IF Innovation Award

Immaterial Future Association is calling for innovative solutions that make culture the driver of humanity’s growth. The winner will receive a EUR 50,000 non-equity funding. 

About the award

From April 19 to June 1, 2021, Immaterial Future (IF) association invites technological startups and projects from anywhere in the world to apply for IF Innovation Award.

We are looking for projects that leverage technology to address, directly or indirectly, at least one of the following challenges:

1. Develop new business models that give culture financial independence.
2. Develop distribution models that allow wide access to cultural experiences while upholding the authenticity of these experiences.

Open call invites proposals from technological startups, profit or non-profit organizations or the academic world.

The Award was established by Immaterial Future association that aims to explore and develop a new approach to humanity’s growth. This approach is to shift growth into the plane of immateriality, with culture as the main vector of change.

We intend to support projects that see an untapped potential in culture to facilitate this shift.

We launched the IF Innovation Award where the best submission receives a prize of EUR 50,000. The Award will take place in Vienna, September 7, 2021, during the Immaterial Future Forum. 

Six selected finalists will be invited to the Forum in Vienna to showcase their projects to potential partners and investors with a specific interest in culture and technology. Best submission will be selected after the showcase.

Eligibility

Through this open call, we intend to support existing technological projects that propose new ideas for culture as a driver of the shift into intangible production and consumption.

We are looking for projects that leverage technology to develop:

1. New business models that give culture financial independence.
2. Distribution models that allow wide access to cultural experiences without losing its authenticity.

Candidates should fulfill the following criteria:

• You have used less than €1 million on funding your project
• You are a team of at least 2 persons deeply committed to this project
• You have at least a working prototype of your product (be it only a ‘minimum viable product’).

• Applying is only possible via the online application form. However, if you would like to send additional material, please contact us at opencall@immaterialfuture.org.
• Please make sure that you hold the copyrights to all submitted material. 
• We may use parts of your application in our documentation, even if you are not selected for participation in the project’s next stages.

• We only accept applications in English. Furthermore, all public events and communication take place in English.

Selection process

• Following a careful review of all applications, a long list of 15 candidates will be announced. They will be invited for the online interviews with the jury led by a chairman Oliver Holle – founder and managing director of Speedinvest. 

• The jury will select six finalists and invite them for the projects showcase in Vienna, September 5-7, 2021, at Immaterial Future Forum. The association will cover travel and accommodation (one representative for each finalist).
• The award ceremony where a laureate gets a prize of EUR 50,000 will take place on September 7.