Special Prizes Life Science: ArtifiCell The Startup Competition LIFT-OFF will return in 2026! Who can participate? Why should you participate? We thank all our sponsors of 2025 Do you have any questions about the competition? We are happy to help:
Startup Competition LIFT-OFF - Winning Teams 2025
Under the patronage of State Secretary Prof. Joachim Schachtner from the Ministry of Science and Culture (MWK) and Göttingen's Mayor Petra Broistedt, participants in the Startup Competition LIFT-OFF have been given the opportunity to take the first steps towards founding their start-up in a variety of workshops and a mentoring program with experienced self-employed people over the past few months.
On May 20th the award ceremony took place in the Alte Mensa at Wilhelmsplatz. The finalists presented their startup idea in a short pitch in front of over 200 guests. A total of 16 sponsors, including the three main sponsors SerNet GmbH, Sparkasse Göttingen and Life Science Factory, provided the winners of the Startup Competition LIFT-OFF with material and financial resources worth over 43,500 euros.
On the evening of the awards ceremony, the audience was able to vote for an audience award in each of the categories "Startup Potential" and "Science". Additionally, three special prizes were also awarded: The special prize "Life Science" sponsored by the Life Science Factory and the special prize "Sustainable Land Use" sponsored by Stiftung WissenWecken and the special prize “Social Entrepreneurship”.
These are the winning teams of 2025:
Category Startup Potential:
1. Place: Complego
Digitalization of SME maintenance with smart software, easy-to-use interfaces and fair prices for less paperwork, more efficiency and worry-free maintenance.
Team: Julius Bremer, Peter Naumann
2. Place: SmarterMelody
Learning through Songs – SmarterMelody aims to use AI and music in a meaningful way and combine them to create innovative learning songs for students and learners, which convey knowledge efficiently and in an entertaining way.
Team: Anna Seidel
Publikumspreis: ComplegoCategory Science:
1. Place: BubbleFilter
Innovative membrane filtration technology for a more efficient, environmentally friendly and high-quality water treatment process.
Team: Dr.-Ing. Sonja Lauterborn, Dr. Max Koch, Ardit Jashanica
2. Place: SmartMembrane
Innovative cell culture platform featuring real-time cell monitoring and AI-powered agents to enable future-oriented drug research and development without the need for animal testing.
Team: Dr. Victor Krajka, Dr. Bo Tang, Prof. Dr. Andreas Dietzel, Prof. Dr. Stephan Reichl
Audience Award: ArtifiCell
Advanced solutions for growing and analyzing functional
human 3D miniature tissue, making drug screening more predictive and ethical.
Team: Dr. Arne Hofemeier, Dr. Till Münker, M.Sc Matthias Lüber, M.Sc Bruno Schmelz, Prof. Dr. Timo Betz
Advanced solutions for growing and analyzing functional
human 3D miniature tissue, making drug screening more predictive and ethical.
Team: Dr. Arne Hofemeier, Dr. Till Münker, M.Sc Matthias Lüber, M.Sc Bruno Schmelz, Prof. Dr. Timo Betz
Sustainable Land Use: SPIDA
SPIDA is a digital solution designed to solve key challenges in African agriculture to help users manage their agricultural activities efficiently and unlock greater value all with just a few clicks.
Team: Daniel Agbojo, Marvin Daniels, Triumphant Akinola
Social Entrepreneurship: FactCheck
The independent online portal provides a central platform for fact-checking political statements and debunking misinformation.
Team: Sarah Stephan, Andre Sindram, Michelle Stohs
and all supporters of the Startup Competition LIFT-OFF!
In publica commoda
