Step 1: Idea phase.
You can submit your project idea online from October 15 to December 1. You can find all the important information at smart.aachen.digital. To submit your idea, you need to register on the Digital Innovation Platform. You can then create your project here. Your idea will then be publicly visible on the platform.
After the end of the idea phase, the submissions will be viewed and evaluated from 02.12. to 06.12.2024. The ideas selected by Think Thank Smart City will then be admitted to the second phase of the competition.
The Smart City Manager of the City of Aachen Nick Nowara and the EDIH project manager at the digitalHUB Roman von der Lohe are available to answer any questions.
After the end of the idea phase, the submissions will be viewed and evaluated from 02.12. to 06.12.2024. The ideas selected by Think Thank Smart City will then be admitted to the second phase of the competition.
The Smart City Manager of the City of Aachen Nick Nowara and the EDIH project manager at the digitalHUB Roman von der Lohe are available to answer any questions.
Step 2: Public Voting.
For the lucky chosen ones from the idea phase, things are just getting started. To support further development in the second work phase, the teams are given access to the work and meeting rooms in the digitalHUB and thus also to other start-ups and, if desired, advice.
How you develop your project depends on your idea and can be coordinated with the Think Tank Smart City. For example, demonstrators or prototypes can be built, design mock-ups or videos created or a written concept developed.
How you develop your project depends on your idea and can be coordinated with the Think Tank Smart City. For example, demonstrators or prototypes can be built, design mock-ups or videos created or a written concept developed.
Step 3: Final
The final will take place on the evening of February 14, 2025 at the digitalHUB (link). Finally, you can pitch your results in front of an audience and have them evaluated live on site by a jury of experts.
The five best projects will be selected and will each receive a grant of up to €10,000 for the further implementation of the project idea. Over the following six months, the award-winning projects can be implemented under the guidance of a mentor from the cooperation partners of the City of Aachen, the digitalHUB Aachen e.V., the Innoloft GmbH, the STAWAG, regioIT Gmbh, Regionetz GmbH, the NetAachen GmbH or the KI Center of RWTH and brought to market maturity.
For the implementation period, the teams also receive the Startup Business Membership Package of digitalHUB Aachen e. V..V. This includes access to the digitalHUB startup community, startup coaches, other founders, potential customers, mentoring and access to the work and meeting rooms of digitalHUB Aachen e. V.On September 1, 2025, the winning teams will present their project progress at a closing event at the digitalHub.
All results of the call for ideas will be published and the collected results from the work phase will also be exhibited in the OecherLab (insert link) at Kapuzinergraben.
The five best projects will be selected and will each receive a grant of up to €10,000 for the further implementation of the project idea. Over the following six months, the award-winning projects can be implemented under the guidance of a mentor from the cooperation partners of the City of Aachen, the digitalHUB Aachen e.V., the Innoloft GmbH, the STAWAG, regioIT Gmbh, Regionetz GmbH, the NetAachen GmbH or the KI Center of RWTH and brought to market maturity.
For the implementation period, the teams also receive the Startup Business Membership Package of digitalHUB Aachen e. V..V. This includes access to the digitalHUB startup community, startup coaches, other founders, potential customers, mentoring and access to the work and meeting rooms of digitalHUB Aachen e. V.
All results of the call for ideas will be published and the collected results from the work phase will also be exhibited in the OecherLab (insert link) at Kapuzinergraben.
