CONTENTshift accelerator: Gamebook Studio is the Content Startup of 2024

The startup Gamebook Studio 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 programme is sponsored by companies from the book and media sector, which send members to the CONTENTshift jury. This year's jury includes: 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) as well as 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.

A press photo will be available here from 20:00: www.boersenverein.de/pressefotos  

Website with further details of the sponsorship programme and the participating startups in 2024: www.contentshift.de  

Social Media:
Facebook: @Contentshift
Instagram: @Contenshift
LinkedIn: CONTENTshift 
X: @ShiftingContent
Hashtag: #contentshift

About the Börsenverein Group

The Börsenvereinsgruppe (Börsenverein group) represents the interests of Germany’s book industry and acts as its central service provider. The organisation consists of the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels (German Publishers and Booksellers Association) and its business subsidiaries, which include the Frankfurt Book Fair and MVB, the Mediacampus Frankfurt and the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels Beteiligungsgesellschaft. The Börsenvereinsgruppe organises and oversees a number of services and professional education programmes for the book industry and media sector, including lobbying activities, cultural projects, trade fairs, training programmes as well as publishing and technology services.