INLEAP Photonics takes first place at Female StartAperitivo 2024
Ten female-led startups from ten federal states once again competed in the fourth edition of Female StartAperitivo. INLEAP Photonics from Hanover took first place with a laser technology that significantly speeds up manufacturing processes. Second place went to HandsOn! from Hamburg.
The finalists had each prevailed in the semi-finals of their respective federal states. The competition is organised by the Hamburg Investors Network, supported by local partners. The Ministry of Economics and Innovation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (BWI) is also involved in Female StartAperitivo; Economics Senator Dr Melanie Leonhard gave the welcoming address.
Business ideas for health and the food industry
The topics of health, nutrition and sustainability were a key focus. Primogene from Dresden entered the race with a special food formula for premature babies. ratzfatz from Berlin offers healthy frozen ready meals for children. For Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, fourTaste competed with tempeh made from lupins and yellow peas. THE OATER from Cologne primarily serves the catering industry with a machine for producing oat drinks. CU Mehrweg from Baden-Württemberg wants to establish a reusable system for food packaging.
Digital help for women going through the menopause is promised by hermaid, which represented Schleswig-Holstein. The offer is primarily aimed at companies that take care of their employees' health and thus reduce costly downtime. People with respiratory diseases often do not use inhalers properly, thus reducing their effectiveness. The app from VisionHealth from Munich helps them to optimise the use of the devices.
The top 3: INLEAP Photonics, HandsOn! and FISEGO
A panel of experts and the audience voted to determine which startup was the overall winner. Third place went to FISEGO from Hesse, represented by CTO Sophia Reiter. This startup has developed a technology designed to prevent fires caused by damage to electrical appliances. Second place went to Elena Dwenger and Aylin Kitte from Hamburg-based HandsOn!. They continued a success story that began at the Körber Start Hub's Next Generation Incubator. The aim of the founders is to get more young people, especially women, interested in skilled trades.
INLEAP Photonics and CFO Katharina Haas received the most votes and therefore first place. Her pitch was particularly convincing with impressive figures. The laser technology developed by the startup enables significantly accelerated manufacturing processes. The technology is currently only used to manufacture battery cells for electrically powered vehicles. It is also suitable for many other areas, which is why INLEAP Photonics is aiming for a turnover of 130 million euros by 2030.
