For many years, the AVENEO special show has been offering start-ups and innovative companies looking to enter the care market the opportunity to present their solutions and concepts to a broad specialist audience. Many take their first steps into the public eye as part of the Start-Up Challenge and engage in discourse with experts and users. Prof. (em) Wolfgang Sattler of the Bauhaus University Weimar, a designer and long-standing chairman of the Start-Up Challenge nomination jury, is convinced that this dialogue with future users must take place as early as possible: "We have seen many good ideas in recent years, but only those that solve a real problem and are easy to use have prevailed. In today's fast-paced working life, there is no time to spend a long time grappling with solutions that are not immediately obvious to use. Usability is the keyword, and it is an important building block for the success of innovations."
A preliminary jury decided in January who would be nominated for the Start-Up Challenge 2025. Unlike in previous years, there was no clear trend this year. Submissions from the field of robotics were included, as were programmes for greater appreciation of care and completely analogue cushions for preventing contractures. The winners in the categories Smart Objects & Smart Solutions, Concept & Strategy, Communication & Documentation and Living & Care will be decided by a jury of experts from the care industry, industry, research and consultants, all with a high level of expertise in elderly care. The aim is to create an environment in which good ideas can develop. A glance at the halls of the leading trade fair ALTENPFLEGE shows that this concept is working. Many of the former participants in the Start-Up Challenge are now established on the market and present their solutions for the future of care at their own exhibition stands. On average, it takes 5–10 years for an innovation to become fully established on the market. In view of the challenges of the coming years, this period is too long, which is why AVENEO is also an important place to discuss the framework conditions needed for more innovation in care. One submission that has already sparked much discussion among the nomination jury is ‘Robody’, a humanoid robot that is remotely controlled via a virtual reality headset. This allows various activities to be carried out remotely, such as helping with dressing or serving food. The vision of the two founders, Alona Kharchenko and Rafael Hostettler, of the Munich-based deep tech company Devanthro: ‘We want to create a world in which distance no longer sets limits on human contact and genuine physical presence.’
Parto, founded in 2023, also wants to free up more time for care and support by reducing administrative costs through fewer cash-related processes. The idea arose from a request made by Diakonie Nord Nord Ost in Lübeck to the team, which had previously been working on digital banking for teenagers. The offering includes company accounts, fiduciary custody accounts and payment cards for employees and persons under care. With special software for the digital and legally compliant management of client funds and automated accounting of business expenses, process costs can be reduced by more than 75 per cent.
Climate protection and sustainability also affect the care sector
This year, for the first time, there were also several submissions in the area of sustainability, which particularly pleases Carolin Pauly, Managing Director of the Institute for Universal Designs, the long-standing organisational partner of the AVENEO special show: ‘Climate protection and sustainable action also affect the care industry, but are often pushed into the background by daily challenges.’ Another challenge on the path to more economical use of resources is the structures that often exist between property owners and facility operators. Often, operation and ownership are in different hands, and interests in the area of sustainability diverge. The company Green Guides focuses on how care facilities can reduce food waste and make kitchen processes more sustainable, efficient and resource-saving, because up to 30% of greenhouse gas emissions in care facilities are attributable to catering. A digital tool is used to analyse where waste is generated, and concrete optimisation measures are derived from this. This helps to reduce costs and improve the carbon footprint.
The platform developed by the Kassel-based start-up be2morrow also helps to develop and successfully implement an individual climate strategy. The tool can be used to record energy data and plan, manage and adjust specific measures. The AI-supported proposals for measures are tangible.
The platform developed by Kassel-based start-up be2morrow also helps users develop and successfully implement individual climate strategies. The tool can be used to record energy data and plan, manage and adjust specific measures. The AI-supported proposals for measures draw on an extensive database of proven solutions, and automated reporting enables even smaller companies to create and report on an economical climate strategy in line with the EU Green Deal.
Dr Ron-Hendrik Hechelmann, Managing Director of be2morrow GmbH, is certain: ‘Only with the help of automation and digitalisation can the lack of qualified energy consultants be compensated for in order to achieve national climate protection goals together with the business community.’
ALTENPFLEGE 2025 and the AVENEO special show not only offer a platform for innovation, but are also an important venue for dialogue. This is where solutions for the future of care are presented and discussed.