When you experience so many good ideas, courageous teams and people with a desire for the future in one place in one evening, you realise once again: Dortmund can start up.

The start2grow Pitch & Party 2026 at DEPOT Kulturort Dortmund was just such an evening. A special mix of competition, community and after-work atmosphere in a location that fits perfectly: Industrial charm, open spaces, a stage in the centre and conversations everywhere that sound like „How can we work together?“.

🏆 Im Rahmen der Pitch & Party wurden die Siegerteams des diesjährigen @start2grow Wettbewerbs ausgezeichnet:

🥇 1. Platz: Spree monitoring - The monitoring system based on the innovative coda wave interferometry (CWI) technology is intended to help detect damage to buildings at an early stage and enable predictive maintenance management. The start-up was founded by Sven Focht and Julia Hau.

🥈 2. Platz: cargovibe stands for the construction of the first driver-centred software to improve the day-to-day work of truck drivers - integrated in the vehicle, modular and developed together with the industry. The team is made up of Philipp Bracht, Michel Schrick and Leon Schumacher.

🥉 3. Platz: wailand. They automate the engineering process for industrial customers through the use of workflow automation and AI services. Founded by Dr Martin Peters and Dr Patrick Kübler

As TechnologieZentrumDortmund (TZDO), we are particularly pleased that we were once again able to award the TZDO special prize (€10,000) this year. This time it went to wailand and cargovibe.

Congratulations to all the winning teams and just as much respect to all the finalists and participants.

This evening has once again shown how strongly the start-up ecosystem in Dortmund and the region is networked and how much energy is generated when it is brought together.