2020 Nominees

Brief profiles of the start-ups

The finalists for this year's GRÜNDERPREIS NRW have been decided: these ten entrepreneurs can now dream of winning a cash prize of 60,000 euros!

ALWA Technische Produkte für Kunststoffverarbeitung, Modell- und Formbau GmbH

 

  • Founder: Dr. Nadin Dirkmorfeld
  • Location: Gronau
  • Foundation/What happened next: 2015
  • www.alwa.de

ALWA Technische Produkte für Kunststoffverarbeitung, Modell- und Formbau GmbH from Gronau impressed on its way to the final. The company specialises in the development, production and distribution of synthetic resin systems. The company has already developed several patents and utility models, for example for porous plates which can upgrade sewage treatment plants so that harmful microplastics are removed from wastewater. Alwa GmbH is unique among the candidates because it is a business succession. The current director, Nadin Dirkmorfeld, took over the business in 2015. Since then, the company has developed enormously under her leadership – a true success story.

Emmie Gray GmbH

 

  • Founder(s): Sarah Zergaw and Paolo Oliva
  • Location: Düsseldorf
  • Founding: 2016
  • www.emmiegray.co.uk

Emmie Gray is an online distributor of bouquets as design objects. Thanks to a unique process, these design objects can be kept for up to three years without requiring special care. The preservation process does not use any artificial ingredients. This original business idea has been extremely successful so far. In 2020, the company was awarded the “Extraordinary Success” prize by Gründer.de (in German).

Grubenhelden GmbH

 

 

Grubenhelden from Gladbeck have certainly caught the eye. The fashion label has had a reputation among fashion-conscious people for a long time now, and not just in the Ruhr area. The special touch: Each piece of modern streetwear contains fabrics originally from miners' clothing. This is the company’s way of paying homage to people who built the region in the mining era and for the modern melting pot of today’s Ruhr region. This is matched by a clear commitment to diversity and engagement against the far-right ("Underground, everyone was equal"). On top of all that, the clothing is produced under fair conditions in Portugal and Germany.

Lootboy GmbH

 

Lootboy GmbH from Münster was an impressive entry. The company operates an app which offers a range of computer games for gamers. The range includes free games and discounts for in-app purchases. The company has also developed an app character, LootBoy, which has its own series. Every week, users can watch a new episode. A key feature: LootBoy can react to viewer input in chat with facial gestures thanks to face tracking in livestreams.

MotionMiners GmbH

 

  • Founder(s): Sascha Feldhorst, Sascha Kaczmarek, René Grzeszick
  • Location: Dortmund
  • Founding: 2017
  • www.motionminers.com

The founders of MotionMiners GmbH use hardware and software to analyse and optimise business work processes. To help through the COVID crisis, the company also developed a tool which helps a company's employees comply with social distancing and hygiene rules.

oculavis GmbH

 

  • Founder(s): Martin Plutz, Dr. Markus Große
  • Location: Aachen
  • Founding: 2016
  • www.oculavis.de

The team from oculavis in Aachen, who are revolutionising service processes in machine and plant construction by using Augmented Reality, have really impressed people. The business uses remote support and Augmented Reality workflows, which work on data glasses and on all smartphones and iPads. The founders have even profited from the COVID pandemic because their technology removes the need for on-site service and business trips. However, the trend towards sustainability will see the Aachen company’s remote solution become even more important.

The Augmented Reality (AR) platform oculavis SHARE brings machine-relevant knowledge to every location on Earth, without users needing to get in a plane, train or automobile. With this solution, users can call up AR workflows for planned work on machines and systems which guide employees and enable feedback loops on planning areas on the oculavis SHARE mobile app, wherever they are. Machine operators can connect to colleagues in the office or at home via Remote Expert Support for unplanned disruption and collaborative processes so that they can work closely on an issue without being close to one another. The integrated management and documentation options enable a range of applications, from end customer service in machine construction and supporting production sites in the Far East to supplier audits in the automotive industry. Artificial Intelligence applications such as the pixilation of faces in screenshots or video recordings created in oculavis SHARE have a privacy-by-design feature, and thus address the challenge of creating innovative digital solutions which comply with data protection.

Pohl & Söhne Gerüstbau GmbH

 

Pohl & Söhne Gerüstbau GmbH from Bocholt are an impressive candidate. The business shows how innovative craft can be. The use of state-of-the-art technology and qualified personnel makes peak logistical performance possible - without using any subcontractors at all. But there is another reason why this company is a real success story: Founder Matthias Pohl started his own business in 2017 in his fifties after a period of unemployment. Today, he employs over 30 people and continues to grow with his team.

A team that constantly strives to improve service, quality and strict adherence to deadlines in the interest of the customer. The company combines constant improvement with the careful and responsible handling of human and natural resources.

Speisekammer

 

Speisekammer offers a fresh and sustainably produced range of foods. A regional producer network consisting of various small enterprises forms the basis for this food range and provides detailed information and transparency for customers.

Alongside a classic permanent shop, the company operates an online shop with its own delivery service under the motto “shop online locally”. Their use of electric vehicles for deliveries and environmentally friendly recyclable packaging makes for a new sustainable form of online shopping.

The company acts as a role model, with sustainability and regionality being close to its heart. Sustainable packaging, electromobility and short supply paths are important to the business.

ViSenSys GmbH

 

  • Founder(s): André Ibisch
  • Location: Dortmund
  • Founding: 2017
  • www.visensys.de

ViSenSys come from the Ruhr city of Dortmund. The company develops and markets “smart observers”, camera systems with image processing software, to optimise processes for customers who need a high degree of automation. Here, too, the founders have responded and have expanded the product range to include tools for complying with social distancing guidelines, for example in public transport, at trade fair sites and in shops.

WMD Haushaltshilfe

 

WMD Haushaltshilfe – home help though health insurance. People who need temporary help with everyday tasks due to ill health can get it through WMD Haushaltshilfe. WMD is an acronym for the German phrase “wir machen das”, which means “we’ll do it”. This is because the company offers everything from a single source - from applications for health insurance fund support to finding and recruiting the appropriate help.

In 2020, the company took 1st place in the “Outstanding Start-up Idea” category at the Salon des Createurs awards.

All images © Udo Geisler