For the second year in a row we were invited to sponsor Universität Heidelberg's Ideenwettbewerb. This year our partner Kai Grunwald was joined on the jury by Tanja Dr. Benedict, Anna Christmann, Maximilian Jungmann, Dr. Max Jungmann, Aline Moser and Timo Puschkasch.

The jury's challenge: pick the winners in the categories ‘Health and Future Technologies’ and ‘Impact Innovation’, from among ten really outstanding ideas. It was a tight race: in the end, Erik Jung and team with the photon connector respectively Jonathan Wiarda and team with Ancora (AI-powered dementia companion) came top.

They were followed in second and third place by Dr. Kendra Maass and team with ONCOSCAN and Emmanuel Bairamis and team with Coin Inspector (in ‘Health & Future’) respectively Davide Garzone and team with Syntaxa and Renuka Velu with a KI-powered visual aid (in ‘Impact Innovation’).

Congratulations to all participants for mustering the courage to present in front of an auditorium of well over 100. And a big thanks to the hei_INNOVATION team for making this a special event to remember. Onwards to 2027!