Special Impact Award – The Award for Social Entrepreneurs
Social entrepreneurs increasingly play a vital role in Germany's economic development and their innovative ideas are crucial to solving pressing social problems.
In order to highlight their importance in ensuring society's future prosperity and to actively support their work, KfW Stiftung and Social Impact gGmbH have established the Special Impact Award.
The Special Impact Award is part of the programmes ANKOMMER. Perspektive Deutschland and AndersGründer which provide stipends and funding. They are a joint initiative launched by KfW Stiftung and Social Impact gGmbH and are carried out by the Social Impact Labs.
The total prize money amounts to 45,000 EUR and is awarded in three categories: ANKOMMER. Perspektive Deutschland, AndersGründer and Community. The flagship projects of the programmes AndersGründer and ANKOMMER each receive 20,000 EUR in start-up money. The winning team of the category AndersGründer is selected subsequent to a live pitch during the event. In addition, the special Community prize of EUR 5,000 is awarded. In the run-up to the prize, the Community decides through online voting which team from the programmes AndersGründer and ANKOMMER. Perspektive Deutschland is to be awarded.
The Special Impact Award was presented for the first time on 6 June 2017 in Frankfurt.
Special Impact Award 2018
The award ceremony of the Special Impact Award took place on October 18, 2018 in Frankfurt am Main. The joint event of the KfW Stiftung in cooperation with the Social Impact gGmbH marked the final highlight of the initiative "ANKOMMER. Perspective Germany " in 2018.
Under the patronage of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the nationwide scholarship program qualifies social start-ups that give refugees the opportunity to gain better access to education, training and work.
The Special Impact Award is awarded in three categories: "ANKOMMER", "AndersGründer" and "Community". All three awards together are endowed with prize money of 45,000 EUR.
With this award we want to emphasize the fundamental importance of the new founding movement of Social Entrepreneurs for securing the future viability of our society and economy.
More information about the event here.
Social-Start-up-Fair 2018
After the award ceremony of the Special Impact Award, the audience had the opportunity to visit the Social-Start-up-Fair, where several teams that have been supported by the KfW Stiftung presented and sold their products.
„bayti hier“– fashion label by a German-Syrian team
programme & location: AndersGründer, Duisburg
„chronikit“ bag with Asthma medication for kids
programme & location: AndersGründer, Duisburg
„DayCare Technology“ – virtual and mixed reality tool for the treatment of the elderly and impaired people
programme & location: AndersGründer, Frankfurt
„Stadtteilfabrik“ – furniture designed and produced out of bulk garbage
programme & location: AndersGründer, Duisburg
„fairTEILBAR“ – food waste recycling and food cycle education
programme & location: AndersGründer, Duisburg
„gramm.genau“ – food store without disposable packaging
programme & location: AndersGründer, Frankfurt
„neunmalklug verlag“ – publishing house for children's books with a Cradle to Cradle-concept
programme & location: AndersGründer, Frankfurt
„Land der Kulturen“ – touring exhibition with interactive games that allows a change of perspective for Germans
programme & location: ANKOMMER 2017/18, München
„Stitch by Stitch“ – sewing studio and fashion label employing sewists from Syria, Afghanistan and Madagascar as well as volunteers
programme & location: ANKOMMER 2016/17, Frankfurt
Special Impact Award 2017
On 6 June 2017, the Special Impact Award ceremony organised by KfW Stiftung and Social Impact gGmbH was held in Frankfurt. The prize was introduced for the first time in 2017 and serves as a reward for business models of new entrepreneurs who aim to develop sustainable and scalable business solutions for social problems under the “ANKOMMER. Perspektive Deutschland” and “AndersGründer” support programmes.
The Special Impact Award is designed to highlight the original and effective solutions developed by the social start-up businesses that are supported by KfW Stiftung in these Labs and to provide a total of EUR 45,000 in start-up aid to outstanding flagship projects in three categories.
In the “ANKOMMER. Perspektive Deutschland” category, the Special Impact Award including 20,000 euros of prize money for innovative solutions developed by (social) entrepreneurs improving refugees’ access to education, training and jobs in Germany is awarded to the “Willkommen in der Pflege” team. Managed by the healthcare professionals’ association “Bonner Verein für Pflege- undGesundheitsberufe e.V.”, the project offers a programme that gives comprehensive guidance and provides easy access to careers in nursing with a focus on elderly care as well as to household professions.
In the “AndersGründer” category, 20,000 euros in start-up aid for developing solutions for a particular social issue and transforming the idea into a long-term effective company are awarded to the“Companion2go”team from Marburg that has developed a platform offering an easy way for people with and without disabilities to meet up for joint events and trips.
In the “Community Award” category,selected by the online community of the “AndersGründer” und “ANKOMMER. Perspektive Deutschland” programmes, 5,000 euros are awarded to the “Bemela Coffee” team from Frankfurt. Their newly founded company sells fair-trade coffee while giving refugees the opportunity to train as baristas at a special coffee training centre.
Programme Management
Sonja Alt
Photo credits:
01. Image: Source: KfW Stiftung, Author / Photographer: Frank Blümler
02. Image: Source: KfW Stiftung; Author / Photographer: Abbi Wensyel Photography
03. Image: Source: KfW Stiftung; Author / Photographer: Abbi Wensyel Photography
04. Image: Source: KfW Stiftung; Author / Photographer: Abbi Wensyel Photography
05. Image: Source: KfW Stiftung; Author / Photographer: Abbi Wensyel Photography
06. Image: Source: KfW Stiftung; Author / Photographer: Abbi Wensyel Photography
07. Image: Source: KfW Stiftung; Author / Photographer: Abbi Wensyel Photography
08. Image: Source: KfW Stiftung, Author / Photographer: Frank Blümler
09. Image: Source: KfW Stiftung, Author / Photographer: Frank Blümler
10. Image: Source: KfW Stiftung, Author / Photographer: Frank Blümler
11. Image: Source: KfW Stiftung, Author / Photographer: Frank Blümler