On 12 June 2025, the StartUpYard at Wismar University of Applied Sciences became the centre of innovative start-up ideas. Nine teams faced a panel of experts at the regional finals of the state-wide INSPIRED ideas competition. The event was organised by the Robert Schmidt Institute (RSI) of Wismar UAS.
Svea Bublys, a Master's student on the Entrepreneurship programme, won the ‘Students’ category with her ‘mjölkav’ project. Her vision, which focuses on sustainable business and innovative brand development, was very well received by the jury and audience.
Second place went to a team from the Bachelor's degree programme in Nautical Science: Bastian Gabriel, Marcel Boelsch, Karl Schlüter and Elliott Steinberg. Their idea of a satellite-independent GPS backup system for shipping secured them a place in the state final.
Anna-Karina Katt and Karsten Schmiegel's team won the ‘Graduates and External’ category with an AI-supported system for wolf defence.
Second place went to the multidisciplinary and international team consisting of: John Samuel, Zefanya Ezranta, Muzhdah Shayan. They are in the middle of developing special glasses to support people with visual impairments.
The four first and second-placed teams will represent Wismar at the state finals on 9 July in Greifswald.
The INSPIRED competition offers start-ups a creative platform and structural support - from the initial idea to its realisation. In addition to cash prizes, participants benefit from coaching, network contacts and media visibility.
Many thanks to the jury: Prof Dr Jürgen Zeis (Wismar UAS), Dr Hartmut Domröse (Wismar UAS), Steffi Groth (Managing Director of ATI Westmecklenburg), Felix Kletzin (IHK zu Schwerin), Elisa Witt (founder of ‘Tisch’ Schwerin) and Johannes Dahl (Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft-MV). Their expertise contributed significantly to the quality of the competition.
We would also like to thank the sponsors of the regional competition, the “IHK zu Schwerin” and the Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft-MV for the prizes in both categories.
