XPRENEURS Incubator’s Post

POV: You're a start-up founder and have 30 minutes to convince the XPRENEURS team of your team's potential 🧐 Once all applications are in, we don't let founders wait long. In an intense pitching week, we invite the 45 most promising teams for a 4-minute in-person pitch plus Q&A to the Munich Urban Colab. Only 20 start-ups will be selected to join our program! These 5 days are both some of the most exciting and most challenging days for the team. So many decisions: Who shows the most potential to become the next high-tech star? Who will benefit most from our program and the UnternehmerTUM ecosystem? Who needs a bit more time to prepare the basics, or is already too advanced? Fortunately, we have some of our best mentors volunteering as jury members, such as Ferdie Bruijnen, Bernd Hetterscheidt, Dirk Zechiel, Tom Lapperger, Carol Cueva Camacho, Dominik Kaiser, Ines Pfeil, Markus Pratschke, Robert Neuhauser and Ralph Meyer. 💜 And we can count on our partners from UnternehmerTUM Funding for Innovators (Paolo Oppelt and Mauricio Fleischer Acuña) 🧡 as well as the TUM Venture Labs: Florian Doetzer (Aerospace), Antoine Leboyer and Bastian Burger (Software/AI), Sonja Stange (Robotics), Nic Knapp (Mobility), Dr. Sabine Klein and Felicitas Eidenschink (Healthcare), Alexander Laprell, Charlotte Falk and Stefan Blenk (LegalTech), Christopher Trummer (Quantum), Sascha Schwarz (Additive Manufacturing) and Lars Eiermann, Roman Werner and Sarah Jessl, PhD (Sustainability); and last but not least Léonie Trick from Vector Stiftung 💙 Thank you all for your support! Until now, we've already seen a lot of potential stars in many different fields. It's going to be a tough debate during selection day 😎 Do you have a team you're rooting for?

The essentials in fundraising are what Fabian Sepulveda (entrepreneur, educator and investor at Courage Ventures Funds) will be talking about at the webinar on June 11th, at 10.30 – 11.30 AM. 🔸 Are you an investor? Access new, exciting opportunities! 🔸 Are you an entrepreneur? Learn the investors’ mindset! Organized by Health Data Sweden partners EIT Digital and Compare. #lifescience #fundraising #investment #entrepreneurship

🎓 Exciting news! We (Christian Martin Surland, Daniel Hoang, and myself) have just defended our thesis "Analyzing the Deep Tech Funding Deficit -Assessing the Case for Danish Universities' Investment in Bridging the Gap" and we're thrilled with the results! In an era where deep tech innovation is critical for societal advancement, it's crucial to address the funding challenges that hinder progress. Our research involved interviews with experts in the US and Germany at TUM, UnternehmerTUM, UVC, MIT and The Engine, as well as discussions with Danish universities and deep tech venture capitalists. We discovered that while Danish research institutions excel in patents, there's a struggle to fund deep tech ventures. A patient capital mindset needs to be adopted, and structuring fund models that combine for-profit with philanthropic funding should de-risk ventures until conventional investors are ready to step in. A big thank you to Argyro (Iro) Nikiforou and Simon Hertig for their invaluable support throughout this journey. 🔬🚀 #DeepTech #Innovation #Research #Funding #Entrepreneurship #Denmark DTU Skylab Massachusetts Institute of Technology DTU Entrepreneurship

The one where Cambridge goes to London... It was a delight to be at the Founders at the University of Cambridge Investor Demo Day in the rather fabulous Kings Place for the inaugural cohort of the Founders programme. We talked about Cambridge's place in the national and international ecosystem, including a presentation and accompanying numbers from Dealroom.co, as we move from the PC era to the Internet era to the Intelligence and Autonomy era. We also had a panel discussion about the funding, and the practical, challenges facing deeptech and high tech businesses. There remains a gap at round about Technology Readiness Level 6, where grants are harder to come by yet still needed because grown-up funding also remains elusive. The day closed with a short address from the University Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice. Most importantly, we heard from the 11 businesses that form the first cohort of the Founders Programme. Having seen some of these pitches on more than occasion, it's clear the programme has really helped these businesses shape their narratives and articulately explain what support they need to properly launch and scale. I do wonder how many of the VCs in the audience would have, er, ventured the hour north to Cambridge had the inaugural demo day not been held in London. And I now do wonder how many of the VCs in the audience WOULD venture the hour north to Cambridge for the next one now that the inaugural demo day HAS been held in London... My passion remains helping deeptech companies successfully commercialise on their innovation and technology. Being one of mentors on the Founders programme is one way that I can help at a very early stage. And beyond the loving support of an accelerator programme, when businesses need support in all things deeptech commercialisation, I'm just a DM away... _____________________________________ Strategy advisor and marketing mentor to deeotech and high tech businesses and the wider tech ecosystem, bringing the essential marketing mindset 360° Marketing email at https://lnkd.in/eDW2MVRv

✨The wait is finally over as we are ready to unveil what's in store for you during the European Angel Investment Summit on October 15 - 16. Not only will you be able to network with investors and startups, but you will also gain access to invaluable industry insights from experts in the field. Get your tickets here: https://lnkd.in/dfRpwmv ➡️Here's what to expect during #EAIS24: 14th of October - Pre-event Networking 🍻Get ready for Belgian Brewed Beers as we open up our pre-event networking drinks for investors and entrepreneurs. Get a jumpstart on making connections and listen to inspirational talk by Gelatex founder Märt-Erik Martens (Powered by Bionanopolys)   15th of October - Core Topics of Focus 🛡️ #DefenceTech Forum: Discover how the EU is supporting startups and investors in the ecosystem. What are the challenges and opportunities presented when investing in defence and dual-use? (Powered by DGDEFIS). 🛰️ #DeepTech Forum: Focus on BioTech investment trends, advancing diversity around BioTech founders and AI and applications across science-driven sectors (Powered by Bionanopolys). 💡Past Present and Future Forum: Finishing off the day with the past, present, and future of angel investing featuring BAN managers and Board members in a round table discussion about the future of the investing ecosystem. Gala Dinner -🎉 Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the EBAN network in style with an inviting reception, followed by a small concert and dinner to commemorate the occasion. 16th of October - Engaging Investors and Entrepreneurs 🎙️Plenary sessions on the past 25 years of angel investing, how to drive exits (powered by EU-LAC Digital Accelerator), and how to steer the scaling of companies. 🤝 Connecting the Community: Half day of corporate matchmaking between entrepreneurs, VC's, and other corporate groups. Interested by what you see? Well that is not all in store! This year is your only chance to celebrate EBAN’s 25th Anniversary with top Angel Investors from Europe and around the world 🎉. So what are you waiting for? Get your tickets now and join us during #EAIS24 Join the celebration here: https://lnkd.in/dfRpwmv

When applying for the EIC Accelerator is a bad idea👇 1️⃣ YOU DON’T DEVELOP DEEP TECH Only novel science-based tech is allowed. If you’re just combining existing technologies to do something in a new and smarter way, the EIC is not for you. 2️⃣ YOUR VALUE PROP IS POORLY VALIDATED Winners have robust data/results from previous tests that prove the uniqueness and competitiveness of their business case. The more realistic, the better (TRL6 > TRL5). 3️⃣ YOU HAVE AN INCOMPLETE TEAM There are a handful of EIC-funded companies with teams under 5 members. It’s possible but a long shot (especially nowadays). Get as close as possible to a full C-team + key lead positions. 4️⃣ YOUR GO-TO-MARKET STRATEGY IS UNCLEAR Who to sell to, how, and why define business success. If you’re still figuring out your primary market segment or your customers’ willingness to pay… you've got things to fix. 5️⃣ YOU LACK PARTNERSHIPS TO SCALE This grant is for companies that are ready to scale up. You might want to wait if you don’t have commercial volume key suppliers + early adopters. 6️⃣ YOU CAN’T PROVE INVESTOR SUPPORT The EIC jury is made up of investors expecting other investors to back their grant investment into your growth. Keep up with their expectations. Are you good on all 6? Greenlight.

🛣️ Patentiv's Journey: From Workshop Learnings to Market Readiness Today I attended the workshop "Go-to-market 'light' - Quick learning on a low budget" given by Dr. Else van der Berg and hosted by SIBB Startups. One key takeaway? 🤔 We don't need huge marketing budgets💰 or a fully developed MVP 🚀 to begin validating our value proposition in the real world. Else shared practical tips and frameworks on how to craft, initiate, and execute Minimum Viable Tests (MVTs) to confirm our hypotheses. As the team behind Patentiv 🛠️, our pioneering patent valuation tool, we're dedicated to validating our assumptions across three critical domains before launching: 1️⃣ Viability (business) 💼 2️⃣ Desirability (customer) ❤️ 3️⃣ Feasibility (technology) 💡 So far we have found that: The cost effectiveness and accuracy of a digitized, proven valuation methodology compared to do-it-yourself (DIY) valuations or OUTSOURCING to external consultants or firms is likely to be preferred by patent owners. But our exploration doesn't stop here. We're keen on challenging and validating more assumptions to refine Patentiv to its best version. 🌈 📢 Calling all patent owners and innovators! If you're seeking expert opinion on patent valuation or are on the lookout for novel solutions to your patent valuation challenges, I'd love to hear from you to join our pilot user group. 🌐 Your feedback could be the catalyst for the next big thing in patent valuation! Let's discuss! 💥 Etta Dannemann Urte Zahn Ron SIBB Mario Liebrenz

Imagine solving the one challenge holding back countless innovators: the gap between having a groundbreaking idea and finding the funding to make it real. If you're a student innovator at the University of Arkansas, this is your chance to bridge that gap. The Seed Funding Pitch Competition, overseen by the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (OEI), invites you to pitch your innovative ideas. Up to $2,000 in seed funding is available. But here’s the bigger question: What problem, if solved, could turn your venture into a billion-dollar company? This competition isn't just about money; it's about finding that game-changing solution that could revolutionize industries or solve an urgent societal issue. Whether you're designing software, improving Healthcare or building something entirely new, now is the time to turn your idea into action. Pitches are capped at 90 seconds and followed by a Q&A with judges. No slides. Just your vision and the confidence to share it. Applications close Nov. 1. Competitors can attend practice sessions on Nov. 8 and 11 at the Brewer Family Entrepreneurship Hub. Don't miss the Art of the Pitch workshop on Nov. 7, led by Alex de la Fuente, founder and CEO of Hightag Past participants have used this funding to scale ventures that address real problems, from improving animal health to enhancing international student experiences. Some of those ventures are thriving today. So, what problem will you solve? What’s one obstacle in your venture that, if solved, could unlock massive potential? Let’s brainstorm in the comments! Akash Vidyadharan, Pete Bitar, Robert Gillio, Manavalan Krishnan, Alex Miller, Mehran Ron Dabbagh, Pat Darché, Jian Morayra, Greg Wessman, Alex Radulovic, Tom Stemple, Mark Amo-Boateng, Ken Sandfeld, Michael Morris, Jen-Yu Huang, Ph.D., Henley Wing Chiu, Ben Pippenger #InnovateToSolve #NextBillionDollarIdea #PitchToWin

🌟 Join DeepTech Alliance at Hello Tomorrow’s Global Summit! 🌍 Come visit us at our stand to meet our members, industry partners, and startups and learn about our ambitious 2024-25 initiatives which are bridging markets for science-based innovation to drive impact across critical sectors: 🌱 Clean Energy: Pioneering the energy transition for a sustainable future. 🏭 Advanced Manufacturing: Driving the future of manufacturing with cutting-edge technologies. 💡 Public Utilities: Innovating in utilities and materials for an effective public infrastructure. 🩺 Healthcare: Transforming healthcare through breakthrough scientific innovations. Dive into Hello Tomorrow’s unparalleled agenda of forward-thinking experts that covers: 🍽️ Sustainable Food Systems 🌳 Climate Resilience, Energy Transition, and Biodiversity 🔬 Industrial Biotech & the Future of Healthcare 🏗️ Sustainable Construction and Infrastructure And much more… Collaborate and Innovate: 🤝 Join us alongside 80+ deep tech startups, industrial leaders, research centers, and ecosystem builders. It's a unique opportunity to explore new products, services, and meaningful collaborations shaping the future. Let’s Meet: 💬 We’re excited to meet you and explore how we can address our global challenges and create a better tomorrow together. At the Summit you can also meet our members who are powering DeepTech Alliance to bridge markets for cross-border innovation and impact: members: UnternehmerTUM, PoliHub - Innovation Park & Startup Accelerator, THINGS AB, The Collider /Mobile World Capital Barcelona, Ljubljanski univerzitetni inkubator (LUI), HighTechXL, imec and DTU Science Park Startups. Check what we are up to here: https://lnkd.in/dYcXPjAF

Can't wait to dive deeper into Customer Discovery & Idea Validation with the teams selected for EIT Digital Venture Incubation Program by SIBB Startups 💡 Working with early stage teams is super exciting and I'm looking forward to the interactive workshops we'll have in the coming weeks. #earlystage #startup #startupcoach #ideavalidation #innovation