GFFU
STARTUP COMPETITION

Every year the GFFU announces a grant in favor of an outstanding startup idea to support the grant holder in realizing this idea. This years 2023 contest starts April 1st, 2023 and ends at the end of May.
For details, please refer to the Information Flyer: Startup Contest 2023 (pdf-Download, in German, coming up).

The winner team of the 2022 GFFU Startup Award is: Team SUITCASE. Team member Tim Fischer (left) is here next to GFFU President Eduard H. Dörrenberg, at the GFFU Startup Award ceremony 2022. (Not in the picture: team members Tim Kniepkamp and Philipp Hertel). (Photo: GFFU / Dieter Joswig).

GRANT HOLDERS

The winners of the GFFU Startup Contest 2022, Team SUITCASE, impressed with an innotive business idea in the legal field: SUITCASE is the acronym for „Dispute resolution suitable to your case“ and stands for the innovative development of a digital platform for settlement of legal disputes. SUITCASE Founders and team members Tim Fischer, Tim Kniepkamp and Philipp Hertel are delighted to receive the €50,000 prize money from the GFFU.

The annual funding, spread over 12 months, is intended to enable the concept to be transferred to the application and post-founding stages. The goal is to inspire the startup spirit at HHU as well as to strengthen Düsseldorf as a location for innovation and business. This year, the Startup Scholarship will be awarded for the sixth time.
 

Winners of the Founder Scholarship from 2017

innoMMT (2017)

The winning team of “innoMMT” (innovative, mobile, modular telemedicine) around Lena Ehrenpreis, Fabian Meyer and Christiane Schüle
has developed a mobile hand-held breath test device at the ENT Clinic of the University Hospital Düsseldorf, which can be used for
various diseases such as asthma, lactose intolerance or carbon monoxide poisoning for immediate diagnostics in clinics or doctor's
practices thanks to the “Plug & Pust” approach.

Valvofon (2018)

With the Valvofon, the founding team consisting of Elric Zweck and PD Dr. med. Ralf Westenfeld presented a small phonocardiography
device with built-in microphone and innovative algorithm. It complements the classic stethoscope in the detection of relevant and
treatment-worthy heart valve diseases. The Valvofon is clearly superior to the hearing ability of the human ear and increases the
diagnostic accuracy significantly.

Royal Red Claw (2019)

The founding team Bioneers, consisting of Lucia Donath, Dennis Teutenberg and Victoria Bartholomai, is revolutionizing the farming of freshwater crayfish using an innovative and novel aquaculture method. 

Krauts & Sprouts (2020)

The winning team impressed with the production of a complex fertilizer using microorganisms. With its help, industrial companies should be able to reduce emissions and waste by recycling waste heat, CO2, phosphate-containing wastewater and liquid manure in production.

The research team: Dr. Nicolas Schmelling, Lutz Berwanger, Maximilian Dietsch

Team DNTOX (2021)

The winning team of the 2021 contest impressed with a new alternative testing formula for chemical / pharmaceutical products: With its help, industrial companies should be able to reduce tests with / using animals.

The startup-Team: Dr. Stefan Masjosthusmann, Dr. Katharina Koch and Kristina Bartmann
 

Team SUITCASE (2022)

Team „SUITCASE“ is the winner of the 2022 GFFU Startup Contest. Suitcase is the acronym for „Dispute resolution suitable to your case“ and is innovative digital platform for settlement of legal disputes. Die three founders / team members „Macher“ behind the as „Suitcase UG“ branded Startup are: Tim Fischer, Tim Kniepkamp und Philipp Hertel. 

SUBMIT AN APPLICATION

For an application to the current GFFU Startup Competition 2023, please refer to the German pages of this website.
The new contest will start April 1st 2022, end of submit time will be the end of May; the award winning event is planned for late October 2023.

For further details, please refer to the German pages of the contest.
 

CONTACT

 

Irene Schrader

Managing Director

Gesellschaft von Freunden und Förderern der
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf e.V.

Haus der Universität
Schadowplatz 14
40212 Düsseldorf

Phone + 49 (0)211 8693976-12
Fax + 49(0)211 8693976-19
info@unifreunde-duesseldorf.de

 

Christina Beckmann

Management Assistant

Gesellschaft von Freunden und Förderern der
Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf e.V.

Haus der Universität
Schadowplatz 14
40212 Düsseldorf

Phone + 49 (0)211 8693976-10
Fax + 49(0)211 8693976-19
info@unifreunde-duesseldorf.de

GFFU STARTUP COMPETITIONGRANT HOLDERSWinners of the Founder Scholarship from 2017SUBMIT AN APPLICATIONCONTACT