Formnext Start-up Challenge

The tension rises…

Until 8 July 2022 (deadline has been extended), young companies have the opportunity to take off with their new AM idea. How?

Submit your pitch video, win, become part of Formnext! We support you with a free booth at the start-up area, participation at the Pitchnext event and the chance to meet lots of potential customers, investors and AM experts from all over the world.

All press releases

The Formnext Start-up Challenge as springboard for creative, innovative, and sustainable AM business ideas

23 May 2022

Every year, a host of new companies emerge in the additive manufacturing industry. To give these start-ups a voice among the more established players, Formnext is this year organizing the 8th Formnext Start-up Challenge. In addition to new, creative, and viable business ideas, the subject of sustainability also plays an important role. A young company will therefore also be selected from the applicants to receive the AM Impact Ventures Award. Applications are now being invited from companies that are no more than five years old. The deadline for applications is 1 July 2022 and the winners will be announced in September 2022.

A permanent fixture on the international AM calendar, Formnext has been providing the perfect platform for businesses to present themselves to customers, partners, and potential investors for 8 years. Winning the Formnext Start-up Challenge has given an important boost to the market entry of a number of internationally successful companies, including 3Yourmind, Dyemansion, Kumovis, Sinterit, Spectroplast, Trinckle 3D, Xioneer, and many more.

Co-founder of Kumovis, Dr. Miriam Haerst, concurs: “The visibility is extremely helpful. You also get direct feedback from the market, which may not always be comfortable. Ultimately, though, it gives you an opportunity to keep developing and perfecting your product.”

The foundation for sustainable growth and further development

Press photo. Copyright: Mesago / Matthias Kutt
Press photo. Copyright: Mesago / Matthias Kutt

“The experience of the past years has clearly shown how important it is for young and innovative companies to present their business ideas and developments to an international audience of industry professionals. A dedicated event such as Formnext provides the perfect environment in which to establish and maintain business relationships with customers and partners, as well as explore potential investments,” says Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice President Formnext at exhibition organizer Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH. “Winning the Start-up Challenge gives 5 entrepreneurs the opportunity to appear at Formnext. It always gives me great pleasure to help contribute to the laying of these foundations for sustainable company growth,” adds Wenzler.

In addition to the 3D-printed award, the five winners will each receive an impressive Formnext exhibition and marketing package, which includes, among other things, a fully equipped exhibition booth in the Formnext 2022 Start-up Area and inclusion in all relevant and worldwide Formnext marketing and communication activities. In addition, the winners can participate in a pitch event as part of Formnext, receive an individual company profile from a media sponsor as well as corporate coaching from a member of the judging panel.

The international panel of high-profile representatives from all corners of the industry comprises Dr. Kristian Arntz (CEO, Fraunhofer Center for Networked Adaptive Production ICNAP), Stefanie Brickwede (Project Manager, 3d Printing@DB and Managing Director, Mobility goes Additive network), Arno Held (Managing Partner, AM Ventures), Alexander Oster (Director of Additive Manufacturing, Autodesk), Michael Petch (Editor in Chief,, and Peter Mayr (Professor of Additive Manufacturing Materials Technology, Technical University of Munich).

AM Ventures Impact Award 2022

For the third time, a company with a particularly sustainable approach will receive the AM Ventures Impact Award as part of the Start-up Challenge. "With this award, we want to give the topic of sustainability the attention it deserves as part of the Start-up Challenge," explains Arno Held, Managing Partner at AM Ventures. "We encourage all entrepreneurs to present us their approaches for a sustainable world." In its evaluation, AM Ventures is guided by the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All participants of the Formnext Start-up Challenge are automatically entered into the competition. The winner will receive prize money of €5,000 and the opportunity to present themselves to the Formnext audience in a pitch.

Any up-and-coming company with a product or service that is market-ready in terms of customers, product status, and revenue can take part in the Formnext Start-up Challenge, provided the start-up is not majority-owned by an established company and was founded after 1 January 2017.

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Formnext event dates:

  • Formnext: 15-18 November 2022, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Related international events for innovative industrial manufacturing:

  • Formnext + PM South China: 14-16 September 2022, Shenzhen, China 
  • Formnext Forum Tokyo: 27-28 September 2022, Tokyo, Japan 
  • Asiamold: 1-3 March 2023, Guangzhou, China

Background information on Formnext  

About Mesago Messe Frankfurt

Background information on Messe Frankfurt
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