Start-ups @ DMEXCO

The place-to-be for all doers, visionaries and creative thinkers

Julia Leduc (Anymate Me), Start-Up Stage — Text

START-UP STAGE_Augmented Reality – true immersion_ — Text

The future begins here

Bringing together makers, innovators and visionaries, marketing and media experts, techies and creatives, DMEXCO is the ideal place for all future players and topics! Europe’s leading digital marketing and tech event provides the perfect setting for innovative start-ups to present their business potential to the digital market.

You also have fresh ideas to move forward?
Your start-up has a digital business model?
Your start-up is in an early growth phase (no more than 5 years old)?

Perfect! Join DMEXCO and be part of the future already today!

Startup Pitch @ DMEXCO 2025

Powered by StartupValley

For the third year in a row, we’re searching for the “Start-up of the Year” – live at DMEXCO!

Once again, StartupValley is bringing the most innovative founders to the big stage: At the official Startup Pitch at DMEXCO 2025, selected startups will have the chance to present their ideas to a live audience and a top-tier jury – and compete for a spot on the winner’s podium.

🔗 Apply now:
Startups that want to pitch at DMEXCO can apply now via our platform:
👉 startupvalley.news/de/dmexco

Competition Timeline

📅 September 17, 2025 – Preliminary Round
15 startups will pitch live at DMEXCO.
The audience will vote live on-site to decide who moves on to the final round.

📅 September 18, 2025 – Grand Finale
Finalists will pitch in front of an expert jury.
At the end, we will crown the Top 3 Startups of 2025 – live on stage!

What’s at Stake?

The top three startups will receive:

🏆 The exclusive StartupValley “Start-up of the Year” Award
👥 Exposure to investors, media, and key players in the digital industry

🏆 1st Prize
SPORT1 Mentorship: Exclusive Access to the SPORT1 World for Your Start-up

Strategy Workshop: Half-day session with our experts – tailored specifically to your start-up.
Pitch Your Vision: Exclusive business sparring with SPORT1 decision-makers including Q&A and personalized feedback.
Investor Insights: Introduction of SPORT1 as a potential investor and long-term partner.
Behind the Scenes: Insights into our departments including a studio tour & the opportunity to produce your own video.
Doppelpass Live: Exclusive invitation to our cult-format show – experience it up close on a Sunday of your choice.

🥈 2nd Prize
Smart Capital Experience Day – powered by butterfly & elephant and GS1 Germany

Strategic Growth Lab: Intensive strategy and growth sprint with our venture and industry experts. We challenge your business model, provide fresh market insights, and – if there’s a fit – open the door to butterfly & elephant.
Backstage & Beyond: Discover at GS1 Germany how standards, technologies, and networks are shaping the future of retail, FMCG, health & logistics – and how your start-up can benefit.
Innovation Live: Exclusive access to the GS1 Germany Science Award – one of the year’s most important innovation events, including networking with leading industry figures.

🥉 3rd Prize
Vector Mentorship – powered by Vector Informatik

Mentoring Session: Half-day, individual coaching with our Vector experts – on-site at our headquarters in Stuttgart or virtually.
Hands-On Sparring: Your vision in focus – strategy, product development, and market potential in exchange with our specialists, including Q&A and individual feedback.
Behind the Scenes: Guided tour through our departments with exciting insights into current projects and technologies.
Legendary Lunch Break: Shared lunch in our famous CANtine – a place where many great ideas have already been born.

Selection Process

Startups will be pre-selected via a community voting on LinkedIn – so rally your network and get those votes in!

Organizer: StartupValley
Location: DMEXCO 2025, Cologne, Germany
Pitch Dates: September 17–18, 2025

👉 Apply now and claim your spot on stage:
https://startupvalley.news/de/dmexco

Are you an accelerator or venture capitalist?

Then position your start-ups in the highly frequented and business-oriented DMEXCO environment and benefit from the high management level among DMEXCO visitors. Contact us – together we will develop an individual solution for your successful DMEXCO appearance!

Exhibitors & Partners 2025 (excerpt)

Be part of the future already today!

Secure your appearance at DMEXCO now and take your business to the next level!

Get in touch with us

Download further information here

Start-up Booklet DMEXCO 2025

Download

What our partners say:

"Great setup - with our large corner stand in an optimal location (Expo Package 8+) we got great value for money, everything appeared high quality and not at all like a start-up economy roll offer."

Jan Schoenmakers

Managing Director, HASE & IGEL GmbH

"We use the [...] DMEXCO to increase awareness of our new product ParcelDealz among our target audience and further expand our customer network with valuable contacts [...], are in direct exchange with our target group and benefit from the great atmosphere of the event."

Tanja Müller

Marketing Manager, ParcelDealz

"DMEXCO 2023 was a brilliant platform for us to showcase our AI-powered marketing budget optimization for digital advertising."

Marco Hochstrasser

Co-founder & CEO, Nexoya Ltd.

"The startup package enabled us to present ourselves adequately despite a tight budget and provided us with some exciting contacts and successfully implemented projects. We will definitely see you again next year."