BeyondConventions: Corporations set challenges for start-ups
Under the BeyondConventions format, large German corporations sought start-up partners for their digital challenges at the final round of BeyondConventions at the
Over 220 entries were received, and 35 start-ups presented their solutions to the corporations on February 20 and 21.
The name BeyondConventions is a good indication of what the five companies are looking for with their respective challenges: Unconventional solutions by creative companies that break new ground. For the corporations, this kind of cooperation with start-ups is a first.
"Initiatives like BeyondConventions are decisive both for the start-up-scene and for the digital economy of our region. By pooling the potentials of innovative new enterprise and established companies, they promote the dynamic development of our economy," said Andreas Pinkwart, Minister for Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitization and Energy of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in his address at the BeyondConventions event.
Most of the start-ups that took part in BeyondConventions are from Germany, but there were also entrants from the United States and New Zealand. The solutions they are developing include an app that shows the importance of natural gas for the transition to renewables, a chatbot that uses artificial intelligence to help with recruiting, new functions for voice-controlled virtual assistants such as Siri and Alexa, and drones that document progress on the construction of industrial plants.
There were no cash prizes, trophies or certificates to be won in BeyondConventions. Instead, concrete orders will be placed for the best concept in each case. The challenges are based directly on real work situations at the corporations.
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