Audience award for best business idea
In 2025, Leipzig Start-up Night once again saw a wide variety of innovative start-up ideas. A total of 43 teams and individuals submitted their ideas – with an impressive range from AI-based solutions to traditional business models from almost all economic sectors in the city of Leipzig.
A jury selected the six best submissions, which were presented on 18.11.2025 in three-minute live pitches on stage. The approximately 400 guests at Start-up Night then voted live to determine the winner.
The 2025 Audience Award goes to CAR FINDER (presented by Dr. Sandy Tretbar, Fraunhofer IZI)
CAR FINDER technology enables the rapid and automated identification of optimal CAR cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. CAR FINDER improves the safety and efficacy of therapies through structured screening. CAR FINDER makes it possible to find lead candidates for preclinical development within a few days, significantly accelerating conventional processes. As a result, cell therapy developers and patients benefit from faster and more reliable treatment options that offer a chance of cure.
The prize is worth €5,000 and is awarded by the start-up initiatives SMILE and Startbahn 13.
Prof. Dr. Utz Dornberger, head of the SMILE start-up initiative at Leipzig University, was very pleased with the anniversary edition of the ideas competition: “The ten-year anniversary of Leipzig Start-up Night impressively demonstrates how vibrant the culture of innovation is in our city. The diversity of the 389 start-up ideas in 10 years makes it clear that entrepreneurship is firmly anchored in Leipzig's universities and research institutions. I am particularly pleased with how courageously and solution-oriented the start-up teams are tackling the current challenges of our time and are not shying away from the challenges of implementation.”
Start-up award goes to AI-Driven Therapeutics GmbH
AI-Driven Therapeutics GmbH impressed the jury with its highly innovative AI-supported platform, which significantly accelerates protein and drug development and thus makes a decisive contribution to one of the most promising industries of the future. The interdisciplinary team combines outstanding expertise in biochemistry, artificial intelligence, and software development and demonstrates exceptional implementation skills, which are crucial for the sustainable development of a successful start-up. The award, worth €10,000, was announced under the auspices of Sparkasse Leipzig together with the partners of Startup Night and presented by Michael Tiedke, Sales Director for Corporate Customers at Sparkasse Leipzig.
The Start-up Award recognizes new companies that stand out for their innovative business ideas and sustainable business models.
The start-up emerged from research and development projects at the Institute for Drug Discovery at Leipzig University with support from ScaDS.AI and the SMILE start-up initiative.
“Ten Years After” Award from the City of Leipzig
The “Ten Years After” honorary award from the City of Leipzig went to SENSAPE GmbH in 2025, presented by Clemens Schülke, Mayor and Deputy Head of the Department of Economy, Labor, and Digital Affairs.
With their visionary approach and consistent implementation of augmented reality and artificial intelligence, the award winners at SENSAPE impressively demonstrate how Leipzig can become an international driving force for interactive brand and customer experiences. For more than ten years, the team has not only been creating technological solutions, but also shaping a new form of communication between people, brands, and space – making Leipzig a real hub for future technologies.
StartupLab: BioInnovate
Another prize was awarded at the 10th Leipzig Start-up Night: StartupLab: BioInnovate. The Startup Lab: BioInnovate prize, awarded by a jury of experts from the fields of medicine and life sciences, Sächsische Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH (SBG), and Leipzig University, went to three outstanding teams in 2025: veiio UG (Dresden), AI-Driven Therapeutics GmbH (Leipzig), and diamics GmbH (Dresden).
All three teams have thus qualified for a due diligence review by SBG and have the chance to receive up to €300,000 in equity capital.
About SMILE:
SMILE – the start-up initiative of Leipzig University – has been supporting start-ups from the academic and scientific community since 2006. SMILE is financed by funds from the European Union, the Free State of Saxony, and the participating institutions. www.smile.uni-leipzig.de
About Startbahn 13
Startbahn 13 is HTWK Leipzig's start-up consultancy service, supporting students, alumni, researchers, and staff with their start-up projects through individual coaching, workshops, and a makerspace. s13.htwk-leipzig.de
For further information:
Gunnar Kaßberg, Leipzig University
Phone: 0177-4826649
E-Mail: gunnar.kassberg@uni-leipzig.de
Yvonne Hahn, HTWK Leipzig,
Phone: +49 341 3076 3163
E-Mail: yvonne.hahn@htwk-leipzig.de
