Discover the pulse of innovation, growth, and transformation shaping the tech ecosystem. At Hinterland of Things 2025, we’re not just gathering pioneers from the worlds of startups, corporates, and investors; we’re driving conversations that redefine industries and challenge the status quo. Here, you’ll find exclusive insights, behind-the-scenes stories, and the latest updates on the people and ideas powering the digital future.
The Hinterland of Things 2025 sent out a strong signal: Germany needs fewer concerns – and more courage. The message: Reclaim optimism – through genuine collaboration, new structures and trust in change. Germany’s economic awakening has begun.
Bielefeld, June 5, 2025 – The winners of the OOTB.NRW Award 2025* (*Out of the Box NRW Award) have been announced: The three most innovative digital startups from North Rhine-Westphalia were honored today in the grand finale at the Hinterland of Things conference in Bielefeld. The award recognizes scalable business models, technological excellence and the courage to embrace digital transformation and is one of the most highly endowed startup competitions in Germany.
The Hinterland of Things Conference is evolving – with a fresh corporate identity (CI) that reflects its dynamic spirit, technological focus, and networking power. From a bold new logo to a refined color palette, the updated CI strengthens the brand’s connection to the Founders Foundation while emphasizing innovation and collaboration.
World-class research, motivated talent, tons of capital – Germany already has all of that to offer. But in practice, little of it comes to fruition. The Startup Association has now presented an innovation agenda that is intended to serve as a springboard for future success. In this article, you will learn which measures startups will soon be able to benefit from and which demands offer completely new potential.
In Germany, more and more AI startups are being founded, while at the same time 10 percent of deep tech startups are migrating abroad. Find out here which exceptional German startups have raised millions this year and why Germany is on the right track to remain attractive for deep tech startups.
Whether in chatbots, robotics or cybersecurity – there is hardly a technology that seems to be able to do without artificial intelligence (AI) these days. For companies in a wide range of industries, AI has long been a key competitive factor. Tech startups are therefore faced with the question of whether an innovative solution is even possible without the use of AI.
