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Frankfurt am Main, 17.10.2024

Content-Shift-Accelerator: Gamebook Studio is the Content Startup of 2024

Gamebook Studio pitch their way to first place | winner receives the innovation prize of 10,000 euro | intensive workshops and coaching for all five finalists

The startup Gamebook Studio o was named "Content Startup of 2024" at the Frankfurter Buchmesse today. A total of 36 startups applied this year, including 13 international entries. These came mostly from European countries but also included applications from South Africa and Rwanda. In today's final round, Gamebook Studio came out on top with their pitch against the other finalists and can now look forward to receiving the innovation prize of 10,000 euro. The platform aims to enrich books with interactive content, allowing readers to become the heroes of the story through animation. They can step into the shoes of existing characters and embark on new adventures with them.

Jury spokesperson Carla Scheunemann (Community Editions/Bastei Lübbe) explained the jury’s decision: "Gamebook Studio uses its products to combine conventional reading with exciting elements from gaming. Stories can be told creatively, individually and as a series. This reflects the preferred media consumption of young people and is a fun way to promote reading. For publishers, the low-threshold, module-based service of the web platform presents an opportunity to further develop their new and existing brands and gain direct access to those communities."

Five startups made it to today’s final round. They completed a three-month coaching and mentoring programme with the members of the jury and other experienced experts. Besides Gamebook Studio these were:

  • Equalizent links digital versions of books with its own database containing explanations and translations of German words in German sign language.
  • Kompreno offers over 10,000 translated texts drawn from national daily newspapers, special-interest magazines and journalism projects covering a wide range of themes from 14 European countries in a web-based and app format.
  • MyBookNet Pro is building a network of self-publishing platforms for e-books in several different languages.
  • Qeludra provides a tool for qualitative data analysis with the app “QInsights”, based on generative AI and allowing researchers to retrieve their desired information through conversation.

The accelerator receives support from companies active in the book industry and media sector, with each company sending representatives to act as members of the expert jury. The members of this year’s jury are the following:

  • Martina Fiddrich and Olaf Carstens (Cornelsen Verlag)
  • Carla Scheunemann and Jonas Konrad (Community Editions/Bastei Lübbe)
  • Alexander Woge (KNK Customer Engagement)
  • Stefanie Penck (TeNeues Verlag)
  • Nina Hugendubel and Per Dalheimer (Buchhandlung Hugendubel)
  • Leif Göritz and Detlef Büttner (Lehmanns Media/Buchhandlung Thalia)
  • Philipp Lindinger (Herder Verlag)
  • Lennart Schneider, an independent strategic advisor and external partner to the programme

The accelerator is also accompanied by Harald Henzler (International University SDI München) and Okke Schlüter (Hochschule der Medien/University of Applied Sciences Stuttgart) in an advisory capacity.

Additional Information

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About Content Shift

Content Shift is an initiative of the Börsenverein Group that focuses on new business models for the German-language book market. In addition to the accelerator, it also includes regular pitch events ("icebreakers") and a newsletter. The initiative was launched to support founders, to network startups with the book industry and to share information about new business models.
www.contentshift.de/en

About the Börsenverein Group

The Börsenvereinsgruppe (Group of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association) represents the interests of Germany's book industry and provides its members with advisory and practical services. The group comprises the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German Publishers and Booksellers Association) and its business subsidiaries, which include Frankfurter Buchmesse, MVB, mediacampus frankfurt as well as the Holding Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels Beteiligungsgesellschaft. The Börsenvereinsgruppe supports the book industry and media sector by providing professional services that include advocacy, the organisation of cultural projects, tradeshows, training programmes and publishing and technology services.
www.boersenvereinsgruppe.de

About MVB

Technology and information provider MVB makes books visible. Major platforms, based on international metadata standards, enable publishers and bookstores to promote their products successfully and efficiently in their home markets and abroad. Editorial and advertising formats as well as face-to-face networking give orientation in different book markets. In close cooperation with customers and market players from all areas of the book industry, the teams located in Frankfurt am Main, London, Mexico City, New York, and São Paulo continuously work on innovative Infrastructure solutions for the book trade of the future.
www.mvb-online.com

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