xplore

• Three years after its successful launch, the xplore competition was held internationally under the title “xplore – New Automation Award”.
• The German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers’ Association (ZVEI) acted as patron, underscoring the growing importance of the competition.
• With 80 solutions submitted from various countries, xplore was the only automation industry competition at that time in the field of vocational training. The best projects were presented and awarded prizes at the Hannover Messe 2002.
• The award ceremony was presided over by Edelgard Bulmahn, then German Federal Minister of Education and Research – a strong sign of the social relevance of technical education.

• The xplore New Automation Award 2005 demonstrated the growing importance of technical education: 97 projects from 13 nations were accepted.
• On April 11, Minister Edelgard Bulmahn of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, honored the best teams.
• German vocational school BBS 1 Mainz was particularly successful with the “Biobot”, an automated test bench, and the “Rescuebot” project.
• A total of four German and two international teams received awards – a strong signal of the global relevance and success of the initiative.

• The fourth edition of the xplore New Automation Award demonstrated the international diversity of the competition with over 100 projects from 10 nations.
• In Blomberg, the finalists presented ideas ranging from rescue robots to solar systems. The winners were honored at the Hannover Messe.
• Phoenix Contact also received the “Ausgewählter Ort 2008” (Selected Landmark 2008) award for its commitment to technical education.
• Projects such as a flute player, a fuel cell system, and the LEON Netlab exemplified the company’s innovative strength.

• The sixth edition of the xplore New Automation Award showcased global diversity and technical visions: 136 applications from 23 countries, 96 funded projects, 33 teams in the final in Germany.
• At the Hannover Messe, German Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Sigmar Gabriel recognized the innovative strength of talented young people.
• The “Inspiring Engineers” category for participants under 18 was new.
• The projects ranged from smart buildings and solar-powered stoves to AR goalkeepers and automated cocktail machines.

• The seventh edition of the xplore New Automation Award was also an anniversary: 20 years of xplore with over 5,000 participants and 600 projects since 1998.
• 98 teams from 24 countries were supported, 24 final teams presented their ideas in Bad Pyrmont.
• The winners presented their ideas to an international audience of experts at the Hannover Messe.
• Topics such as the environment, smart factory, and urban infrastructure showed how automation solves social challenges – for example through AR maintenance, smart facades, and intelligent waste management.

• The eighth edition of xplore under the title “Technology Award for a sustainable world” was a highlight of Phoenix Contact’s 100th anniversary.
• The competition focused on sustainability and the vision of an All Electric Society.
• With 170 applications from over 50 countries, the interest in sustainable technology was impressive.
• 100 projects were funded, 25 final teams presented their ideas in Bad Pyrmont and received their awards at a ceremony.
• The winning teams also received a special award from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action in Berlin.

The aim is to strengthen technical education, promote the global transfer of knowledge, and contribute to solving social challenges through practical projects.

Participants gain access to technology platforms, can build international networks, and present their ideas to a panel of experts. The best projects are awarded and presented to the public.

The date for the next xplore has not been set yet. As soon as there is any news, we will provide information on this page and via our communication channels well in advance. So it’s worth checking back regularly.

Yes! Exciting events and educational formats also take place outside of the competition. We provide information about current events on this page and via our newsletter.