What to Expect in the Next Event Round

The following formats are held regularly in Deggendorf and are clearly geared towards the next editions. Specific dates and application deadlines will be published by the organizers once planning is complete.

• Founders' Day at Kapuzinerstadl: A compact evening with keynote, team pitches, audience voting, and award ceremony. Goal: visibility, feedback, and networking at a high level with low-threshold access.
• Deggendorf Founders' Award: Three tracks on one stage:
  • Not yet founded: Idea and concept phase
  • Founded: Young companies with initial traction
  • Social Entrepreneurship (Special Award): Projects with clear social impact
  Finalists receive structured pitch coaching and qualified jury feedback in advance.
• StartUP Factory Lower Bavaria: A two-day intensive format for developing robust business model hypotheses with team building, method workshops, mentoring, and internal pitches.
• Founders' Meetup & Community Meetups: Regular meetups with short impulse talks, open Q&A, and networking. Ideal for first contacts and ongoing exchange.

How to Prepare for Participation

1. Sharpen your idea: Formulate the problem, target group, and benefit in 2–3 sentences. Optional: Sketch the value proposition in the Business Model Canvas.
2. Get feedback: Use community formats (e.g., meetups) to get early feedback from peers and mentors.
3. Prepare documents: Short pitch deck (5–8 slides) with problem, solution, market, team, validation, next milestone. For social impact projects additionally: impact logic (input → output → outcome) and measurement approaches.
4. Watch deadlines: As soon as registrations are open, submit in time. Allow buffer for follow-up questions and coaching.
5. Practice your pitch: Simulate time limit, condense core message, prepare demo/prototype (if available), train Q&A.

What Jury and Audience Typically Look For

• Problem–Solution Fit: Is the addressed problem relevant and clearly substantiated? Does the solution fit in terms of benefit, feasibility, and timing?
• Traction & Validation: Tests, user feedback, prototypes, or pilots that support assumptions.
• Team & Execution Power: Skills, roles, learning ability, and implementation plan for the next 6–12 months.
• Business Model & Scaling: Revenue logic, market potential, differentiation, early go-to-market ideas.
• Impact (Special Award): Social added value, measurability of impact, and sustainability.
• Pitch Quality: Clarity, structure, storyline, time management, and confident Q&A.

Sample Schedule for the Next Editions

1. Call for Applications (published by organizer): Start of submissions for Founders' Award and program slots.
2. Pre-selection & Coaching: Selection of final teams; prompt pitch and storyline coaching.
3. StartUP Factory (if participating): Two days focused on methods and validation with mentors.
4. Founders' Day at Kapuzinerstadl: Keynote, pitches, audience voting (main categories), jury decision (special award), award ceremony.
5. Follow-up: Feedback, networking, possibly follow-up programs and consultation hours.

Note: Admission to audience formats is often free of charge. Binding information will be announced with the event date.

Locations and Connections

Kapuzinerstadl (Deggendorf): Planned venue for Founders' Day with pitches and award ceremony. Easily accessible within the city; details on admission, accessibility, directions, and admission times will be published with the official invitation.

University & Startup Center: Workshops, consultation hours, and meetups are usually coordinated via central channels. Final room and date allocation is done by the organizers.

How to Stay Informed About Upcoming Dates

• Official announcements from the city and regional economic development
• Websites and event calendars of the university and the startup center
• Newsletters and social media channels of the participating organizations

Why Participation Is Worthwhile

• Direct feedback: Audience and jury provide perspectives that sharpen your own roadmap.
• Coaching & Mentoring: Structured support increases pitch and implementation quality.
• Networking: Access to talent, partners, potential customers, and investors.
• Visibility: Stage, media interest, and references for further steps.

Short Checklist Before Applying

• Problem, solution, target group, and benefit clearly formulated
• Early validation steps documented (e.g., interviews, tests, prototype)
• Pitch deck optimized for time limit and core messages
• Team roles, milestones, and resource needs specified
• For social impact: impact chain and metrics sketched

References & Further Information

1. City of Deggendorf – Official Website — Information on events and economy (accessed 2025-12-10)
2. Deggendorf Institute of Technology (THD) — Studies, research, transfer & events (accessed 2025-12-10)
3. Startup Center Digitalization Lower Bavaria — Programs, events, and startup support (accessed 2025-12-10)