Meet, exchange ideas, network: At a matchmaking event on the opening day of TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS at Westfalenhalle, venture capital experts met with representatives from startups and scale-ups for the first time to exchange ideas. Representatives from pyck, AI2Connect, Koiotech, and Romb Technologies—all finalists in the IFOY AWARD spin-off “Start-up of the Year”—were in attendance. The Dortmund Economic Development Agency also enabled young foreign entrepreneurs from this year’s DOACCELERATE market entry program to participate in this networking event. ACI from Lithuania, Dommify and InfiniteFoundry from Portugal, Fomee from the Czech Republic, and SQB Robotics from Romania traveled to Dortmund. Also in attendance were representatives from IFOY AWARD finalist Mobotic, IFOY AWARD finalist The Mobile Robot Company, as well as employees and founders of Logatik, ant-machine, SLAPstack, Logistikbude, Borderless Technologies, and Noyes Technologies. Representing the VCs were, among others, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Michael ten Hompel (TU Dortmund), Markus Hueting (F-Log/Xpress Ventures), and Dr. Daniel Harder (VORNvc).

Background: TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS is a partner in this year’s market entry program organized by the Dortmund Economic Development Agency and the Digital Hub Logistics. The three-month hybrid program in 2026 focuses on intralogistics and supports foreign scale-ups seeking to enter the German market with their innovative solutions.

The highlight of the hybrid program was the in-person kick-off phase from April 14 to 16 in Dortmund, featuring interactive workshops and tours of the Fraunhofer IML, the Digital Hub Logistics, and the “TechnologieZentrumDortmund.” For the TEST CAMP, the Economic Development Agency offered participants a tailored program consisting of workshops, highlight tours, and matchmaking sessions.