Female Entrepreneurship:
Leading Towards a More Sustainable and Inclusive Society
Female Founders Award Ceremony 2022
Berlin, March 31, 2022 – Yesterday, the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany (AmCham Germany) hosted its third Female Founders Award Ceremony. “We should not only talk about female founders. We need to make them more visible: To inspire other women, who have great entrepreneurial ideas, but are still hesitant towards making the step into entrepreneurship. Rather than choosing a career based on societal norms, women should follow their true passions - this is one message of the Female Founders Award. There is no limit to what we can do, when we push past conventional expectations,’’ stated Dr. Marianne Janik, Award Patron Female Founders Award 2022 and Chairwoman of the Managing Board Microsoft Germany.
This year, three female founders were honored who stood out with their innovative and successful business models. These models delve into climate targets, AI and healthcare and social inclusion
The winners of the Female Founders Award 2022 are:
- Allison Dring, CEO & Co-Founder, Made of Air GmbH
- Diana Heinrichs, CEO & Co-Founder, Lindera GmbH
- Maria Möller, CEO & Co-Founder talking hands flipbooks GmbH
Made of Air GmbH, co-founded by Allison Dring, focuses on using unique climate-capture materials, such as Biochar, to lock in fossil fuels, reduce plastic and aluminum usage in manufactured goods, and thus, achieve sustainability goals along the different steps of a business supply chain to eventually reach a net-zero economy. “It is a privilege to be presented with this award on behalf of my incredible team at Made of Air. Receiving recognition from AmCham Germany helps to bring our business and carbon removal into focus, and spotlights truly resilient female founders making an impact for the climate,” said Dring.
Lindera GmbH, co-founded by Diana Heinrichs, is an app-based mobility analysis software to develop solutions in a wide range of conditions such as orthopedics, neurology and geriatrics. Using AI and 3D technology, a myriad of digital workouts and therapies are tailored to track and improve human motion. “There are so many inspiring, and forward-looking female tech founders in Germany and in the U.S, but there are few platforms to provide visibility to these talents and connect them across borders. Therefore, I am very pleased to receive this award from AmCham Germany. I firmly believe that the U.S. and German digital health markets ̶ two rapidly developing markets ̶ can learn immensely from one another,’’ Heinrichs acknowledged.
Maria Möller, co-founder of talking hands flipbooks GmbH, has brought forth a range of stunning children's books to foster inclusion from a young age. The aim of these products is to provide a simple platform between children with and without (speech) disabilities with a big impact: create and work towards shaping an inclusive society. “I feel honored to be selected for this year’s Female Founders Award by AmCham. I look forward to being a part of this amazing network and getting to know more women in this business,’’ Möller remarked.
Prominent speakers included Dr. Marianne Janik, Area Vice President, Microsoft Germany, and Award Patron of the Female Founders Award, Simone Menne, AmCham Germany President, Dr. h. c. Thomas Sattelberger, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister of Education and Research, Ana-Maria Trăsnea, Secretary for Active Citizenship, Democracy Support and International Relations, Senate Chancellery Berlin, Lena Werner, Member of the German Parliament (SPD Parliamentary Group).
The event was moderated by Chelsea Spieker, Event Host and Podcast Presenter.
The following founders were shortlisted:
- Lara Obst, Co-Founder & Chief Sustainability Officer, THE CLIMATE CHOICE
- Anne-Sophie Panzer, Co-Founder & Head of Creators, ZAUBAR
The independent jury was comprised by:
- Nadine Bütow, Founder of CommsART and member of Digital Media Women e.V. in Berlin
- Dr. Guido Brinkel, Head of Regulatory Policy & Director Corporate Affairs at Microsoft Germany
- Maria Gross, Managing Director at GERMANTECH
- Carolin Schäufele, Managing Director and Chairwoman at SHE works!
- Andreas Schwaiger, Vice President and Managing Director at Texas Instruments Germany
- Edith Stier-Thompson, Managing Director at news aktuell
- Prof. Dr. Torsten Oltmanns, Regional Chair Berlin Brandenburg, AmCham Germany; Managing Partner
About the Female Founders Award
With the Female Founders Award, AmCham Germany aims to provide a visibility and networking platform for female leaders and highlight the role women have in entrepreneurship and innovation. The award seeks to honor women who have founded solid business models based on unique ideas and, thus, motivate other women to become entrepreneurs themselves as they are still in the minority of the start-up ecosystem on both sides of the Atlantic.
You can read more about the Female Founders Award here.
You can find the German version of this press release here.
