Following last year’s successful launch, the Startup Challenge Schwedt – a project run by the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) in partnership with LEIPA Group GmbH and PCK Raffinerie GmbH – is entering its second round. Once again this year, teams from across Germany and beyond have the opportunity to contribute to the successful transformation of the industrial site in Schwedt with their ideas. 

The approach: The challenge is organised as a public tender (innovative procurement) addressing a specific technological challenge arising from regional structural change. The selected teams can then develop their concept for a pilot project based on their technology for the Schwedt site as part of a research and development contract. In doing so, they may also collaborate with the challenge’s industry partners. Subsequently, the most promising concepts will be selected, and these teams will then be able to implement their pilot project at the site under a larger contract. 

Theme of the second challenge: Sustainable materials in the process industry

Whilst transformation pathways in energy generation are already well advanced, the markets for sustainable raw materials are still in their infancy. The aim of the second Startup Challenge is to implement pilot projects at the site that demonstrate how basic chemicals, fibres, fuels, polymers, composites and process gases can be produced using renewable or secondary raw materials and renewable energy. Possible approaches include, for example:

• Catalysis and process efficiency for green chemistry

• Sustainable materials, fibres and polymers from waste and recycling streams

• Power-to-chemicals routes using green hydrogen and renewable CO₂ sources

• Biofuels and bio-based platform chemicals from regional waste and raw materials

As part of the challenge, the start-ups will also have the opportunity to engage with the challenge’s industry partners – PCK Raffinerie GmbH, LEIPA Group GmbH, ENERTRAG SE and VERBIO SE – to discuss potential application scenarios within regional industry and, where appropriate, to implement them. 

Challenge schedule

The challenge is divided into two phases:

1. Concept phase (application deadline: 15 May 2026, 10:00): Start-ups submit their ideas via the Brandenburg procurement marketplace. An independent jury selects up to ten teams to develop their concepts for pilot projects with the support of the industry partners. Each team receives up to €20,000 plus VAT.

2. Implementation phase: The top three teams will implement their pilot projects directly at the Schwedt industrial site. Up to €300,000 plus VAT is available per team for this purpose.

Timetable

• Application deadline: 15 May 2026, 10:00
• Jury meeting and team selection: 26 May 2026
• Start of the concept phase: 9 June 2026
• Concept pitch: 23 September 2026
• Start of pilot projects: 24 September 2026
• End of the challenge: End of 2027

Interested start-ups can now submit their proposals via the Brandenburg Procurement Marketplace: vergabemarktplatz.brandenburg.de

During the tender phase, three digital information sessions will be offered, for which registration is available via the website:

• 1st information session: 20 April 2026 – Registration
• 2nd information session: 29 April 2026 – Registration
• 3rd information session: 6–7 May 2026 – Registration

Further information on the challenge – including the application form, a factsheet and the winners of the first Startup Challenge Schwedt – can be found on our website: startuplabor-schwedt.de/innovationen/startup-challenge-2

About Startup Labor Schwedt (funding information): 

Startup Labor Schwedt is a project run by the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE), LEIPA Group GmbH and PCK Raffinerie GmbH, and is funded by the EXIST funding programme of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE) following a resolution by the German Bundestag, as well as by the Ministry of Science, Research and Culture of the State of Brandenburg.