Start!Up School Life Science
As part of the business plan competition "Start!Up-School Life Science", Human.technology Styria (HTS) honored the most innovative business ideas from Styrian schoolchildren in the areas of "Health & Sustainability" on June 28th. Around 120 young people took part in the Start!Up School Life Science project this year and submitted their business plans that had been developed over several months. Lecturers from the FH Joanneum and Uni Graz as well as experts from Next Incubator and Human.technology Styria actively supported the young people in developing the business plans and presenting their ideas.
The award ceremony took place on the premises of Steiermärkische Sparkasse, which has been the prime sponsorship partner of the competition for 18 years. The ambitious young people gave their best during the presentations to convince the expert jury of their mature business plans. The jury then selected the three winners and also awarded the winners of two special prizes for the "most innovative product or the most innovative service".
Business plans impressed the expert jury
The jury members Dagmar Eigner-Stengg (Founder Center of the Steiermärkische Sparkasse), Doris Paier (Styrian Economic Development), Elisabeth Puntigam (Deloitte Styria), Johannes Dirnberger (FH Joanneum Industrial Management), Simone Huber (FH Joanneum eHealth), Leopold Strobl (Styrian Chamber of Commerce) , Elisabeth Kaufmann (Uni Graz), Thomas Wiedner (Next Incubator) and Michael Pichler (Human.technology Styria) were extremely impressed by the variety of ideas of the entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Among other things, the creativity and feasibility of the business idea as well as the consideration of business aspects were included in the evaluation process.
"With the competition, we want to raise awareness that there are many interesting business areas and job profiles in the life sciences industry in Austria and that we are always happy to see bright minds with their innovative business ideas. Human.technology Styria also supports young start-ups on their way to success with its services as part of the Startupmark,” says project manager Michael Pichler from HTS.
Winning teams with ideas for sustainability
The project team E-Prishare (HTL Weiz) took first place this year with their idea in the area of sustainability. The students convinced the expert jury with the creation of an app that shows all available private filling stations for e-cars in the immediate vicinity. The desired loading time can also be booked via the app. Not only does the company earn money with every refuelling, but also the private provider of the charging station. The team can look forward to EUR 2.500 in prize money for this innovative business idea, including a great presentation.
The project “RER – Rescue Emergency Response OG” won second place. The creative young people at BULME Graz-Gösting developed an app that professionally prepares people for various accident scenarios. Many people have not refreshed their knowledge after their first aid course or have not yet completed a first aid course. With the help of the app, you can fill in knowledge gaps and expand your learned knowledge in a playful way. They were awarded EUR 1.500 for this.
Innovation Awards
The team from "Safe and Sound Pools" (BULME Deutschlandsberg) was awarded third place and EUR 1.000. The team has set itself the goal of increasing the safety of private pools. An infrared sensor is installed in a floating housing, which detects whether a living being (children, animals) enters the water. If this is the case, it triggers an acoustic signal and an alarm signal in the app installed on the cell phone. This team also won a special award in the category "Most Innovative Product" from the FH Joanneum (Course Industrial Management) in the amount of EUR 1.000.
The second innovation prize, which was sponsored by the eHealth course at the FH Joanneum, went to the students in the “RSW 2000” group at BULME Graz-Gösting. Their business idea includes an innovative back support equipped with heat pads and sensors. It represents a complete solution when it comes to the prevention, monitoring and treatment of all types of back pain.
Jury Members:
- Dagmar Eigner-Stengg (Founder Center Steiermärkische Bank und Sparkassen AG)
- Doris Paier (Styrian Business Promotion Agency SFG)
- Elisabeth Puntigam (Deloitte)
- Leopold Strobl (Chamber of Commerce)
- Johannes Dirnberger-Wild (Joanneum Industrial Management)
- Simone Huber (Joanneum University of Applied Sciences eHealth)
- Elisabeth Kaufmann (University of Graz)
- Thomas Wiedner (Next Incubator)
- Michael Pichler (Human.technology Styria)
prize money:
- 1st place EUR 2.500
Sponsored by Steiermärkische Sparkasse - 2st place EUR 1.500
Sponsored by SFG - 3st place EUR 1.000
Sponsored by Deloitte - Innovation prize EUR 1.000
Sponsored by FH Joanneum Industrial Management - Innovation prize EUR 1.000
Sponsored by FH Joanneum eHealth
Download photos (by Nikola Milatovic)
All winners at a glance, together with the jury
Winning team 1st place with the sponsors
fltr:
Dagmar Eigner-Stengg (Founder Center Steiermärkische Bank und Sparkassen AG), s project team E-Prishare (HTL Weiz), Michael Pichler (HTS)
Winning team 2st place with the sponsors
fltr:
Doris Paier (SFG), Team RER – Rescue Emergency Response OG (BULME Graz-Gösting), Michael Pichler (HTS)
Winning team 3st place with the sponsors
fltr:
Elisabeth Puntigam (Deloitte), Team "Safe and Sound Pools" (BULME Deutschlandsberg), Michael Pichler (HTS)
Winner Team Innovation Award
fltr:
Johannes Dirnberger-Wild (FH Joanneum Industrial Management), Team "Safe and Sound Pools" (BULME Deutschlandsberg), Michael Pichler (HTS)
Winner Team Innovation Award
fltr:
Simone Huber (FH Joanneum eHealth), Team "RSW 2000" (BULME Graz-Gösting), Michael Pichler (HTS)
