TacJobs: Bundeswehr is looking for innovative startups.

The Bundeswehr is on a digital innovation course: It invites 20 startups to the pitch event at the Kiel Week on June 20 – and is ready for collaborations.

Two Worlds, One Interface

Clearly, the Bundeswehr is not necessarily known for loose structures or flat hierarchies, as is common in the startup scene – rather, it is associated with a rather strict tone and traditional approaches. However, what many forget when they think of the Bundeswehr? As the largest employer in Germany, an international logistics company, IT service provider, hospital operator, and educational provider, it has a lot to offer in terms of cooperation.

And: It is also increasingly focusing on establishing a digital ecosystem – together with startups.

Digital Command: The Cyber Innovation Hub

To promote this development, the Bundeswehr is looking for innovative ideas from the startup world: For this purpose, it recently launched the Cyber Innovation Hub (CIH). The Innovation Hub is the interface between the startup scene and the Bundeswehr.

The driving forces behind the Cyber Innovation Hub are at home in both worlds: reserve officers who, as successful serial entrepreneurs, shape the innovative startup ecosystem. The CIH team is now ensuring that the Bundeswehr does not lose touch with the rapidly changing world of startups.

Startup Pitch in the Heli-Hangar on board the frigate Mecklenburg-Vorpommern

And this mission is now launched directly: 20 startups are invited to participate in the Kiel Week Startup Pitch 2017 "Enter the Frigate". All interested startups can send their pitch deck with proposals for application within the Bundeswehr to project manager Florian Busch-Janser at [email protected] by June 11, 2017.

Interested in collaborating with the Bundeswehr – and pitching on a frigate? Then submit your concept by June 11!

Getting Close to the Startup Scene

What exactly is the Bundeswehr looking for? "We deliberately keep this competition open thematically to identify technologies that have been developed for application areas outside the Bundeswehr and therefore may not necessarily be on our radar yet," says Marcel Yon, head of the Cyber Innovation Hub and himself a serial entrepreneur and reserve frigate captain. Just as diverse as the fields of activity of the Bundeswehr can be, so too can be the ideas of startups – as long as they are digital.

A first prototype of the idea should already exist, but it does not necessarily have to be market-ready.

Have the right idea? Then submit your application here!

"Enter the Frigate" – the key data

• On June 20, 2017, the second day of the Kiel Week, the most promising 20 startups will be invited to the frigate Mecklenburg-Vorpommern from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m.
• In the helicopter hangar of the flagship of the Kiel Week, the selected startups can present their ideas to decision-makers and users from the Bundeswehr, including the CIO of the Bundeswehr, Klaus-Hardy Mühleck, and the Inspector General of the Navy, Vice Admiral Andreas Krause.
• Requirement: Companies must not be older than five years or must meet the EU criteria for SMEs.

Wind in the Sails of Startups

Companies whose concept convinces can receive a contract of up to €200,000 to test the technology in action.

In addition, the Bundeswehr is supported by several accelerators and venture capital investors who will be on the lookout for interesting companies at the event. Alexander von Frankenberg, Managing Director of the High-Tech Gründerfonds: "For us, cooperating with the Bundeswehr is very attractive. We particularly like to invest when the customer is on board from the start – which is literally the case here."

Startups can still apply with their idea until June 11, 2017!

Article image & Text: Bundeswehr, published on Gründerszene.de