Google, McKinsey, Rocket Internet and Freshfields are bringing Europe’s hottest Startup Award — “Digital Top 50” — to TechCrunch Disrupt in Berlin this December. Apply here until Sep. 22nd to be invited to Disrupt Berlin and an exclusive networking Gala, to win an intensive mentoring and consulting package, as well as access to an exclusive network of experts and decision-makers plus free funding of 2x€25,000. Don’t miss your chance to be awarded as one of Europe’s top 50 startups and to win the award in one of the four categories: B2B Startup, B2C Startup, Early Stage Startup, and Social Impact Startup.
Applications will be evaluated by DT50’s Executive Jury, a hand-picked panel of prominent executives and experts in venture building as well as growth mentoring, such as Harriet Green, CEO IBM Asia Pacific, or Roland Busch, CTO & COO at Siemens. The 50 selected finalists will receive the opportunity to showcase their business live at TechCrunch Disrupt in Berlin on Dec. 11th and 12th, where they will also participate in an exclusive networking gala dinner. The winners in the four categories will be announced live on stage.
But it doesn’t end at the award ceremony. Winners will benefit from an intensive mentoring package as well as structured consulting and coaching programs from all DT50 partners. They will get access to a vast network of leading decision-makers, all positioned to help them grow their business faster. Lastly, the winners of the Social Impact & Early-Stage Startup categories will receive a cash prize of €25,000 each.
“The DT50s are far more than just an award that ends with the ceremony. The winners receive individual and hands-on support from globally successful players to be more successful. And it helps the entire European tech ecosystem to become more competitive,” says Konstantin Mehl, Founder and CEO of Kaia Health and winner of the B2C Tech Startup category in 2018. Following the successful awards in 2016 and 2018, this will be the third edition of the Digital Top 50 awards to recognize Europe’s brightest and most promising tech startups.
“The European tech economy has massive momentum. We want to be a helpful partner for startups of every stage, from founders with a concept to those running a scale-up. Creating opportunity for everyone is at the core of our work and we provide a series of tools, products and programmes to help startups grow and succeed,” says Sandra Fründt, Marketing Director at Google. “The DT50 is an exciting opportunity that helps the new generation of talent grow faster through access to leading network and mentoring opportunities.”
Formerly created under the patronage of Mr. Carlos Moedas, European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, the awards are aimed at bolstering Europe’s thriving tech scene and recognizing the continent’s most promising startups. Accompanied by the knowledge and resources of academic and research partners such as INSEAD, Ashoka and RWTH Aachen University, the DT50 brings together a wealth of expertise to support Europe’s digital ecosystem.
“The DT50 award provides a platform for some of the most creative, talented and entrepreneurial individuals in Europe and adds force to a rising tide of European innovation. This is an opportunity for Europe to develop the next generation of digital leaders and businesses,” says Karel Dörner, Senior Partner at McKinsey Digital. “McKinsey’s mission is to support young tech companies to become tomorrow’s unicorns. We partner with ambitious entrepreneurs and connect them with our diverse group of digital, analytics, and design experts to help them rapidly grow, transform and scale.”
This is also emphasized by Alexander Kudlich, Board Member and Group Managing Director of Rocket Internet. “We have joined forces with Google and McKinsey in order to enable a unique platform for top entrepreneurs to get access to a diversified network of Europe’s tech leaders. It is a great opportunity for aspiring companies to gain a solid ground in the highly-competitive startup market. Rocket Internet has a lot of experience in incubating and investing in online business models worldwide. We want to share our expertise and help shape the digital startup ecosystem in Europe.”
So, what are you waiting for? Apply now and become part of the exciting DT50 network.
