A high-ranking jury of experts selected 25 ‘green’ visionaries from over 430 applicants from 80 countries as Green Talents 2013. Their prize included a two-week Science Forum during which the awardees visited top locations in sustainability research in Germany. Here, the Green Talents gained a deeper insight into the country’s innovation system, learned about state-of-the-art approaches and technologies, and exchanged ideas with leading experts in individual meetings. They furthermore participated in a networking event with Green Talents alumni from previous competitions.

On 8 November 2013, the Science Forum culminated in an award ceremony during which Mr Wilfried Kraus, Deputy Director General of the BMBF directorate for Sustainability, Climate and Energy, honoured the young scientists. The ceremony took place in the presence of representatives of the participating institutions, jury members and other distinguished guests in the BMBF’s historic Gartenhaus in Berlin.

In his laudation, Mr Kraus stressed the importance of the Green Talents programme for future international science cooperation:

“We need new ideas from research to tackle the challenges of our age – wherever they may occur. These “Green Talents” are bringing us a fresh breeze from the outside world. They stand for the large number of participants in the contest. They are passionate about the work of science in the country of the Energiewende, the renewable energy revolution. We will let ourselves be swept away by their enthusiasm.”