The award winners with Minister of Economic Affairs Mona Neubaur (front right) and Johanna Antonie Tjaden-Schulte, Member of the Executive Board of NRW.Bank (front left). (Photo: © NRW.BANK)
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9 December 2025
The three winners of "Courage - the NRW Start-up Prize" have been selected: The winners are focusing on digitalization in dental technology, climate-friendly wooden facades, and vegan banana bread. The prize is endowed with a total of 60.000 euros.
Starting a business or taking over an existing one requires courage, passion, innovative ideas, and perseverance. NRW.Bank has been recognizing this since 2012 with its "Courage - the NRW Start-up Prize" competition . This year, two master craftsmen's businesses are among the three prize winners.
The awards, each worth €20.000, go to Glowkitchen Food GmbH from Münster, Prinoa Dental GmbH from Solingen, and Schreinerwehr GmbH from Hürth. A total of ten founders were nominated, including, from the skilled trades sector, Salon Madita Haircolorist, run by master hairdresser Madita Harms from Düren, and Lippe Solar GmbH from Geseke. "I am particularly pleased that we have so many skilled trades startups among the finalists this year," said jury chair Prof. Dr. Christine K. Volkmann.
The competition is under the patronage of Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection, Mona Neubaur . She presented the prizes at the NRW.Bank premises in Düsseldorf together with Johanna Antonie Tjaden-Schulte , board member of the state's development bank.
Minister Mona Neubaur congratulated the winning teams: "They demonstrate what is possible when you show courage and put good ideas into practice. The many committed founders in North Rhine-Westphalia are taking responsibility, creating new jobs, and making our everyday lives more digital, sustainable, and simply better." The Minister also emphasized the comprehensive advisory services offered by the Chambers of Skilled Crafts, the Chambers of Industry and Commerce, and the NRW.Bank.
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“We can help and provide financing,” said Johanna Antonie Tjaden-Schulte of NRW.Bank. “We provide impetus for digital and sustainable transformation and support founders in realizing their smart ideas.” The success of all three award-winning companies is based on courage, a spirit of innovation, and a clear understanding of their customers’ needs.
It became clear that the shortage of skilled workers affects almost all of the nominated companies and that they are trying to address the issue with digital processes and an attractive working environment.
From online ordering to shipping within 24 hours: Prinoa Dental GmbH , managed by Marcus Kalb from Solingen, makes dental prosthetics such as crowns, bridges, and splints quickly available using digital processes . "Our motto is 'Clicked, milled, delivered,'" says founder Marcus Kalb.
Dental laboratories can place orders around the clock via the online customer portal. Every product is manufactured fully digitally using innovative materials and new technologies, and is manually inspected before shipping. The company has developed its own process control software for this purpose, which will soon be available on the market.
At Schreinerwehr GmbH in Hürth, owned by Felix Possel and Georg Willig, building and climate protection go hand in hand. The company specializes in sustainable facade renovation using wood. The facade systems, including insulation, consist entirely of locally sourced timber.
This solution is suitable for both new buildings and energy-efficient renovations. Schreinerwehr covers all services, from consultation to installation and insulation.
Felix Possel and Georg Willig also do a lot to improve the working atmosphere: The team has breakfast together every morning, the company pays for the master craftsman training, and the workday ends at 4:30 pm.
The success story began in 2017 as an assembly service with a cordless screwdriver, a circular saw, and a vintage red fire engine. Hence the name "Schreinerwehr" (Carpenter's Fire Brigade).
The team at Glowkitchen Food GmbH from Münster demonstrates with their baked goods – especially organic and vegan banana bread in five flavors – made from sustainable and high-quality ingredients , that sweet snacks, conscious eating, and enjoyment are compatible. Their customers include many supermarkets, airlines, and Deutsche Bahn (German Rail).
Instead of refined sugar, palm oil, and white flour, the baking pans contain plenty of real fruit, rapeseed oil, whole-grain spelt flour, and other high-quality plant-based ingredients. The managing directors are Marc Wetzel, Hanna Schlitt, Charlotte Mosler, and Laura Knüfermann. The jury believes the company has the potential to transform the food industry.
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The "Courage - NRW Start-up Prize" competition , with a total prize money of €60.000, is one of the most prestigious competitions of its kind in Germany. The jury, chaired by Prof. Dr. Christine K. Volkmann, consists of representatives from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, NRW.Bank, and experts from the start-up and business sectors in North Rhine-Westphalia. Source: NRW.Bank
Source: NRW.Bank; DHB
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