From Australia and Asia, Africa, and Europe to North and South America – we are inviting participants from all over the world to the
xplore 2023 Technology Award for a sustainable world
The Award
For nearly 100 years, Phoenix Contact has stood for technological innovation. That was and remains the core of our xplore competition, which is now going into its eighth edition. In this edition, the mission combines technologies with values, people, and the future. Entirely in the spirit of our purpose:
Together we are creating a sustainable world based on our passion for technology and innovation
This is what we would like to achieve and promote globally with xplore 2023. The only way to create a sustainable world is to do it together.
The benefits
xplore 2023 is designed to inspire and support young people in implementing their ideas for a sustainable world.
To make this idea a reality, we support participants with all the technologies and products that are available at Phoenix Contact – that’s more than 100,000 products.
Each team will receive a voucher for goods valued at over 3,000 euros and can have the most suitable components for their own solution delivered free of charge.
In addition, we offer the expertise and advice of the entire Phoenix Contact community. From the 100 teams, the international jury will nominate 25 finalist teams that we will invite to Germany.
During a huge event, the participants will present their technical innovations with all their functions and features. The jury will then select up to three best ideas in each of the categories.
The entire competition schedule
The contact persons
This is our xplore core team. If you have any questions about the competition, feel free to contact us.
From left to right: Klaus Hengsbach, Sarah Pyritz, Edmond Thevapalan, Tina Seehoefer
The patronage
Patronage by the industry
Nobody can really change the world alone not with the strongest technology in hand. It needs global cooperation, it needs global teams and what is the precondition for working in global teams? It's having at least a similar understanding of the technology, of the application and that needs a certain level of know-how, of education and training. That is what we as a company as Phoenix Contact, we are developing with our employees as well as we are doing it with our customers and our partners. With this interest we have developed many years ago the xplore competition.
Find out more in my personal video message.
Frank Stührenberg
CEO of Phoenix Contact
Patronage by the government
The climate crisis is one of the most important and most urgent challenges of our time. Only if we protect nature as the basis for life on our planet and respect planetary limits can we continue living in freedom and prosperity. We must accelerate the energy transition in order to achieve the necessary pace of change.
New technologies are needed on a large scale in order to shape our future in a sustainable way, and to make it more innovative, smarter and a more attractive place to live in. For this, we need people who think out of the box and who are dedicated and creative when implementing their visions. However, we lack around 280,000 skilled professionals, especially in the STEM occupations that are so necessary for this ecological transformation. And demand will continue to rise. By taking part in this competition, you have a unique opportunity to help us find the technological solutions we need for a sustainable world.
I wish all the participating technology enthusiasts from all over the world much fun, creativity and success and wish to thank Phoenix Contact and everyone involved for making this competition possible. We at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action are very much looking forward to the presentation of your ideas at the award ceremony.
Dr. Robert Habeck
Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
The jury
Gunther Koschnick
ZVEI e. V.
Automation Division
Managing Director
Selina Kerscher
University of Oviedo
PhD Candidate and Researcher in the field of Energy and Process Control
Dr. Frank Possel-Dölken
Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. KG
Chief Digital Officer (CDO)
Dr. Gert Zinke
Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training
- Department: Structure and order of vocational education
- Work Area: Electrical, IT and Natural Science Professions
Prof. Dr. Martina Lehser
- Center for Mechatronics and Automation Technologies (ZeMA), CEO
- University of Applied Sciences (htw saar), Saabruecken, Head of Embedded Robotics Lab
Prof. Dr. Xiao Feng
Tongji University
- Director of Sino-German College of Applied Sciences
- Director of Sino-German College of Technical and Vocational Education
Dr. Susanne Franke
Don Bosco Mondo e.V.
Business Cooperation, Vocational Training Competence Team
Dr. Reinhard Hüppe
New Automation e. V.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Anja Moldehn
Centrum Industrial IT (CIIT) e. V.
Executive Board & Technology Management
Hubert Romer
WorldSkills Germany e. V.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Dr. Tanja Emmerling
High-Tech Gründerfonds
Partner and Head of Berlin
Active for you on site
All of our subsidiaries will support the competition, so you will definitely have a point of contact for your questions and answers nearby.
If you have any questions about the xplore Award 2023, please find your regional contact here.
We are there for you on site.
Vishal Kumar
India, Srilanka & Bangladesh"हम ऐसे लोगों से प्यार करते हैं जो प्रौद्योगिकी की असीमित संभावनाओं के बारे में सोचते हैं। यह उन लोगों के लिए सबसे अच्छा मंच होगा जो अपनी कल्पनाओं को जीवन देना चाहते हैं"
Mariko Yokoi (Ms.)
Japan"未来を担う若い皆さんの才能と発想を十分に生かした、多様なチャレンジに出会えることを楽しみにしています。 日本の皆さんのチャレンジもお待ちしております！"
Asta Blažytė
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia"This competition is a unique and exciting opportunity for young innovators to receive the recognition and support to implement their idea for a sustainable world. Join our technology award and make your idea a reality!"
Rute Silva
Portugal"Quantas vezes ouviste dizer que nós, os portugueses, somos muito “engenhosos”! Está no nosso ADN encontrar soluções. Submete a tua ideia para um projeto. Junta-te a nós para criarmos um mundo mais sustentável!"
Mathias Bäck
Sweden"Bevisa att de svenska ungdomarna tillhör de bäst utbildade och de mest kreativa hjärnorna i världen. Gå med i Phoenix Contact xplore Award, ladda upp din projektidé och få chansen att vinna en oförglömlig upplevelse på Phoenix Contacts huvudkontor i Tyskland."
Enrique Montes Rodriguez
Spain"Esta nueva edición del proyecto Xplore va a ser muy singular y diferente a las anteriores ya que se culminará el año que viene coincidiendo con nuestro primer centenario. Por ello, queremos hacer de esta edición una oportunidad única y muy especial para todos los centros de formación para que tanto alumnos como profesores puedan desarrollar esa idea innovadora que nos ayude a todos a conseguir un mundo más sostenible. Si te apasiona como a nosotros la tecnología y el reto por mejorar el presente, estoy seguro que te interesará nuestra propuesta. Muchas gracias por tu atención, te esperamos."
Christian Travaini
Italy"Una piccola idea, un grande passo per l'umanità! Aiutaci a costruire un domani più sostenibile. Se la tecnologia è il tuo pane quotidiano, ti offriamo una grande opportunità per dare forma ai tuoi progetti. Unisciti alla nostra comunità globale di giovani appassionati per trasformare il tuo sogno in realtà: scendi in campo con noi!"
Rossella Zanelli
Italy"AAA cercasi giovani innovatori! Partecipa anche tu a Xplore, una competizione globale che può trasformare le tue idee in veri e propri progetti. I piccoli passi che cambiano il mondo si fanno sempre assieme e noi non vediamo l'ora di poterti aiutare a costruire un futuro più sostenibile! Partecipa anche tu e unisciti ad una community globale di giovani inventori"
The company Phoenix Contact
Phoenix Contact is a globally present, Germany-based market leader. Our group is synonymous with future-oriented components, systems, and solutions in the fields of electrical engineering, electronics, and automation. A global network across more than 100 countries and 17,600 employees ensure close proximity to our customers, which we believe is particularly important.
Together with customers and partners, we design solutions for the future using trend-setting connection and automation technology. Wherever they are needed – for example, in transportation infrastructure, electromobility, for clean water, regenerative energies and intelligent supply networks, or energy-efficient machine building and systems manufacturing.
We face up to technological developments and the associated changes in society. With almost 100 years of experience in the fields of machine building and automation, we are working on tomorrow's intelligent production today.
Find out more here:
partners of xplore
