Goethe University Announces Winners of 2026 SDG Innovation Contest

Six student teams presented sustainable business ideas at the final of the Goethe‑SDG‑Contest 2026 in the university’s main hall. The competition, organized by the Goethe‑Unibator together with Santander Germany, aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and gathered around 100 guests from academia, industry and the startup community.

The jury – Prof. Dr. Michael Huth, Judith Pfeifer and Felipe Macias – awarded first place to Algrid for converting harmful offshore sargassum algae into valuable biomass for pharmaceutical, energy and construction markets (€5,000). Diamics earned second place (€3,000) with its “diaLab” system that enables rapid, decentralized STI diagnostics in under 30 minutes. CeraSleeve® GmbH took third (€2,000) for a recyclable, water‑repellent paper additive that replaces fossil‑based coatings. Finalists ALL LCA, LifeXLab and Waterprint also received recognition for sustainability‑focused software, mental‑health streaming and PCR‑based wastewater monitoring solutions.

A panel discussion on the challenges and opportunities for impact startups rounded off the event, underscoring the university’s role in fostering sustainable entrepreneurship.