The Idea contest - from the idea to the concept
Do you have an idea on how AI technologies can be used for societal and social progress?
Than create your personal profile, find project partners. Everything else you need to know can be found in our FAQ.
What it's about
- With the idea contest, we are promoting the conceptional development of ideas for the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to benefit the common good. We provide both financial and non-financial assistance, such as through workshops and networking events.
- Once a year, up to thirty drafts are awarded prize money of up to 20,000 euros. Funds are paid in three instalments and are subject to specific conditions – such as participation in workshops or an interim presentation.
- The idea contest is open to a wide range of actors. This includes
- the development side (developers, start-ups),
- the user side (municipal authorities, SMEs, administrative bodies) as well as
- parties who are directly or indirectly affected (trade unions, socio-political organisations/associations, private individuals).
- Project ideas must have a clearly identifiable link to the activities of the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. This includes aspects such as the future of work, occupational safety and work quality, vocational training and further education, reintegration in the labour market, integration, inclusion, diversity and equal participation.
Interdisciplinary and/or cross-sector partnerships are also a prerequisite for participation. What do we mean by this? Find out in our FAQ.
What kind of ideas are we looking for?
No matter how good an idea is, looking at it from just one single perspective is never enough - what is required instead are multiple perspectives coming together. Project ideas can be extremely diverse and can have a wide range of starting points. Here are some examples:
- How can AI-based solutions help to solve existing challenges in society?
- How can existing solutions be put to the most effective use for social questions?
- How can existing data pools help organise structures in a completely new way?
Idea matching – step by step
Once you have registered, you can outline your idea in the form of an abstract and start searching for partners. Only registered users can contact you. You can also make a brief description of the project idea (max. 280 characters) visible in the ‘ideas market’ in public area of the website.
Have you discovered an idea in the CIP ideas market that intrigues you? Then register and contact the idea creator. Who knows? Perhaps this could be the beginning of a joint project! As soon as you have assembled your team, you can get down to developing your idea further and preparing the draft for the idea contest.
You can submit your outline to the contest via the platform. To find out when the contest is open for submissions, please see the FAQ. You will find all further information on the submission process in the Community area.
If your project draft impresses the panel, we will award your idea with up to 20,000 euros. The award provides financial support for the further development of the idea to turn it into a viable concept. Payment is made in three instalments and is subject to various conditions, such as participation in networking and advice workshops.
Be inspired!
In the previous rounds of the idea contest, we received many promising submissions covering a wide range of different aspects, such as ideas for simplifying language, lifelong learning, applications for more and improved social exchange and supporting administrative authorities.
A total of 37 ideas received fund awards. Here, you can find an overview of all prizewinning ideas.
The Policy Lab of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs