The Business and Innovation Centre North Thuringia (BIC) is organising the start-up ideas competition for the Erfurt and North Thuringia region. Creative minds had until 31 July to submit their innovative ideas. A total of 1,000 euros (sponsored by the 4 North Thuringian savings banks) awaited the first three places.

From the BIC press release:

"Johannes Weise and Daniel Kulla were delighted to receive first prize and prize money of 500 euros. The two students recently founded "Schlükk" out of the Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences. "Schlükk" is an organic and vegan-certified wine spritzer in 0.33 bottles. The alternative production process in family-run wineries uses no animal additives at all - just Riesling, water and carbon dioxide. Information on this can be found at www.schluekk.de.

Steffen Patsch and Mattias Teich, winners of the 2nd prize and also students at Nordhausen University of Applied Sciences, developed an "electronic check-in system" for medium-sized hotels, motels, etc. This system represents a pioneering terminal that not only offers check-in solutions but also performs a variety of other tasks. This system represents a pioneering terminal that not only offers check-in solutions, but also performs a variety of other tasks.

Michael Schenk and his team partner Henning Rothe were honoured with third place and prize money of 200 euros. With www.kulturcarre.de, the two from Eisenach developed an internet-based event calendar that offers organisers, tourists and residents of a city the opportunity to enter, maintain and find current events in a clear and concise manner."