Freie Universitaet Berlin held the Funpreneur-Challenge for the 24^th time this year. 19 teams with 55 students from across the university participated in an interdisciplinaryworkshop in order to come up with innovative business ideas. Following this kick-off event the young entrepreneurs had the chance to develop their concepts further in a seminar in the framework of the Funpreneur competition held by the School of Business & Economics.

In recent years, student teams more and more focused on sustainable and social innovations – which was also rewarded by the jury. This year’s top three projects address different aspects of sustainability and wellbeing:

First prize winners were Sophia Alexandridis und Michael Rödinger with their project “CaYouBo” selling self-sewed book covers for a convenient reads on the go. Gabriela Paredes Siml, Tabea Borrmann, Manuel Cosme and Nikola Tietze received the second prize for their ecological washing powder. The product made out of ivy leaves and etheral oils, was aptly named “Cleanleaves” and promises an bio-degradable alternative to conventional detergents. The team of anthropology and geography students also added a social component to their business case: all linen bags are produced by the sewing company Reha-Steglitz gGmbH – a sheltered workshop in Berlins south.

But this was not the only green invention awarded. The special prize for “Responsible Entrepreneurship” went to Ekaterina Stachelrodt und Viktor Jung and their degradable coffee cups.