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The   moment   that   counts   deserves   a   real   stage.  

An award ceremony isn't the end of an application process. It's the moment a promise gets kept. We produce award ceremonies that make winners feel what they've achieved — and take the whole audience with them.

4 Years Running
OOTB Award NRW
€50,000 prize pool
Gamescom + Hannover Messe
International Stages
Startup awards in the fair ecosystem
Engagementpreis NRW
State Prize
With the Minister-President of NRW
The Problem

Too many awards honour
the organiser, not the winner.

Most award ceremonies follow the same script: the host reads a name, a trophy gets handed over, a photo is taken, applause, next. The audience sits there waiting for the buffet. The winners feel seen for ten seconds — and then the moment is gone.

The problem isn't the idea behind the award. The problem is the design of the stage. If you want to show real appreciation, you need to give the winner real space: time, context, story. An award ceremony that works makes winning an experience — not a logistical checkbox at the end of a long day.

"135 startup applications. 58 investors. Three years at Gamescom. The Invest Circle isn't a competition — it's an ecosystem. And every award ceremony is the moment that ecosystem becomes visible."

Award Formats

We come from the startup world.
That changes everything.

Startup awards, state prizes, industry honours: every format has its own logic. What they all share — the decisive moment is the stage.

01

The Startup Award

For the next generation.

Startup awards have their own energy. The audience is younger, hungrier, more critical. The winners have often fought for years before this moment arrives. We build ceremonies that capture that energy: real jury dramaturgy, real conversations on stage, real context for each winner. The Gamescom Invest Circle and the Hannover Messe Industrial Startup Stage are examples of exactly this.

02

The State Prize

Recognition that carries weight.

When a minister-president takes the stage, the production must be flawless. State honours live at the intersection of protocol, press, and genuine emotion. We know how to serve both: the formal dignity that the occasion demands — and the human warmth that actually moves the winner. The Engagementpreis NRW is that format.

03

The Industry Award

The stage for an entire sector.

Industry honours are positioning instruments. Whoever runs them sets the standard. We help build award formats that live up to that responsibility: a fair, transparent application process, a strong jury, and a stage that resonates through the year. The OOTB Award NRW is an example — four years, growing.

OOTB Award NRW - Startup Award Ceremony - PIRATEx

OOTB Award NRW — 4 Years, €50,000 Prize Pool

Engagementpreis NRW - State Prize Ceremony - PIRATEx

Engagementpreis NRW — with the Minister-President

Gamescom Invest Circle 2024 - Startup Award - PIRATEx

Gamescom Invest Circle

Cologne — Annual

Deep Dive

Not just a ceremony.
An ecosystem.

Gamescom Invest Circle

Three years running. 135 startup applications in 2025. 58 investors on stage and in the room. The Invest Circle is the matching format for gaming startups and capital — and the award ceremony is the moment that matching gets its stage.

Hannover Messe Industrial Startup Stage

Two years, world stage. Hannover Messe is the global industrial fair. We built the Industrial Startup Stage as a format that gives industrial startups a real platform — with pitches, jury, and award ceremony within the fair ecosystem.

What these formats share

None of them are one-off events — they're formats that grow year after year. Because application numbers go up. Because investors come back. Because the stage builds reputation — for the winners and for the organiser.

Hannover Messe Industrial Startup Stage - Award Ceremony - PIRATEx
Hannover Messe Industrial Startup Stage
"Awards that only happen once get forgotten fast. Awards that become a format change an industry."

Two years at Hannover Messe. Startups rethinking the industrial landscape.

STAGE / AWARDS & CEREMONIES

Straight Answers on Award Ceremonies

Can you build an award format from scratch?

Yes — and it's one of our core strengths. The OOTB Award NRW is a format we built from zero: concept, criteria, application process, jury process, stage. Four years running, €50,000 prize pool, NRW-wide visibility. We think award formats not as one-off events but as brand properties with real long-term value.

How do you handle the judging process?

That depends on the format. We can set up a full judging process with online applications, panel voting, and shortlist communications — or we can take over just the stage production for an already-existing process. Both work.

What makes a good award ceremony — and what makes it cringe-worthy?

A good ceremony gives winners real space: their moment, their story, their name. It becomes cringe-worthy when it turns into a promotional vehicle for the organiser, when presenters aren't prepared, or when the tech breaks. We build award ceremonies so the winner is at the centre — not the client.

Can you produce award events at major trade fairs like Gamescom or Hannover Messe?

Yes — and we know those environments well. The Gamescom Invest Circle and the Hannover Messe Industrial Startup Stage are both formats we built in exactly those contexts. Large fairs have their own logistics, infrastructure, and ambient noise levels. We know how to create award atmosphere within all of that — with genuine focus and dignity.

How much lead time does an award ceremony need?

For an existing event with a clear concept and guest list: 8–12 weeks is enough. If the award is being built from scratch — including application format, jury, and communications: at least 4–6 months. The difference is in the communication runway, not the stage production.

What does an award ceremony cost?

A straightforward awards evening for 100–200 people with clear dramaturgy and technical production starts at around €15,000. Full award formats with a judging process, live stream, and content production start at around €40,000. We quote individually based on your format and audience.

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Your award.
Our stage.

Startup award, state prize, or industry honour — we build the ceremony the moment deserves. No checkbox events. Real respect for the winners.

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Startup Awards · State Prizes · Industry Honours · Germany & Europe