30 Years of the IHK Middle Franconia Entrepreneurship Award

Published on November 04, 2026

Since 1996, the Nuremberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) for Middle Franconia has been honoring young companies with the IHK Middle Franconia Startup Award. 2026 will mark the 30th anniversary of the award. According to the IHK, 1,110 companies have applied over this period, creating more than 15,000 jobs within the first few years after their founding. What do three decades of the Entrepreneur Award reveal about the region? We spoke with Alexander Fortunato, head of the Trade, Services, and Entrepreneurship Division, about this. He oversees the award, has inside knowledge of the jury meetings, and has a clear message for anyone considering starting a business: Don’t just focus on your own idea—look also at the companies that already exist.

Market success instead of a pitch deck: what makes the jury tick

“We don’t recognize an idea on paper. For us, there has to be a certain level of market success already,” says Alexander Fortunato.

That is precisely what sets this award apart from business plan competitions. Any company based in Middle Franconia that is a member of the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) and has been in business for no more than five years is eligible to apply. Factors considered include revenue, profit growth, employees, and apprenticeship positions, as well as the degree of innovation. Each of the 15 jury members evaluates the approximately 50 applications per year in advance, individually, using an ABC system.

The result is clear: “Half of them are usually eliminated relatively quickly because they’re still too young and haven’t achieved enough success.”

Things get exciting with the B-candidates, because one person’s B is sometimes another’s A. Jury members from incubators are familiar with some teams from their work and contribute this knowledge, but decisions are made collectively during the roughly two-hour jury session. In special cases, the jury even visits the company beforehand to clarify any open questions on site.

Radar, 3D Printing, AI Studio: Just how technologically advanced is middle franconia?

“We really have something to show for ourselves here—with the startup incubators, this network, and the startups that are based here,” says Alexander. He also sees the region as very well-positioned compared to Munich: “We have nothing to be ashamed of.”

The 2026 award winners provide proof of this in a trio: FiveD from Erlangen (about 30 employees) simulates radar systems entirely virtually—such as body scanners at airports—before a physical device even exists. Kronos Mechatronics from Nuremberg (12 employees) develops machines, software, and processes for 3D printing of electronics and mechatronic components. And Nerdware (about 55 employees in Nuremberg and Berlin), as a software and AI studio, digitizes business processes for small and medium-sized enterprises. This mix is no coincidence. Erlangen, home to FAU and Fraunhofer IIS, has a strong presence in high-frequency and sensor technology. The region’s industry provides the customers. This mix is no coincidence. The founders of FiveD were doctoral students at the Chair of High-Frequency Technology at FAU Erlangen-Nuremberg and turned their research expertise into their own company in 2024.

The region’s industry provides the customers, and startup incubators such as ZOLLHOF, NKubator, and IGZ, as well as BayStartUp and the economic development agency, are working together to bring the award to the attention of founders. Many of them also serve on the jury. Nevertheless, the award is not purely a tech award. Past winners include, for example, bbco MesseManufaktur from Veitsbronn, and in 2026, a mushroom farm was among the top contenders. While digitalization and AI are now part of almost everything—from point-of-sale systems to inventory management in small stores—a good company doesn’t necessarily need high-tech solutions.

Business Succession: starting a business without your own business idea

“Many people don’t even have their own brilliant business idea. And they don’t need to,” says Alexander.

According to a study by the Bavarian Ministry of Economic Affairs, approximately 53,000 businesses in Bavaria are set to be handed over in the next five years; in Middle Franconia alone, there are 6,350 family-owned businesses with about 80,300 employees subject to social security contributions that are facing a generational transition. Because solutions within the family are becoming increasingly rare, external successors are being sought. The Founder’s Award therefore specifically honors them, provided the takeover took place no more than five years ago and the company has been realigned.

“Every succession is also a startup.”

Kronos Mechatronics is a case in point: The team acquired the business of a predecessor company—which lacked a managing director—through an asset deal and turned it into a high-tech award winner. For tech professionals, this presents a unique opportunity: Many businesses up for succession are barely digitized. Those who bring software, data, and automation to the table can bring an existing business into the modern era.

The biggest hurdle is often financing: “In some cases, succession is even more difficult than starting a new business.”

In the U.S., there are so-called search funds that enable well-trained young professionals to take over companies—an approach that would also be exciting here in Germany.

Why the Chamber of Industry and Commerce presents the award: What It offers and where it falls short

The IHK is all about role models. It wants to inspire people to start their own businesses and show that self-employment is a real alternative to a salaried job.

And it debunks a myth: “Starting a business isn’t complicated. Usually, all it takes is registering with the business registration office, and then you’re in business.” For the award winners, something else matters: “When you can’t sleep at night and wonder if you’re still on the right track, and then the IHK says, ‘You’re getting the Startup Award,’ that’s a huge motivational boost.”

The prize is worth 3 × 10,000 euros—one of the most generously endowed startup awards in Germany, by the way.

To be honest, though, Alexander also says: “For a company that’s already successful, the 10,000 euros is more of a ‘nice-to-have.’”

One team, for example, finally treated themselves to the long-awaited coffee machine with the prize money. More valuable are the video, photos, press coverage, and the seal of approval from an established institution when it comes to venture capital or new clients. Only very rarely is an award used discreetly: A former winner, who competed directly against a major industrial conglomerate with control technology, deliberately kept the award low-key. He didn’t want his customers to think of him as a young startup.

“You have to give the impression: We’ve been around forever, and we’ll always be here.”

But in the 30-year history of the Founder’s Award, this has remained an isolated case.

From award winner to jury member: The benefits of networking

Johannes Lehmann illustrates just how far the award can take you. He himself received the award in 2019 for his leadership in business succession at Frör Kunststofftechnik GmbH and now serves on the jury. This is not uncommon: Former award winners are invited to the award ceremonies, join the jury, or get involved in the Chamber of Industry and Commerce’s (IHK) expert committees.

“It’s definitely networking,” says Alexander.

Furthermore, according to the IHK, most of the award-winning companies are still in business today. In the startup scene, where many young companies don’t survive their first few years, that’s a remarkable achievement. Thirty years of award recipients show that anyone who starts or takes over a business in Middle Franconia isn’t just building for the moment, but for the future. Here’s to the next 30 years of entrepreneurial spirit!

Networking is also the key theme at the Nürnberg Digital Festival. In the Innovation & Business track, as a founder, you’ll find inspiration for your business, connect with people to help you take the next step, and have a platform to showcase yourself—for example, by hosting your own event as part of the program. Save the date: June 14–24, 2027.

More information

Alexander Fortunato

Alexander Fortunato is the head of the Trade and Services | Startup | Business Development Division at the Nuremberg Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) for Middle Franconia and oversees, among other things, the IHK Middle Franconia Startup Award. He has been with the IHK since 2013 and has been involved with the award for a total of about five years.

FAQ

What is the IHK Middle Franconia Start-up Award?
The IHK Middle Franconia Start-up Award is an award presented by the Nuremberg Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) for Middle Franconia to young companies with demonstrable market success. It has been awarded since 1996 and will be presented for the 30th time in 2026. Three winners will each receive 10,000 euros.

Who is eligible to apply for the IHK Start-up Award?
Companies based in Middle Franconia that are members of the IHK and were founded or acquired no more than five years ago. Freelancers are not eligible to participate.

Who won the 2026 IHK Middle Franconia Start-up Award?
FiveD GmbH from Erlangen (virtual test environments for radar systems), Kronos Mechatronics GmbH from Nuremberg (3D printing for electronics and mechatronics), and Nerdware GmbH from Nuremberg (software and AI studio for the digitization of business processes).

Can you win the Startup Award through a business succession?
Yes. Successors who have taken over and reoriented a business can also apply within the first five years after the takeover. One 2026 award winner, Kronos Mechatronics, emerged from a takeover.

How well-positioned is the startup scene in Nuremberg?
The Nuremberg metropolitan region brings together startup hubs like the ZOLLHOF, chambers of commerce, universities, and networks such as the Nuremberg Digital Festival. According to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK), these stakeholders work closely together, which makes the region competitive even when compared to Munich.