Hello!
HEADS UP, GASTRO FOUNDERS & FOOD VISIONARIES IN THE DACH REGION!
If you have a brilliant idea for a new restaurant, an innovative café, or a revolutionary food concept, this is your stage! Whether you are just in the planning phase or recently opened your doors, this competition is the absolute gold standard in the German-speaking region to catapult your gastronomy startup to the next level and get the chance to win support packages worth a total of €100,000!!
🇩🇪🇦🇹🇨🇭 Deutscher Gastro-Gründerpreis 2027
🏆 Name of the Competition: Deutscher Gastro-Gründerpreis 2027 (German Gastro-Founder Award)
🎯 Aim: To award and support the best and most innovative gastronomy startup concepts from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, professionally guiding young ideas on their way to market readiness.
📍 Organizer: INTERNORGA (Hamburg Messe), Leaders Club Germany, and the point-of-sale system provider orderbird.
☝️ Focus (Core Tracks): Looking for new gastronomic concepts of all kinds. The expert jury evaluates ideas based on three main criteria:
Innovation: How unique, creative, and future-proof (e.g., sustainability, inclusion, new food trends) is the concept?
Economic Viability: Is the idea solid, is there a robust business plan, and is the model profitably scalable?
Founder Personality: Entrepreneurial drive, passion, and the team behind the idea.
💸 Prize Fund & Support:
Massive Support Package: Support packages worth a total of €100,000 will be awarded. This includes comprehensive starter packages (worth over €10,000) for all finalists and, depending on the placement, massive cash prizes (up to €50,000 in seed capital for the winner).
Professional Coaching: The winner receives, among other things, a 40-hour intensive consultation by industry experts from the Leaders Club Germany to further develop the concept.
Network & Reach: A live pitch final in front of a professional audience at the leading trade fair INTERNORGA, massive media visibility, and direct access to a huge industry and investor network.
✅ Who can apply?
Target Group: Founders of legal age from the entire DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).
Readiness: Your gastronomic concept must have been launched/opened after April 1, 2025. Projects that are still purely in the implementation phase are also eligible (planned opening must take place by December 31, 2027 at the latest).
Cost: 100% free (zero application fees).
📅 Deadlines (2027 Cycle):
Application Deadline: November 23, 2026
Live Pitch Finals: March 12, 2027 at INTERNORGA (Hamburg, Germany)
💡 My Comment: If you want to take off in the gastronomy sector, there is truly no better competition in the German-speaking region. The combination of extremely valuable cash prizes, expert coaching by the Leaders Club, and incredible visibility at INTERNORGA is an absolute gamechanger for young food concepts. The application process requires a short pitch video—it is 100% worth it! 🍳🍽️🚀
I wish you much success with your applications!
See you next time! :)
Best,
Bartosz and Hannah
About The Bootstrap Insider
The Bootstrap Insider is a newsletter that helps startups discover and apply for pitch competitions, ensuring they never miss out on valuable opportunities. It addresses the problem of missed funding and exposure chances due to lack of information. Created by Bartosz Kajdas, an experienced entrepreneur, venture builder and Pitchtrainer, the platform leverages his expertise to provide timely and relevant updates.
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