Special Impact Awards
On 6 June 2017, the Special Impact Award ceremony organised by KfW Stiftung and Social Impact gGmbH was held in Frankfurt. The prize was introduced for the first time in 2017 and serves as a reward for business models of new entrepreneurs who aim to develop sustainable and scalable business solutions for social problems under the “ANKOMMER. Perspektive Deutschland” and “AndersGründer” support programmes.
The Special Impact Award is designed to highlight the original and effective solutions developed by the social start-up businesses that are supported by KfW Stiftung in these Labs and to provide a total of EUR 45,000 in start-up aid to outstanding flagship projects in three categories.
In the “ANKOMMER. Perspektive Deutschland” category, the Special Impact Award including 20,000 euros of prize money for innovative solutions developed by (social) entrepreneurs improving refugees’ access to education, training and jobs in Germany is awarded to the “Willkommen in der Pflege” team. Managed by the healthcare professionals’ association “Bonner Verein für Pflege- undGesundheitsberufe e.V.”, the project offers a programme that gives comprehensive guidance and provides easy access to careers in nursing with a focus on elderly care as well as to household professions.
In the “AndersGründer” category, 20,000 euros in start-up aid for developing solutions for a particular social issue and transforming the idea into a long-term effective company are awarded to the “Companion2go” team from Marburg that has developed a platform offering an easy way for people with and without disabilities to meet up for joint events and trips.
In the “Community Award” category,selected by the online community of the “AndersGründer” und “ANKOMMER. Perspektive Deutschland” programmes, 5,000 euros are awarded to the “Bemela Coffee” team from Frankfurt. Their newly founded company sells fair-trade coffee while giving refugees the opportunity to train as baristas at a special coffee training centre.