BARC Start-up Award
for Data & AI 2026
Recognizing innovative software solutions that generate business value from data.
Background
Start-ups are a significant source of innovation in the software market for analytics, business intelligence, data management, and artificial intelligence. They introduce new approaches and solutions to address long-standing industry challenges.
To honor their contributions, BARC established the annual Start-up Award for Data & AI. The winner is selected by an independent jury of academic and industry experts and announced live at the DATA festival in Munich on June 16-17, 2026.
The award honors software product providers for data & AI. Service providers are not eligible to apply.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify, a company must meet the following criteria:
- The business must have been operating for six years or less. This six-year rule also applies to spin-offs and new business units within established companies, such as a new standard software offering from an existing consulting firm.
- The company must be headquartered in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, or maintain an office in the DACH region.
- The solution must be a software product or a software-supported service in the field of analytics and AI, business intelligence, planning and simulation, or data management. The product must exist at a minimum as a functional, demonstrable prototype.
Get Your Start-up the Visibility and Recognition it Deserves
Participants in the BARC Start-up Award for Data & AI get significant visibility among decision-makers across data, analytics, and start-up ecosystems.
Finalists selected by the jury will present their solutions to enterprise users, established vendors, and investors at the DATA festival in Munich. The presentations will be available to both the live audience and virtual attendees via streaming.
The Jury
The jury members includes market analysts, investors, and end users:
- Jörg Bienert, President & Founder | KI Bundesverband e.V.
- Wolfgang Beeck, CTO | Staedean Group
- Dominik Lohle, Founding Partner | MAY VENTURES
- Stefan Sexl, Senior Analyst Data & AI | BARC GmbH
- Holger Wagner, Investment Manager | EnBW New Ventures
- Christian Wirth, SVP APAC | IQGeo
- Simone Nierhaus, Chief Commercial Officer | Flyeralarm
- Arthur Michael Seidel, Senior Corporate Community Manager | Fraport
- Markus Roithmeier, Partner Zobito AB & Business Angel | IACD e.V.
- Dr. Thomas Endres, CEO | corporate momentum
- Frank Hoelzle, CEO | Care4 AG
- Prof Dr. Frauke Schleer-van Gellecom, Partner & Professor for Decision Intelligence | PWC
- Tobias Stein, Chief Venturing Officer | AI Hub Frankfurt
- Chairman: Dr. Carsten Bange, Founder & CEO | BARC GmbH
Take the Stage!
Apply now for the chance to present your pitch live as a finalist at the DATA festival in Munich.
Finalists receive full access to the event. To be considered, applications must be submitted by May 1, 2026.
Presentations: June 16-17, 2026, live at Muffatwerk, Munich.
Apply now!
View the 2025 Award Ceremony
Watch the recording of last year’s award ceremony to see the winner of the BARC Start-Up Award 2025.
Previous winners of the BARC Start-up Award
| 2025 | encentive |
| 2024 | Scavenger AI |
| 2023 | Frontnow |
| 2022 | Veezoo |
| 2020 | 4.screen |
| 2019 | minubo |
| 2018 | Open as App |
| 2017 | Process Analytics Factory |
| 2016 | Inspirient |