Heilbronn Slush'D

The startup festival Heilbronn Slush’D has established itself within the German and European innovation ecosystem. The event is organized by Campus Founders, the startup and co-innovation hub in Heilbronn. With its diverse program and vibrant community, Heilbronn Slush’D provides an international platform that brings together entrepreneurs and decision-makers in one place.

This year, the festival and its exclusive side events will once again welcome 1,000 key decision-makers and thought-leaders from the European tech and startup scene.

Startups: At Heilbronn Slush’D, startups have the opportunity to showcase their innovative solutions on stage and convince the audience. They can build valuable connections and network with fellow founders, industry experts, and like-minded individuals.

Investors: (Pre-)Seed and early-stage investors can gain insights into the latest trends in Heilbronn, Europe’s center for artificial intelligence, and establish direct connections with founders, startups, and well-established, often medium-sized companies.

Corporations: Forward-thinking companies can explore the latest technologies and secure a competitive edge in innovation. They will have the chance to connect with professionals, startups, and investors, gain exclusive insights, and showcase their own innovative strengths.

Research Institutes: Researchers and scientists will have the opportunity to discuss the practical applications of their latest technologies in collaboration with industry experts, R&D teams, and startups.

Our application process ensures that only relevant participants who are genuinely interested in networking and collaboration take part.

High-Profile Speakers at Heilbronn Slush’D

Among this year’s speakers on the main stage:

– Petter Made, Co-Founder of SumUp and Partner at EWOR, which has committed €60 million to supporting the world’s most exceptional early-stage entrepreneurs.

– Agate Freimane, General Partner at impact investor Norrsken VC, the largest European Early Stage impact VC.

– Sophia Rödiger, CMO of climate tech scaleup 1KOMMA5°, Germany’s first green unicorn, building a pan-European energy platform to accelerate the transition to net-zero homes.

– Fabian Veit, CEO of the leading visual automation and integration platform make.com and former COO of Celonis, the Munich-born process mining decacorn.

– Evan Floden, CEO of Seqera and creator of Nextflow, a leading open-source software platform for scientific data analysis and cloud workflows.

– Sebastian Klaus, CEO of Atmos Space Cargo, a European pioneer in developing reusable transport capsules from space.

– Stefan Reuther, co-founder Venta AI, a newly funded startup developing AI-powered sales automation solutions—recently backed by Google’s Gradient VC.

– Katharina Unger, CEO and Founder of Livin Farms, sustainability thought leader pioneering insect-powered food and agtech innovation.

– Tina Dreimann, Founder and Managing Director of better ventures, Europe’s leading alliance for impact entrepreneurship with over 100 entrepreneurial business angels.

– David Reger, CEO & Founder at Neura Robotics, the German robotics trailblazers that just recently raised a € 120 Million Series-B.

– Agata Hidalgo, European Affairs Lead at France Digitale, the largest startup and investor association in Europe, federating 2000 startups, investors, incubators and accelerators.

– Sophia Escheu, Investor at Speedinvest, one of Europe’s most active early-stage investors with more than €1 billion AuM and 30 investors based in Berlin, London, Munich, Paris, and Vienna.

Startup Competitions at Heilbronn Slush’D

Heilbronn Slush’D also offers various pitch competitions with attractive prizes.

– The ONE Hundred Award includes a € 100,000 investment for pre-seed startups with a B2B focus that are in an early development stage and have already generated initial market interest. The winners will be selected by a jury of industry experts, successful entrepreneurs, and investors.

– Additional award categories are a Co-Innovation Award (€ 25,000 POC budget), Female Founders Award (€ 5,000), a Community Award (€ 5,000) and the ONE Driving Force Award (€ 10,000).

About Campus Founders

Campus Founders is the startup and co-innovation hub in Heilbronn. Its programs combine hands-on experience, advanced methodologies, financial support, a strong mentorship network, and an international network. They cater to all phases of the entrepreneurial journey, from initial ideation and problem-solution fit validation to achieving product-market fit and scaling the business model. By doing so, Campus Founders empowers early-stage startups to accelerate their progress and fuel their international growth.

As a platform, Campus Founders brings together students, entrepreneurs, investors, and corporations, fostering collaboration and co-innovation. A dynamic community of over 1,000 members actively engages in various event and networking formats. Additionally, Campus Founders specifically supports female founders through targeted exchange and mentoring programs.

Through its membership in the RISE Europe network—comprising the top 20 European startup ecosystems from 14 countries—Campus Founders builds bridges to international markets and expertise.

For the fourth time, Campus Founders is hosting Heilbronn Slush’D, attracting over 1,000 curated participants from the European innovation and startup ecosystem