Startup City Highlights

Five Hamburg-based startups were admitted to the IFB Innovationsstarter‘s funding scheme in July.

• Ackerperlen is the latest addition to the InnoImpact scheme. The company’s main focus is on permaculture as part of its commitment to climate and nature conservation as well as environmental education.
• Presada is also benefiting from the InnoFounder scheme. The startup uses AI to enhance presentations, and give feedback on language, body language, text and graphics, and suggests improvements.
• Bettersoon is developing an app to assesses the symptoms of sick pets.
• Fairfield & Archer, another firm in the InnoFinTech, scheme makes it easier for companies to comply with rules and regulations.
• The "In Venture Capital“ startup gives private investors access to European Venture Capital Funds to invest in startups with high growth potential, but which are not yet listed on the stock exchange.

Three Hamburg-based startups have come up with novel solutions to ensure that digitalisation benefits doctors and patients.

1) Annota eases everyday management task for doctors in hospitals by using AI to streamline documentation.

2) Anonetics has come up with a cloud solution for the medical sector that does not need for fax machines to share sensitive data, simplifies the process and complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

3) Orthopy Health’s app helps with treat knees.

The following contests may be of interest to aspiring entrepreneurs:

The “Starterin Hamburg” competition by Hamburg Startups honours the best solo female entrepreneurs, teams of female founder and female founders in the technology, commerce and impact sectors. Applications from startups that have been in business for no more than five years old can be entered until the deadline of September 15, 2025. 

Future Founder is calling on students in Hamburg and the metropolitan region to develop their startup ideas from October 2025 to January 2026 to turn them into a functioning business model. Instruction will be in English. The deadline for applications is October 24, 2025.

Aspiring entrepreneurs in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region can develop their promising business ideas during the Labor X-Bootcamp. Applications for the eight-week course are being accepted until the deadline of September 22, 2025. Participation is free of charge.

The Zebra Investment Night on November 19, 2025, gives startups that combine social or environmental impact an opportunity to pitch for funding. Applications are being accepted until the deadline of September 28, 2025.

The non-profit initiative, Deep Tech Innovation Sprint, boosts researchers’ novel and sustainable business ideas and their entrepreneurial skills. Organised by Impossible Founders, the scheme is underway from September 10 to 17. Apply here.

The Marketing Club Hamburg is looking for the best startup and marketing idea for the MarkenSlam or brand slam contest. The first prize is an advertising campaign worth over €100,000. Startups from all over Germany that were founded after January 1, 2021, and have achieved initial sales success,  but  do not belong to an existing company, are eligible to enter. Brief presentations of the startup and marketing idea can be entered until the deadline of  October 14, 2025.

In a video interview, Anne Mareike Schlinkert, founder of  Katalu, outlines how to achieve powerful AI solutions for data management, and talks about why she created a platform that she wished had existed when she was starting out. 
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