1. Object of the ideas competition
The aim of the City of Aachen's Smart City ideas competition is to strengthen Aachen's position as an important science and business location, to make a contribution to achieving climate neutrality by 2030 and, in particular, to support the path to SmartCity Aachen.
In addition to micro-projects, larger projects, product and business ideas or research results with exploitation potential can also be submitted.
These can be digital solutions, but do not have to be. It is important that the entries reflect the idea of the Smart City, that "new paths" are taken and that sustainable added value is created for people and/or the environment. The range of content is therefore deliberately broad. Be it the use of intelligent technologies that contribute to climate neutrality in companies or entire industrial estates, contributions that revitalize the retail trade or enable completely new business models, promote the participation of older people or improve energy supply and mobility.

Some possible topics are listed as examples under the heading "Wanted solutions" on smart.aachen.digital and the Digital Innovation Platform. The list of topics is not exhaustive. Furthermore, entries that are not in line with the purpose and concept of the ideas competition are excluded. Entries can only be submitted if they have not yet been started or commissioned and are not or have not been the subject of another ideas competition.

2. Eligible participants
Committed representatives of civil society, initiatives and associations are just as welcome as members of universities (e.g. students or scientists), start-ups and organizations.
The Think Thank Smart City reserves the right to exclude entries from the ideas competition that violate the conditions of participation, are submitted with false information or are obtained by deception.
The Think Tank Smart City consists of the following members: the Stadt Aachen, the innoloft GmbH, the digitalHUB Aachen e.V. and the STAWAG Stadtwerke Aachen AG.
In addition, Think Tank Smart City will not allow entries that are illegal, discriminatory, racist, offensive, pornographic and/or violate youth protection regulations or any other undesirable actions to participate in the ideas competition. It is generally possible to submit multiple entries. However, if each participant wins, a prize will only be paid out for one entry and there is no legal entitlement to a prize.

3. Application - Phase 1
During the submission period from 15.10.2023 to 01.12.2024, applicants can create or submit their entries via a form on the Digital Innovation Platform. Both the creation of a work and the commenting and rating require registration with a clear name on the platform. All submissions must be publicly visible to third parties at all times and must be labeled with the name of the submitter and, if applicable, the name of the institution. If the authorship of any works submitted as part of the entries is disputed, we reserve the right to exclude participants from the ideas competition at any time.
The complete application must be received by December 01, 2024, 11:59 pm. The date of submission of the entry on the Digital Innovation Platform is decisive.
From 02.12.2024 to 06.12.2024, the entries submitted will be viewed and evaluated by the members of the Smart City Think Tank. The best-rated entries will be admitted to Phase 2 of the competition.

4. After submission of the work - Phase 2
To support further development in Phase 2, submitters will be given access to coworking in the digitalHUB Aachen e.V. and thus also to other startups and, if desired, advice from one of the cooperation partners. These are the aforementioned members of the think tank as well as regioIT Gmbh, Regionetz GmbH, the NetAachen GmbH and the KI Center of RWTH Aachen University.
How the contribution is further developed depends on the individual case and can be coordinated with the Think Tank Smart City or the cooperation partners.
Phase II concludes with an event at digitalHUB Aachen e.V., where the previously selected entries will be pitched by the respective submitters and evaluated live on site by a jury of experts. Up to four winners will receive a grant of up to €10,000 and a Startup Business Membership Package from digitalHUB Aachen e.V. for the further development and implementation of their entries. All the results of the competition will be published on the smart.aachen.digital website and the Digital Innovation Platform website. All entries from Phase 1 and Phase 2 can be exhibited in the OecherLab; the Smart City think tank will decide on this.

5. Earmarking of the award
The award is earmarked, i.e. it is linked to the implementation and further development of the submitted entry. The winners from the final round of the competition must have completed the implementation of their entry by 01.09.2025. They will provide the Think Tank Smart City with documentation for publication no later than two weeks after completing their project. The exact content of the documentation will be determined at a later date. The Think Tank Smart City has the right to inquire about the status of implementation at any time and may set deadlines for this. The award recipient is obliged to provide the Think Tank Smart City with information on the status of implementation. The Think Tank Smart City may demand the return of the award at any time if the conditions of participation have been violated.

6. The Think Tank Smart City acquires the following rights
Participants grant the members of the Think Tank Smart City listed under point 2. and the cooperation partners listed under point 4. The participants grant the members of Think Tank Smart City listed in section 2 and the cooperation partners named in section 4 the following rights to works submitted as part of the competition, whereby the participants' statutory rights of revocation remain unaffected:

• the simple right, unlimited in time and place, to reproduce, distribute and make publicly accessible the works provided for the purpose of reporting on the ideas competition, its promotion and the presentation of the results in online media (in particular on websites and in social media) and in print media.
• the simple right, unlimited in time and place, to edit the works provided while respecting the personal rights of the participants.
• the simple right, unlimited in time and place, to commission third parties (e.g. technical service providers or agencies) to exercise the aforementioned rights.
• the simple right, unlimited in time and place, to publicly announce the names of the winners in connection with the Smart City ideas competition or the presentation of the results by the members of the Smart City think tank in online media (in particular on websites and in social media) and in print media.

7. supplements
The Smart City Ideas Competition may be terminated by the Think Tank Smart City at any time, in particular due to external circumstances and constraints.
External circumstances and constraints include, in particular, technical problems, legal changes or mandatory measures by third parties that are beyond the control of the Think Tank Smart City.
Liability on the part of the Think Tank Smart City and its members is excluded. Applicable law is exclusively that of the Federal Republic of Germany. Should individual provisions of these conditions of participation be invalid in whole or in part, this shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions. The place of jurisdiction is Aachen.