, only submissions with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6 and higher (up to and including 9) will be accepted in this competition category.
• All rights to the competition entry remain with the entrant. Multiple competition entries are permitted. The entrant warrants that their competition entry is free of third-party rights. The entrant is liable to the organizer for ensuring that their competition entry does not infringe any third-party rights. The entrant indemnifies the competition organizer against all claims and any expenses asserted by third parties due to a violation of rights.
• By submitting the application documents, the entrant agrees that the submitted works (photographic material, etc.) may be used by the organizer in the context of the competition application and grants all necessary rights of use for this purpose. The documents will be deleted by the organizer after six months.
• By submitting the application documents, the applicant also agrees that the submitted documents may be used by contractors commissioned by SenWiEnBe (not yet known, currently being advertised) as part of the “Deep Tech Mentoring Program.” The declaration of consent covers the review of submissions for suitability for the mentoring program and the use of submissions in the implementation of the mentoring program (in the event of selection as a program participant). The documents will be deleted by the organizer and the contracted service provider after the mentoring program has ended (December 31, 2026). A confidentiality agreement will be concluded between SenWiEnBe and the service provider, which contractually ensures the confidential handling of the competition submissions.
• The organizer of the competition is entitled to pass on the participant’s personal data obtained in the course of the competition, such as names or photos, to third parties, e.g., the media. If disclosure is not desired, the entrant must inform the organizer in writing at the time of submission which data is subject to the non-disclosure request.
• The jury’s meetings are not open to the public. Its decisions are final. Legal recourse is excluded.
• The data protection provisions published on the organizer’s website apply: https://www.berlin.de/deeptech/datenschutzerklaerung.1037695.php
• The invalidity of individual provisions shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions.
• There is no legal claim to the awarding of a prize or prize money.

Information and documents to be submitted

• Name of a contact person responsible for content, including contact details such as telephone number and email address
• Legal form of the company
• Description of the company (max. 1,000 characters)
• Presentation of the competition entry from a technical perspective (what technologies were used? How is the product designed from a technical standpoint?), from a customer perspective (purpose and added value of the solution for users), and in terms of its degree of innovation (integration of new and relevant research findings/technology/technologies) (max. 4,000 characters).
• Present the business model for your product and explain the development prospects it offers (for the product and/or your company). (max. 2,000 characters).
• Explanation of why you are participating in the Deep Tech Award (max. 400 characters)
• Indicate the size of the team and the year of foundation
• If applicable, photos, pitch decks (max. 5 pages), and videos about the product
• Classification of the innovation according to Technology Readiness Level (TRL 1-9)
• Declaration that the submission was (predominantly) developed in Berlin

Documents to be submitted if winning the category:

• Completed de minimis declaration 2026
  The organizer will send the completed de minimis declaration 2026 to the winners by email after the award ceremony.

Additional note on the de minimis declaration: After the award ceremony, Deep Tech award winners must complete the de minimis declaration and certify that they have not exhausted the €300,000 in state aid over three calendar years in order to receive the €10,000 prize money from the State of Berlin. Copies of any de minimis certificates already received must also be submitted together with the de minimis declaration to Robin Hempel, Advisor, Senate Department for Economics, Energy, and Public Enterprises: Email robin.hempel@senweb.berlin.de

The Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises is organising the Deep Tech Award 2024 as part of the Deep Tech Berlin campaign.

Contact person:
Robin Hempel
Senatsverwaltung für Wirtschaft, Energie und Betriebe
Martin-Luther-Str. 105
10825 Berlin
Tel.: +49 (0)30 901- 8347
robin.hempel@senweb.berlin.de
Web: https://www.berlin.de/deeptech