The Contest
The Danube Cup is a returning pitching competition for students from universities located along the Danube. The competition was launched in 2016 by two top Hungarian universities, the Corvinus University of Budapest and the Budapest University of Technology and Economics.

The Mission
The Danube Cup's mission is to help start-up companies succeed internationally and, at the same time, bring highly motivated university start-ups from along the Danube together. The Johannes Kepler University Linz will be organizing this year's event.

The Host
Anchored regionally yet boasting a strong international perspective, the Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU) is committed to supporting and advancing high quality standards in research and education to become a top European university. During its 50-year history, the JKU has evolved from a university of social sciences and economics to one of Austria's largest educational institutions in higher education and research.

The Place for Innovation & Contests
This year's Danube Cup will take place at the LIT Open Innovation Center (OIC) at the JKU. The LIT OIC is an open research center focused on bringing academia and real-world practices together in support of a circular economy and sustainable polymer production. Constructed in 2019, the state-of-the-art building provides space to conduct research and developments in the fields of artificial intelligence, robot intelligence, IT security, information electronics and Industry 4.0.
Together with the LIT Factory, the LIT OIC is an open platform to not only support research to advance digitalization, but also to create cross-industry solutions and manufacturing innovative products.

Johannes Kepler University Linz I Austria

Pflegezeit - PflegeZeit offers valuable support for those caring for relatives at home who have dementia. PflegeZeit not only provides tested exercises to support personal care, but also creates a sense of community and understanding through old, often forgotten, songs and cultural content. Personal care with PflegeZeit also makes physical care much easier, ultimately benefiting healthcare workers at nursing homes.

Surfjobs - SURFjobs stands for ‘See Your Future’ and is Austria's first mobile career guidance & job platform in which future apprentices and young professionals can learn more about their career opportunities by watching short, authentic videos and with the help of artificial intelligence. Ranging from career counseling and insight into companies and jobs to submitting a simple application to the company of choice in just two clicks, nothing can stand in the way of a successful start to a professional career.

Corvius University of Budapest I Hungary

Casar Fashion - Fast fashion trends and throwaway consumption are creating an environment in which consumers become easily bored with their clothes. Be it a the lack of uniqueness or emotional connection, they are quickly thrown out, resulting in being harmful to the environment and contributing to overconsumption.

uMix3D - On a global scale, customers return one in three clothing items purchased online mainly on account of being the wrong size or not being what they expected. uMix3D is a platform designed to address this problem by featuring a virtual fitting room that allows users to create personalized 3D avatars to model clothing items with millimetre precision. Customers can also create full outfits. Our solutions are also ideal for fashion brands and the fashion industry as they can not only reduce the rate of product returns, but also increase sales. Our internationally recognized specialists are also creating digital content for our clients, including a 3D marketing video or an AR filter. Our team is skilled and competent, and very determined to make uMix3D a success.

Budapest University of Technology and Economics I Hungary

BridgeAID - BridgeAID intends to bring about a breakthrough in transportation infrastructure maintenance by introducing the next generation of bridge monitoring systems to continuously measure and analyze bridge conditions and traffic. BridgeAID takes engineering and management decision-making to a new level, facilitating predictable and effective intervention.

stArt - Those looking to find spontaneous plans on a free night during the week might find it challenging to seek out the perfect event within a few minutes. At the same time, event organizers find it challening to get people to step out of their comfort zones and get new visitors and guest to their establishments. stArt addresses both of these issues by bringing the two groups together.

University of Belgrade I Serbia

Artemi - Artemi is a innovative mobile game combining thrilling digital gameplay with physical activity and real-world exploration, thereby promoting health and social interaction. Artemi's primary goal includes redefining the mobile gaming experience by creating an innovative game that combines engaging digital gameplay with physical activity (specifically walking) to support healthy exercising among its users. Our goal is to leverage gaming's universal appeal to encourage people to lead a more active lifestyle and transforming routine walks into captivating adventures and social experiences.

Movebly - Moveably is a student start-up stemming from a student company that introduces an innovative digital platform based on the auction principle, acting as an intermediary in brokering deals between carriers and clients. We streamline the process for carriers in finding jobs, while simultaneously providing clients with a faster and simpler way to discover cost-effective carriers, facilitating the transport of goods.

University of Passau I Germany

Luvia - Following the "Augsburger Modell" example, our business plan is organizing and constructing pigeon lofts. The current measures in place were meant to act as a deterrent (spikes, nets) but these approaches are not tackling the issue at its root cause: the need to breed! Pigeon lofts provide direct access to the eggs which can be swapped out and each swapped out egg is one less pigeon. Additional benefits include reduced costs compared to current measures in place, less pigeons in our cities, and cleaner streets and buildings.

Reviving Rugs - Reviving Rugs upcycles designer carpet samples to create premium handbags. Our innovative use of this type of distinctive material not only ensures superior quality but also embodies sustainability and individuality. Tailored to customers who have a passion for both design and environmental consciousness, our handbags stand as exquisite, artisanal accessories.

Regensburg University of Applied Sciences I Germany

FlowHerb - FlowHerb offers customers a unique experience, combining the pleasures of gifting, aesthetics and fine cuisine. Customers are able to buy beautiful flower bouquets for themselves or for others, but these flower bouquets are not only beautiful, they can later be used in a variety of different, brilliant recipes that taste great. Nothing goes to waste!

University of Regensburg I Germany

VoluLink - VoluLink is a social start-up designed to strengthen non-profit organizations by providing IT expertise from the corporate world. We are addressing the social challenge that many non-profit organizations need support in the area of digitalization, partly due to a lack of time and human resources, in order to increase their effectiveness and better reach target groups.

Pendura - Pendura is developing a platform that uses advanced blockchain technology and AI to enable automated and cost-effective sustainability reporting in global supply chains, thereby significantly improving information flow and data quality

Vienna University of Economics and Business I Austria

Zenyth Innovation - As consumption reaches new heights daily, we have to wonder just where does human waste end up. At Zenyth Innovations, we have followed sewage treatment processes from top to bottom and identified an array of wasted and landfilled resources waiting to make an impact. We are developing a software based solution to establish new markets, create new revenue streams for stakeholders and provide novel sustainable materials to clean up heavy industries. By rethinking the potential of sewage treatment, we are bringing the new standard of responsible circular economy resources to life.

Evidenta.io - Evidenta.io is a start-up company within the recruitment industry, committed to enhancing the hiring process by applying its innovative ecosystem approach. Evidenta’s mission centers are creating a trusted job market that values each individual's accomplishments and shifts the focus from company brands to the candidate's personal accomplishments. We apply four core features: a standardized CV builder to support effective resume presentation, a robust CV verification system to verify authenticity, an AI-powered recommendation engine for precise candidate-job matching, and a unique reward system to foster active engagement.

1st Place - Danube Cup Trophy, Cash award € 1000 sponsored by Junge Wirtschaft OÖ

2nd Place - Cash award € 600

3rd Place - Cash award € 400

Univ. Prof. Dr. Elisabeth S.C. Berger – JKU, head of the Institute for Entrepreneurship

Petra Muschitz, BA – JKU LIT Open Innovation Center Team – Teamlead, Operations and Event Management

Christoph Frei, BSc, MA – JKU LIT Open Innovation Center Team – Marketing and Communications

Safak Bilgic – JKU LIT Open Innovation Center Team – Entrepreneurship Management

Semifinals

Danzer Roman - Germany - OTH Regensburg

Thomas Steger - Germany - University of Regensburg

Maria Diekmann - Germany - University of Passau

Norbert Leskó - Hungary - Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Pal Danyi - Hungary - Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Mladen Čudanov - Serbia - University of Belgrade

Monique Schlömmer - Austria - Vienna University of Economics and Business

Katharina Kloibhofer - Austria - Grand Garage

Birgit  Wimmer - Austria - tech2b

Elisabeth  Berger - Austria - Johannes Kepler University

Finals 

Norbert Leskó - Hungary - Budapest University of Technology and Economics

Michael Wimmer - Austria - Upper Austrian Economic Chamber

Tamara Čolić Milosavljević - Serbia - University of Belgrade

Kathrin Obernhumer - Austria - Tabak Fabrik Linz

Mara Schneider - Germany - INN.KUBATOR Passau