‘Forward AM Innovation Award’ launched for startups to accelerate innovation with additive manufacturing
- Major global contest for startups with innovative, sustainable and scalable ideas using 3D printing
- Startups to be judged and coached by a stellar team of sponsors: AMPOWER, AMT, Autodesk, HP, Photocentric, Sculpteo, and Ultimaker
- AM Ventures, BASF Venture Capital GmbH, Deloitte, and Women in 3D Printing also to support
- EUR 185,000 prize plus top-flight networking
Forward AM, the BASF 3D Printing Solutions brand, launches the ‘Forward AM Innovation Award’, the very first global contest for startups developing new applications with 3D printing. The objective is to accelerate the adoption of Additive Manufacturing by supporting the work of trailblazing entrepreneurs, originators of innovative, sustainable and scalable ideas that leverage the unique possibilities of 3D printing.
The contest is sponsored by an outstanding team of industry leaders: AMPOWER, AMT, Autodesk, HP, Photocentric, Sculpteo, and Ultimaker. AM Ventures, BASF Venture Capital GmbH, Deloitte and Women in 3D Printing will also support. Each of them will contribute their specific expertise to the contest. Alongside Forward AM they will select the startups, provide expert coaching sessions, and grant the winners access to their catalog of products and services for a total of EUR 185,000.
The Forward AM Innovation Award has been designed to accelerate 3D printing startups that are innovative, scalable, and focused on sustainability. Finalists can look forward to EUR 20,000 in goods and services, along with premium industry connections, coaching, and marketing exposure. At the Finals, the winning startup will then receive the Grand Prize of EUR 80,000 in goods and services to choose from the sponsors’ catalog. The winner will also have the opportunity to meet the venture capitalists of AM Ventures and BASF Venture Capital GmbH in a dedicated personal session.
The contest is flanked by two further awards: The Deloitte Sustainability Award offers EUR 10,000 in cash to the startup with the best sustainability strategy, while the Public’s Choice Award will reward the startup that wins the audience’s vote at the Finals in June with an extra EUR 15,000 in goods and services.
Applications are open until March 28, 2021. Entrepreneurs from all over the world are invited to apply via the Forward AM website: move.forward-am.com/award. On Social Media, the contest can be found under the hashtag #ForwardAMaward.
About BASF 3D Printing Solutions
BASF 3D Printing Solutions GmbH, headquartered in Heidelberg, Germany, is a 100% subsidiary of BASF New Business GmbH. It focuses on establishing and expanding the business under the Forward AM brand with advanced materials, system solutions, components and services in the field of 3D printing. BASF 3D Printing Solutions is organized into startup-like structures to serve customers in the dynamic 3D printing market. It cooperates closely with the global research platforms and application technologies of various departments at BASF as well as with research institutes, universities, startups, and industrial partners. Potential customers are primarily companies that intend to use 3D printing for industrial manufacturing. Typical industries include automotive, aerospace, and consumer goods. For further information please visit: www.forward-am.com.
About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. More than 117,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €59 billion in 2019. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com .
