hTRIUS: Finalist in the 2026 Grand Prize of German SMEs
An award for innovation, growth and corporate responsibility: hTRIUS was named a finalist in the 2026 Grand Prix for Medium-Sized Enterprises, thereby reaching the highest stage of the competition.
From 4,842 nominees to the award
The SME Grand Prix is one of Germany’s established business competitions. In the 2026 competition year, 4,842 companies, local authorities and credit institutions were nominated nationwide.
Only a fraction of these make it through the multi-stage selection process to the highest stage of the competition. hTRIUS successfully progressed through all stages and was ultimately named a finalist.
We have thus reached the third and highest stage of the ‘Grand Prize for Medium-Sized Enterprises’.
Why the Finalist Award is special
The ‘Grand Prix for Medium-Sized Enterprises’ does not assess companies on the basis of a single key figure.
The jury assesses five key areas:
the company’s overall performance
the creation and safeguarding of jobs and training places
Modernisation and Innovation
Commitment to the environment and the local area
Service, customer focus and marketing
To succeed in a competitive environment, companies must excel in all five areas.
That is precisely why this award means so much to us.
It not only recognises our work, but also the development of hTRIUS as a company.
From a start-up in Baden-Württemberg to an award-winning medium-sized business
hTRIUS was founded in 2020 with a clear vision: to make physically demanding work healthier through the use of exoskeletons.
In just a few years, this vision has given rise to a growing technology company.
With the BionicBack exoskeleton, we develop and manufacture a solution that supports people in physically demanding tasks. Today, the BionicBack is used across various sectors, including the skilled trades, industry, construction and landscaping.
We are not only continuing to develop the technology; hTRIUS itself has also grown steadily.
At the end of 2025, we moved into our new premises in Horb am Neckar and expanded our floor space from around 230 to 1,500 square metres. Development, production and other key business areas are now all under one roof.
Being named a finalist in the ‘Großer Preis des Mittelstandes’ is therefore also a recognition of this entire journey for us.
2026 is a special year for hTRIUS
This finalist award is the latest in a series of significant milestones.
Back in March, hTRIUS was awarded first prize in the ‘Occupational Safety & Health Protection’ category at the 2026 German Construction Awards.
Now, with the finalist award at the Grand Prize for Medium-Sized Enterprises, we have received further recognition that not only considers our technology but also evaluates hTRIUS as a whole.
For us, this shows that the path we are taking together with our team, our customers and our partners is being recognised.
A trophy for the whole team
Business development does not stem from a single idea, nor is it the work of any one individual.
It stems from people who, every day, develop, produce, advise, organise, experiment, improve and take responsibility.
That is why this trophy belongs to our entire team.
We are proud to have been named a finalist in the 2026 ‘Großer Preis des Mittelstandes’ awards.
Above all, however, it is a further incentive for us to continue our development and remain true to our original mission:
To make work healthier and to provide effective support for people engaged in physically demanding activities.
What is the Grand Prize of German SMEs?
The SME Grand Prix has been organised by the Oskar Patzelt Foundation since 1994. It focuses on small and medium-sized enterprises that stand out for their economic development, innovation, commitment to their employees and the local region, and their customer focus.
The competition consists of three stages: the shortlist, the jury list and the honours list. The honours list represents the highest stage and comprises the companies that are recognised as prize-winners or finalists.
hTRIUS reached this highest stage of the competition in 2026 and was recognised as a finalist.
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