History of futureSAX

Successful commitment to innovation and growth in Saxony since 2000

For 20 years, futureSAX has existed as the innovation platform of the Free State of Saxony. As a central contact in the Saxon start-up and innovation ecosystem, the goal of the cross-sector network is to make the innovation actors and the innovation country visible. Through a variety of measures, futureSAX sets growth impulses for sustainable innovations, networks cross-industry innovators from business and science and increases the effectiveness of innovation processes. The futureSAX Innovation Summit is an annual highlight and the meeting place for all players and innovation enthusiasts in the Free State.

The history of futureSAX

2018 - 2020 - futureSAX - consolidated and further developed

2020 - new robe for the 20th anniversary

The futureSAX brand and the Saxon Start-up Award are celebrating their 20th anniversary. This is the occasion to present itself in a new guise in order to do justice to the diversity of Saxon innovations across all target groups. In addition, the activities concerning entrepreneurship in connection with young people will be combined in the independent area NextGen. Due to the corona pandemic, various formats will be held in digital form and the highlight - the futureSAX innovation conference - will be held as a two-part series. In addition, the focus was on strengthening the transfer area - the Saxon Transfer Roadshow and the Saxon Transfer Forum were held for the first time.

2019 - Consistency & Growth

For the 20th time already, futureSAX awarded the winner of the Saxon Innovation Award on behalf of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. The Saxon Start-up Award and the Saxon Transfer Award as well as around 40 events and numerous measures round off the year. A new addition was the organization of the competitive procedure within the framework of the Free State's new start-up support program - InnoStartBonus - as well as the support of the selected recipients. Two calls with a total of 40 founders were the result of the two-year model project. The Saxon Mentoring Network continues to grow. For the first time, all mentors had the opportunity to exchange ideas with each other during the newly established Mentoring Day. The first own video formats, such as "Innovation Meets Investment", were created in order to better pass on the diverse experiences within the founder and innovation ecosystem in addition to the text interviews.

2018 - futureSAX GmbH: Start-up of Saxon Free State

The innovation platform of the Free State of Saxony becomes futureSAX GmbH. What began in 1999 as a business plan competition for the IT industry has successfully established itself as a project under the umbrella of the Ministry of Economics as a cross-industry and cross-technology interface for founders, companies, investors and knowledge and technology transfer actors in Saxony. The shareholders of the new GmbH are the Free State of Saxony and the Saxony Economic Development Corporation (WFS). The managing director of futureSAX GmbH will be Marina Heimann, a project manager of many years' standing. The new team at futureSAX GmbH is looking forward to continuing, developing and expanding the established formats as well as the comprehensive networking activities in the long term.

2013 - 2017 - futureSAX becomes an Innovation platform

2017 - Exchange of experience as a source of inspiration

In 2017, the Saxon Ministry of Economics, Labor, and Transportation carried out the various activities of futureSAX on its own initiative, with the goal of creating a sustainable structure and thus further strengthening the effect for Saxony. The Saxon Mentoring Network is being created, which gives young and established companies the opportunity to exchange experiences and relevant topics concerning the growth process with other entrepreneurs and knowledge carriers outside of professional consulting and coaching. In addition, the Saxon Transfer Award will be created to complement the futureSAX idea competition (now the Saxon Start-up Award) and the Saxon Innovation Award. A total of more than 100 applications once again demonstrate the potential and commitment in the innovation state of Saxony.

2016 - Rediscover Saxony as a land of innovation

The platform (homepage) will be expanded with additional functions due to increased requirements: futureSAX Innovation Radar (overview of innovative founders and entrepreneurs from the futureSAX network), joint event calendar, overview of the futureSAX partner networks, and optimization of the internal login area. The repertoire of event formats will also be further expanded through the futureSAX Innovation Exchange (cooperation requests between science and industry).

2015 - international visibility and the next generation

In spring, the futureSAX Start-up Corner will take place for the first time at the Hanover Fair to support Saxon start-ups in entering the market and increasing their level of awareness. After the successful debut in Germany, a second edition followed in the USA at SEMICON West. In autumn, the interface to the next generation - young people - will be launched via a cooperation - "futureSAX meets Jugend forscht" with the aim of strengthening the young spirit of innovation and invention in the Free State of Saxony. In addition, futureSAX launches a further sub-network with the meeting of futureSAX start-up network partners in order to establish a central point of contact for the Saxon start-up scene as well.

2014 - Knowledge and technology or capital transfer

futureSAX launches its communication through various social media channels. The first futureSAX Alumni Breakfast is held in the spring to connect companies and start-ups from previous competitions and to stimulate the exchange of experience. In the fall, the first futureSAX Investor Roadshow follows and the investor network is established to connect capital-seeking innovators with potential investors. In addition, the futureSAX know-how network (now the Saxon Transfer Network) is created as a central point of contact in the Saxon transfer business.

2013 - Strengthening the start-up ecosystem through companie

futureSAX is the first to be commissioned to organize the "Saxon Innovation Award", which has been awarded by the Free State of Saxony since 1992. In addition, the futureSAX Innovation Forum was introduced as a biannual, interactive expert forum and the foundation stone was laid for the futureSAX Alumni Circle, which includes the nominees of the futureSAX competitions. The annual highlight will be the futureSAX Innovation Summit, which also includes the awarding of awards for the competitions and an exhibition of the competition participants (showcase).

2008 - 2012 - a network of founders is created

2008 to 2012 - a network of founders is created - the founders' competition will grow up

2012 - Found and grow through innovation

This year, futureSAX comes up with two significant innovations: The new concept "Found and grow through innovation" replaces the classic business plan competition. And for the first time, the futureSAX ideas competition (now the Saxon Business Founder Award) is being held for the first time, with four specially created competition categories that are open to all industries and oriented to the markets in which they will be used. In addition, futureSAX invites to the innovation forums "Trends for the Economy" and "Creating Space for Innovations". Further highlights of the year are the final award ceremony and the innovation summit.

2011 - 1st Innovation Summit in the founding city of Dresden

The most important futureSAX events of the year are very popular. These include the 3rd Venture Capital Forum in Dresden as well as the future forum "planet@2021" with IBM and Datev and the forum "High-Tech with Fire and Flame". In addition, a new event is being launched: the Saxon Innovation Summit, which is taking place for the first time in Dresden.

2010 - futureSAX itself becomes an award winner: "Selected Landmark 2010" in the Land of Ideas

The special university prize awarded at futureSAX has been given a new name: Initiative Prize. Other significant innovations include the introduction of a start-up lunch with the Minister of Economics and a start-up breakfast. The spectrum of events ranges from the founder pitch with the High-Tech-Gründerfonds to the "Plan2020" forum and the "Rules of the Game - How we should deal with each other" forum. In 2010, futureSAX itself can claim a special success: the network was awarded the title of "Selected Landmark 2010" in the Land of Ideas.

2009 - An award for success oriented founders

The newly introduced HHL Founder's Prize makes the futureSAX business plan competition even more attractive. Among the most important events of the year are the 2nd Venture Capital Forum as well as the forum "Recognizing Opportunities - Restructuring and Growth through Innovation" and the Vodafone Forum "Making Secure Decisions".

2008 - Expansion of the competition to include network meetings

For the first time, a venture capital forum will be held and two forums for companies: "Companies in Change" and "(Economic) Espionage - The Future Has Begun" will be implemented. The newly initiated entrepreneurial discussions also meet with great interest. The start of network building.

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