DEI Accelerator Award
Diversity, equity and inclusion – DEI for short – are not only values of an open society, but also a clear success factor for companies. With the DEI Accelerator Award, Handelsblatt and McKinsey recognize initiatives from the tech sector that show how things can be done differently. Their work makes structures fairer, opens doors – and inspires others to follow their lead.
Purpose
Diversity does not create harmony, but requires energy. It is much easier to make decisions in a homogeneous group where everyone agrees anyway. Nevertheless, diversity, fairness and participation are not just values that drive our society forward. They also open up real economic opportunities. The more diverse companies are, the greater the likelihood of above-average profitability – this was the conclusion of the McKinsey study “Diversity wins” back in 2020.
However, access to the entrepreneurial world is still unevenly distributed. People without an academic education, older people, people with a migration background or women often face major hurdles. Yet more diversity would be good for the start-up landscape. In Germany alone, a more inclusive, more networked start-up ecosystem could create over 41,000 new start-ups by 2030.
In order to promote this development, Handelsblatt and McKinsey launched an award for female founders in 2019 – and have continuously developed it into the DEI Accelerator Award.
2025
Winner 2025
Winner 2025
With its inclusive recruiting platform, MINTD connects international female professionals from STEM professions with German companies, thereby actively contributing to closing the gender gap in technical professions. In addition, MINTD combats the shortage of skilled workers, promotes diversity and innovation, and creates sustainable career opportunities for a future-proof working world.
Finalists 2025
Finalist 2025
YOUNA creates technology for those who are often overlooked: people who experience discrimination. With its free and anonymous AI chatbot, YOUNA empowers those affected and provides concrete, intersectional support that focuses on emotional clarity and actionable advice.
Finalist 2025
o2 Telefónica is responsibly driving digitalization in Germany, combining technological innovation with social responsibility. With the DE&I Executive Ambassador Program, they are putting this claim into practice: Diversity, equity, and inclusion are strategically anchored at the executive board level, and diversity is specifically used as a driver for innovation, growth, and cultural change.
Application process
Application phase till
August 5, 2025
Nominination of the
TOP 3 candidatesAugust 2025
Jurymeeting
September 16, 2025
Award ceremony
November 6, 2025
CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION DEI ACCELERATOR
Private organizations (e.g. companies, start-ups as well as non-profit organizations or NGOs) from the DACH region with their DEI projects, initiatives and programs are eligible to participate. The DEI Accelerator Award recognizes the most effective DEI initiatives from the tech sector as part of The Spark. This includes all projects, initiatives or programs that are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in an organization and can demonstrate their success based on KPIs.
The DEI Accelerator Award takes into account all seven diversity dimensions of the Charta der Vielfalt e.V.: age, ethnic origin and nationality, gender and gender identity, physical and mental abilities, religion and worldview, sexual orientation and social background.
Evaluation criteria
Applications will be evaluated based on the following five criteria: Purpose (purpose for which the initiative is being pursued), Impact (effect of the initiative), Scalability (potential for expansion and adaptation to other areas/organizations), Innovativeness (novelty and creativity of the concept) and Strategic Compatibility (alignment with the overarching corporate strategy)
Application process
The application phase runs until August 05, 2025 and interested parties can apply for the DEI Accelerator via the online application form on The Spark website.
Nomination as a finalist includes the provision of a photo and a textual description, the personal attendance of a member of your organizational leadership at the jury meeting on 16 September 2025 in Düsseldorf and at the award ceremony on 6 November 2025 in Munich. Participation is mandatory. Non-participation will lead to disqualification. Any costs that may arise for travel to and from the event and overnight accommodation will not be covered.
DATA PRIVACY
By filling out the company information and submitting the application, the applicant agrees to the application process and consents to the use of his/her data in the application process.
By submitting the application, the participant agrees that the Handelsblatt GmbH, the partner McKinsey, the nomination committee, and the members of the jury will review and evaluate the submitted contents, and that the Handelsblatt GmbH and the partner McKinsey will publish the company’s participation in a short presentation including images and logo, and include it in further advertising content measures.
The participant grants the Handelsblatt GmbH, the partner McKinsey, the nomination committee, and the jury the necessary rights of use.
We assure that we will treat your documents with the utmost confidentiality. All submissions that do not make it to the final selection round will not be disclosed or published without your written consent.
If the participant still requires a written confidentiality agreement, he/she can request it at the-spark@handelsblatt.com. Just send a short email with your name and the project name. We will be happy to send you a document signed by us.
The Handelsblatt, the partner McKinsey, and the members of the jury reserve the right to exclude submissions that are deemed not suitable or do not meet the application criteria.
Handelsblatt is not liable for the loss or incompleteness of data transmitted by the participants unless the loss or incompleteness is due to intentional or grossly negligent behavior of the organizers or their employees. This also applies to the disclosure of information by third parties due to technical errors in data transmission and/or unauthorized access.
The legal process is excluded.
DEI Accelerator Award
