DMEA nova Award
A big stage for young companies and startups
DMEA nova Award
The DMEA nova Award recognizes startups whose visionary and compelling ideas and solutions are driving the digital transformation of the healthcare sector.
Why participate?
- Present your ideas, products, and solutions to a professional audience, as well as experts, potential investors, and partners.
- A wide range of networking opportunities and direct access to decision-makers in healthcare, IT, medicine, and nursing
- The opportunity to present your business idea or solution on the European digital health stage, thereby fostering growth, partnerships, and investment
- An attractive prize with a total value of EUR 7,500
Steps to the DMEA Nova Award 2026
- Open Call for Ideas
Application Period: December 3, 2025 to February 15, 2026 - Evaluation period
January 19 to February 19, 2026
The expert jury reviews all submitted pitch decks and nominates the 20 most promising startups for the live pitches at DMEA. - Live Pitches at DMEA
April 21 and 22, 2026.
The nominees will present their ideas and solutions to the audience and the expert jury in four preliminary rounds. - Final Session and Awards Ceremony
April 23, 2026
The four winners of the preliminary rounds will compete for the DMEA nova Award 2026.
Key themes
The key themes for which you can submit your application for the 2027 award will be available here in winter 2026.
The Jury
The expert jury of the DMEA nova Awards is composed of recognized experts from the fields of science, healthcare, technology, and entrepreneurship. Drawing on their interdisciplinary expertise, they evaluate digital health startups and scale-ups in terms of their level of innovation, benefits, and impact.
The common goal is to highlight particularly promising solutions that contribute to the further development of modern, digital healthcare.
All jury members
Dr. Manasi Aichmüller-Ratnaparkhe
PAICON
Claudia Dirks
Science & Startups
Dr. Nicolai Heinzelmann
TUM Venture Labs Healthcare
Karolin Hewelt
de:hub Initiative
Dr. Lena Kieseler
Flying Health
Maren Lesche
Vision Health Pioneers / Startup Colors
Svenja Liefländer
Flying Health
Tobias Neisecke
Wirtschaftsförderung Land Brandenburg GmbH (WFBB)
Dr. Chris Rehse
Bundesverband Deutsche Startups
Dr. Philipp Stoffers
Hasso-Plattner-Institut (HPI)
Agnes E. Uhr, LL.M.
Bertelsmann Healthcare Investments
Thilo Veil
Business Angels Club Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. (BACB) / T Ventures-Berlin
Oliver Volckmer
OHA Osnabrück Healthcare Accelerator GmbH
Jonathan Zebhauser
Freie Universität Berlin / AI Nation (formerly K.I.E.Z.)
Dr. Jörg A. Zimmermann
Business Angels Club Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. (BACB)
FAQs About the DMEA nova Award
Digital health startups that were founded no more than five years prior to the DMEA are eligible to participate in the competition.
Submitting an application and participating in the competition are free of charge.
Applications can only be submitted via the bvitg Service GmbH submission portal. After uploading, the application can be supplemented, modified, or withdrawn until the application deadline. Submissions via email will not be considered.
Applications may be submitted in German or English. However, all presentations and pitches at the DMEA must be delivered in English.
The winning startup will receive a prize package worth a total of EUR 7,500, consisting of a cash prize of EUR 2,500 and a media package worth EUR 5,000.
The DMEA nova Award is sponsored and presented by the German Association for Healthcare IT (bvitg e. V.).
The competition is organized by bvitg Service GmbH, Markgrafenstraße 56, 10117 Berlin.
