Week 19: Nomination of Kopfsachen, News from AI NATION Alumni

The HU startup Kopfsachen, which promotes the mental health of young people through analog and digital educational formats, is among the top 5 in the “Berlin’s Social Enterprises 2026” competition and has also been nominated in the “People” (Mensch) category. The Senate Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Public Enterprises honors Berlin-based companies that tackle social or ecological challenges and contribute to a fair and sustainable economy. Founders Leonie Müller and Mirko von Bargen will attend the award ceremony at re:publica on May 19 and, with a little luck, will receive the award.

Barbara Bachus, co-founder of ExoMatter, is among the Top 5 of the Top 30 for the VivaTech Female Founder Awards 2026. ExoMatter enables accelerated research and discovery of materials using Artificial Intelligence.

Hello Tomorrow has listed PULSETRAIN as one of the “Top 100 Deep Tech Startups to Watch 2026.” The startup stood out among 4,800 applications and now has a chance to win the €100,000 grand prize, which will be awarded at the Hello Tomorrow Summit in Amsterdam. PULSETRAIN develops AI-powered integrated battery and propulsion systems that make electric vehicles lighter, more affordable, and more efficient.

Vladimir Keil, CEO and founder of Lio (formerly askLio), has been named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe 2026 list. His company has developed the world’s first multi-agent system for procurement.