Where Hamburg’s brightest ideas take center stage.

The Hamburg Innovation Summit (HHIS) brings together the region’s most ambitious innovators, creators, and future leaders. One of its biggest highlights:
🎉 The official presentation of the Hamburg Innovation Award 2026 — celebrating the most promising teams shaping the future.

Now it’s your turn to be part of it.

Choose the category that matches your vision

🧠 Ideation – powered by Startup Port

For early‑stage thinkers, visionaries, and founding teams who are still at the starting line.
Perfect if your startup is:

• In pre‑foundation or very early development
• Business registration planned or dated no earlier than 03.05.2026
• Not yet active on the market, or only just beginning

If you’re building something innovative or tech‑driven — even if it’s still on the drawing board — this is your category.

🚀 Start – powered by Startup City Hamburg

For startups that have already taken their first steps and are now ready to accelerate.
You qualify if:

• You are already on the market
• Your company was founded on or after 03.05.2021
• You’re in your early growth phase and ready for more visibility

If you’ve launched and are gaining traction — this is your moment.

🌍 International Founders – powered by Innovationstarter (IFB Hamburg)

This category targets international founders and founding teams active in Hamburg or the metropolitan region.

Eligible are individuals or teams planning or building an innovative, technology-oriented startup. The formal company founding must not date back more than five years.

At least one member of the founding team must be an international founder (first-generation, born abroad with own migration experience) and hold a minimum of 20% equity in the venture.

PS: The actual founding (registration in the commercial register) must not have taken place before 2021 and is therefore a maximum of five years old.

Ready to stand on the HHIS stage?

Download your application materials now and take the first step toward becoming one of Hamburg’s top innovators in 2026.