Outstanding Achievements in Industry

MMK Award of Excellence

The MMK Award of Excellence honors start ups, scale ups and initiatives within companies that create lasting impact for business and society through innovation, responsibility and visionary thinking. The award is presented annually at MMK and will next take place on 9 March 2027.

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Our Partners for MMK Award of Excellence

Dr. Victoria Ossadnik

Board Member Digital, Innovation und Inhouse Consulting
E.ON SE

Stefan Klebert

CEO
GEA Group

The Jury

A jury of experts from industry and academia evaluates the submitted concepts and selects the winner. Bringing together a broad range of expertise and experience, the jury recognizes innovative approaches and outstanding achievements.

The 4 Categories of the Award

Artificial Intelligence

Innovative AI applications bridging technology and human collaboration

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Academic Start-ups

New products and business models making a sustainable contribution to solving technical or societal challenges

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Sustainable Engineering

Recognizes companies that develop technological innovations contributing to environmental sustainability

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Energy

Innovative energy technologies accelerating the transition to a cleaner and more resilient world.

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As part of the MMK Award of Excellence, ensuring a fair and transparent evaluation process for all applicants is of great importance to us. Companies are therefore asked to complete an application form providing the relevant key figures and answering questions related to the criteria of the respective award category. Our jury carefully reviews all submitted applications and assigns scores based on its expertise, ensuring an objective and professional evaluation. At the same time, the MMK organizing team analyzes the submitted application forms and key figures and conducts an independent assessment. The jury's evaluation and the organizers' assessment are then combined to provide a comprehensive picture of each applicant's performance and potential. Based on the overall score, the three highest ranked companies in each category are selected for the applied award. The award winners are announced during a dedicated award ceremony held as the evening event. This process ensures transparency, objectivity and appropriate recognition of the outstanding achievements of the winners. The MMK Award of Excellence provides a platform to honor outstanding companies while fostering the exchange of experience between industry leaders. At the same time, it strengthens the reputation of both the founding partners and the award winning companies.

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Reasons to apply

Award winners present their projects in the renowned Audimax at the Technical University of Munich in front of more than 1,500 decision makers from industry, academia and politics. A stage with lasting impact.

Finalists gain access to exclusive formats such as Meet the CEO, Bar Talks, Masterclasses and workshops with leading representatives from companies including BMW, E.ON and GEA.

The jury is made up of renowned leaders from academia and industry. Being recognized by them is a true mark of excellence.

Former winners have used this recognition as a springboard for further success. Companies such as tesa have strengthened their visibility and built valuable new connections through the MMK Award of Excellence.

Your way to receive an award

Selection Process

Applications through the public application form and the nomination process open at the beginning of July.

The video has to be sent to award@management-kolloquium.de via E-Mail otherwise your application is incomplete.

Verification of compliance with all relevant application requirements.

Application deadline is 1 October 2026.

Quantitative analysis of the self assessment based on the defined evaluation criteria for each award category.

Applicants provide all relevant information and key figures for the evaluation process.

Preselection of potential award winners by the academic review team through the creation of the shortlists.

An expert jury from industry and academia reviews all submissions based on clearly defined criteria.

Selection of the 3 finalists from the 6 shortlist by the jury across the four award categories AI, Sustainable Engineering, Energy and Startups in November.

The jury selects the finalists and winners based on the overall evaluation.

The winners are selected based on the overall scoring system and announced during the MMK Gala on 9 March 2027.

Award winners are recognized during the official MMK Awards Ceremony and become part of the MMK network.

Who can apply

Start ups, scale ups and innovative spin offs:

Applications for the MMK Award of Excellence are open to start ups, scale ups and innovative spin offs. Projects, products and solutions that create measurable added value through innovation

Those need to fit into one of the four award categories: Artificial Intelligence – Sustainable Engineering – Energy – Academic Start Ups Applications may be submitted in more than one category, but the project have to match the criteria of each category.

Maturity Level: Projects at any stage of development are eligible, from validated concepts to market ready roll outs. Pure ideas without initial implementation or validation will not be considered.

Legal recourse is excluded.

Why you should apply

Winning the MMK Award of Excellence for Artificial Intelligence is more than receiving an award.

The winners will be honored on the stage of the Audimax at the Technical University of Munich during the Munich Management Kolloquium on 9 and 10 March 2027.

MMK brings together hundreds of top executives to discuss today’s most pressing challenges, develop new solutions and learn from one another. In an environment shaped by constant change, exchanging ideas with leading decision makers can inspire new perspectives and lead to valuable long term partnerships. Companies that apply and participate demonstrate their commitment to innovation, transparency and sustainability, values that are becoming increasingly important in modern business leadership.

Recognition of the Award Winners 2025