The Technology Award

For the eleventh time, Handelsblatt and McKinsey award The Spark – The Technology Award to exceptional and innovative start-ups whose ideas have the potential to fundamentally and sustainably change markets.

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Presented by von Handelsblatt und McKinsey & Company

The Spark is looking for the most innovative start-ups in the field of DEEP TECH.

Scaling Deep Tech

Deep-tech innovations are increasingly shaping the future of industrial value creation. Start-ups in this field develop new technologies and transform entire industries by translating scientific breakthroughs into market-ready applications. Their contribution becomes particularly relevant when solutions prove themselves not only in the laboratory but also under real industrial conditions.

THE SPARK 2026 focuses on innovation that has proven itself under real industrial conditions. What matters is the idea itself combined with its robust implementation in the market, in operational processes, and across complex value chains.

The award recognizes companies that combine digital technologies, such as AI, with physical innovations. The goal is to measurably strengthen the economic performance, technological capability, and structural resilience of the DACH region.

Emphasis is placed on strategic technology fields such as:

Advanced computing and quantum technologies
Critical infrastructure and technological sovereignty
Health infrastructure and bio-innovation
Industrial AI and robotics
Resilient energy and raw material systems

THE SPARK seeks out start-ups that shape the transition into the scaling phase through resilient partnerships with industry, investors, research institutions, and public stakeholders, sustainably anchoring their innovations in markets and ecosystems.

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The award for tech start-ups

For eleven years now, Handelsblatt and McKinsey have been awarding The Spark prize to the best technology start-ups. Each year, a focus topic is defined. This year’s topic is Scaling Deep Tech, which focuses on deep tech startups whose solutions in the fields of robotics, quantum computing, AI, and energy and raw materials systems have proven themselves under real industrial conditions and are thus changing markets in a sustainable way. Each year, a topic-specific jury of experts is assembled. This jury selects the winners from the 10 finalists defined in advance, who will be announced at the award ceremony on November 5 in Munich.

Apply now and secure your chance to win the coveted technology award – The Spark.

Application

2026

Develop technological innovation
into scalable industrial applications

Timeline

Application phase
open until

May 29, 2026
Nomination
of the Top 10 candidates

July 2026
Community
Voting

August 2026
Jury Session

September 16, 2026
Award Ceremony

November 5, 2026

Benefits

As a winner or finalist of The Spark, you will receive a variety of advantages worth approximately €50,000 in total.

Coaching for the jury session

Integration at McKinsey & Handelsblatt event

Presentation of your business idea at the award ceremony in front of a C-level audience

Personal contact and exchange with the experts of The Spark jury

Networking with The Spark alumni

Finalist icon for your own marketing

Participation in the award ceremony

Presentation on the-spark.de

Finalist advertisement in Handelsblatt

Animated film for the winning company

The Spark trophy for the winning company

Winner portrait in Handelsblatt

*Gross media value according to the current price lists of the Handelsblatt Media Group. Not payable in cash.

Nominating Committee

The Nomination Committee, comprised of representatives from McKinsey and Handelsblatt, as well as scientific subject matter experts, identifies the top 10 start-ups from all applications based on four evaluation criteria: novelty, scalability, customer benefit, and team & values.

The Jury

A selected panel of experts will choose the winners from the top 10 start-ups. During the jury session, all top 10 start-ups will pitch their business idea to the jury. This provides all finalists with the opportunity to network with distinguished representatives from science and industry.

Learn more