On June 1, 2022, the Global Ethic Pitch Day took place for the first time. Six startups were invited to the Global Ethic Institute who had previously qualified for the finals of our call for ethical companies. The finalists were selected from nearly 30 applications and presented their business models in five-minute pitches to a jury and the audience. Afterwards, a jury of experts decided on the winners. The total prize money of 10,000€ was divided among a first place, with 5000€, a second place, with 3000€, and a third place, with 2000€. The next Global Ethic Pitch Day is scheduled to take place in 2023.

To mark the tenth anniversary of the Global Ethic Institute, the Global Ethic Pitch Day on June 1 recognized not only the institute’s founding, but also three sustainable and ethical startups. Following Hans Küng’s global ethic idea, the Global Ethic Institute launched the initiative together with partners. The call for applications was aimed at courageous entrepreneurs whose business models take responsibility for the environment and the world around them from the outset. The jury’s decision following the pitches took longer than expected. The impressive pitches and business models did not make the decision easy.

The startups in the finals

The six startups that qualified for the finals came from very different industries:

• AgroFish, a startup that provides knowledge and technology transfer to empower local forces in Ethiopia to enable integrated agriculture and sustainable food supply in Ethiopia.
• My little Bukhara, a young company that provides sustainable slow fashion made by female Uzbek tailors to support these women and provide ways out of their sometimes precarious living situations.
• Kanzi, a social startup from Berlin that combines language learning with rap music. They develop analog and digital workshop formats for learners of German from all over the world, teaching language and culture through specially produced rap songs.
• Ligenium, a company that offers modular, sustainable and innovative material transport solutions for mechanical engineering, production and logistics – made of wood. The focus is on technical solutions that are individualized and flexible, economical and ecologically viable.
• TUTAKA, an online store designed to help the hotel and hospitality industry transition to more sustainable products. The platform also provides information for ecological solutions in the industry.
• your.company, a company sharing solution that offers business structure and knowledge network for different entrepreneurial product ideas. Through participation, partnership and expertise, a new way of doing business together can emerge.

With good ideas, everyone wins!

The startup candidates each had five minutes to convince the jury, the business angels and impact investors present, that their business model has the greatest ethical impact and meets both global ethic values and ESG criteria. Afterwards, there was a short time for questions from the audience.

While the jury retreated for the final deliberation, there was an opportunity for networking at the booths of the respective startups during the Gallery Walk. In addition, refreshments were provided and the accompanying musical program with singer Sophia Brickwell created a pleasant atmosphere.

The jury of experts did not have an easy task in making their decision and needed more time for discussion than planned. In the end, three winners were chosen:

• First place went to the StartUp AgroFish, presented by Falk W. Foell,
• second place went to My Little Bukhara, presented by Nadira Khalikova and
• on the third place TUTAKA, presented virtually by Alexandra Herget.

Inspired by the rousing pitches, it became clear that the winners of the Global Ethic Pitch Day were not primarily the winners. With the ethical business models presented at the Pitch Day, society wins.

The partners

Karl Schlecht Foundation, Global Ethic Foundation, World Citizen School, Startup Center Tübingen of the University of Tübingen, WIT Wirtschaftsförderungsgesellschaft Tübingen mbH, Odem Investing, Kabena Group, Morpho Foundation, Technologieförderung Reutlingen-Tübingen, Association of Friends of the Global Ethic Institute.

The jury members

From the Weltethos-Institut Prof. Dr. Dr. Ulrich Hemel, Dr. Friedrich Glauner, Dr. Julia Schönborn, Anna Tomfeah, Dr. Bernd Villhauer.

Prof. Dr. Bernd Engler (Rector of the University of Tübingen), Dr. Stephan Schlensog (Global Ethic Foundation), Ralph Suikat (4L Vision), Dr. Florian von der Mülbe (Morpho Foundation), Frank Wilhelmi (odem investing), Michaela Eberle (Kabena Group), Ralph Suikat (4L Vision), Thorsten Flink (Wirtschaftsförderung Stadt Tü), Christine Decker (Technologieförderung Reutlingen-Tü), Sandra Gässler (Startup Center Uni Tübingen), Daniel Heblik (Startup Center Uni Tübingen), Steffen Naumann (Berlin), Maurizio Gasperi (Verein der Freunde des Weltethos-Instituts e. V.), Michael Gude (BKU), Prof. Dr. André Habisch (Catholic University of Eichstätt).

Sponsors

The event was sponsored by the non-profit Karl Schlecht Stiftung, odem investing, 4L Vision, and the Society of Friends of the Global Ethic Institute.

Photos: Stefanie Grieger (2x), Heidrun Haug (2x), World Citizen School (6x), Global Ethic Institut (1x)
Text: Anna Tomfeah