Caffeine and coaching are among the incubator incentives being offered in a new ppi Media competition.

The German software developer is inviting IT, media and computer science students, graduates or start-ups to vie for a year's support including the use of an office at their Kiel development complex.

"Thirty years ago, we were a high-potential start up, too," says product and innovation management senior vice president Manuel Scheyda. "In the meantime it has grown to become a global player in the publishing industry with more than 100 customers from the New York Times to the Bangkok Post to the Axel Springer Verlag."

The 'free coffee for a year' initiative is pitched at those who have good concepts for starting a company but are lacking the necessary equipment to put their ideas into practice. The winner gets an office and free access to work materials, a desk... and the coffee machine.

The opportunity to tap the experience of ppi's 120 employees includes coaching by division heads, developers and management.

Applicants have until May 1 to present their ideas... any way they choose. Contact Manuel Scheyda via a dedicated web page - at https://ppimedia.de/ppi/en/coffeeforfree - which also has further information.

The winner will be announced at ppi's Open Days event in Lubeck on June 22.