Kick-off for the Master-Founder Award

In 2026, the Peter and Luise Hager Foundation will once again honor outstanding founders in the German electrical trade.

For the fifth time, the foundation is awarding the Master-Founder Prize, which is presented every two years. A total of three winners will be honored, each receiving prize money of €10.000. This year's call for entries was launched on March 8, 2026, at the Light + Building electrical trade fair.

All registered master electricians who have founded their own business or taken over an existing business as a successor since January 1, 2021, are eligible to apply. A seven-member jury comprised of prominent representatives from electrical trade associations, master craftsman training institutions, chambers of skilled crafts, politics, and the Hager Group will decide on the winner. Anke Rehlinger, Minister-President of Saarland, will be the patron of the 2026 Master Craftsman Founder Award.

A seven-member jury decides

The evaluation criteria for the award include not only economic facts but also entrepreneurial spirit, sustainable business practices, personnel management and training strategy.

The seven-member jury consists of renowned personalities from politics, business and crafts: In addition to Anke Rehlinger and the Saarland Minister of Economic Affairs Jürgen Barke, Dominik Schömer, Head of the Education Academy at the Saarland Chamber of Crafts, also sits in the panel.

 

Background: Online applications accepted until August 31, 2026 Background All information about the Master Founder Award and the link to the application form are available online here.
Application Interested founders can apply online until August 31, 2026. This year's award ceremony will take place on October 14, 2026, as part of "Gedatec (Belektro)" in Berlin.

DHB now also digital!Simply click here and register for the digital German Crafts Journal (DHB)!

Further news from the district of the Saarland Chamber of Crafts