Entrepreneur Award

The Upper Lusatian Entrepreneur Award, known as the OLUP, is an award presented annually by the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz to three companies in Upper Lusatia. Particularly committed, successful and socially active entrepreneurs have been honored with this award since 1996. And it is not only the fact that it has been awarded for so many years that speaks for the importance of this award!

Before an award can be presented, a jury appointed by the districts meets. The jury is made up of IHK Dresden, HWK Dresden, Agentur für Arbeit Bautzen, Wirtschaftsförderung Sachsen GmbH and Marketing-Gesellschaft Oberlausitz-Niederschlesien mbH. If appropriate, the jury will be expanded to include at least one specialist expert from .

The three equally ranked prize winners receive a trophy, a certificate and official and public recognition of their entrepreneurial achievements, donated by the districts of Bautzen and Görlitz. Public interest and an increase in press inquiries have been cited by previous winners as positive effects of the award.

Award winners at a glance

ZMalerei Hoyerswerda stands for quality, team spirit and social responsibility. Owner Stefan Zehler founded the company in 2014 and has developed it into a permanent fixture in the regional trade. The jury was particularly impressed by the company's commitment to skilled workers. Flexible working time models, further training, health offers and a 36-hour week with full pay are a matter of course in the company. In addition to social responsibility, ZMalerei is heavily involved in youth sports and supports numerous clubs in the Hoyerswerda region. "The laudatory speech was wonderful and reminded us once again what a great company we are," explained Zita Gallai, who accepted the award on behalf of Stefan Zehler and the entire team together with her colleague Julika Franz. "We are delighted to receive the award and are pleased that it puts the spotlight on craftsmanship."

"I am completely surprised by our victory," said OSTEG Managing Director Marco Matthäi after the award ceremony. He hadn't even known about the nomination at first. With around 170 employees, OSTEG mbH is one of the largest construction companies in the region. For 35 years, it has been shaping road construction, civil engineering and earthworks in Upper Lusatia with technical expertise, innovative strength and a strong commitment to training. The company is involved in almost all regional careers guidance formats - from the "Look inside!" week to the return-to-work exchange. With projects such as the "Azubi-Arena", in which a park was designed by trainees and pupils, OSTEG creates practical experience and enthusiasm for technical professions. By recruiting international specialists, OSTEG also demonstrates openness and foresight.

Kälte- und Klimaservice Beier GmbH from Markersdorf shows how to combine securing skilled workers and social commitment. For more than three decades, the family business headed by Viviane Beier has stood for quality, customer proximity and strong teamwork. The boss now wants to celebrate the OLUP victory with her team. "It's great that the work we do every day is appreciated in this way," explained the Managing Director. Despite its manageable size of around ten employees, the company consistently invests in training, master craftsman and further training programs as well as in-company retraining. Career changers also find opportunities here. A health bonus and flexible development opportunities underline the modern approach.