1st coaching session
Problem Analysis and Solution Analysis
Our Impact Accelerator
Compared to other accelerators, in this program you will receive an external task-force consisting of experts in finance, designers, HR specialists, marketers and more to boost your startups development. We are hands-on and only stop working when you do! On top of that you will have the chance to benefit from our capillary network of investors, potential customers as well as out Talent Pool for the growth of your team.
What is Impact Investing?
Impact investing has been a rising topic over the past decade as society notices that the economy needs to focus on social metrics as well as financial ones. The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) defines impact investing as “investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return”. Impact investing has disrupted the classical doctrine which defines investment success only by its financial metrics over the project life and has begun to attribute value to social and environmental factors. It possesses numerous features that need to be highlighted in the first place.
It is intentional; the main idea behind this alternative investment is the desire to contribute, in a measurable manner, to the betterment of the environment or society. Moreover, financial return achieved over these investments can range between below-market to market-rate, however investors are willing to receive these results given the positive return that these investments will generate for society. The nature of the investment is not sector-specific but agnostic, with greater focus on segments that might lead to positive externalities. The intrinsically most relevant feature is the ability to create a measurable impact.
The Partners
Main Incubator GmbH, or main incubator in short, is the early stage VC and R&D unit of Commerzbank Group. The company is headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. The main incubator deals with future topics and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, cross reality, IoT, quantum computing and many more. It investigates economically and socially relevant future technologies, promotes and develops sustainable solutions. In the area of ventures, main incubator makes strategic investments in young, technology-driven start-ups at an early stage and makes the start-ups’ solutions accessible to Commerzbank and its customers.
Stages: Seed & Series A
Region: Europe
Investment amount: 250k – 2Mio
Sectors: FinTech & PropTech, GreenTech (Sustainability & ESG), IT/Datasecurity and Analytics, Enterprise Applications & Infrastructure
Portfolio size: 21 active investments
Exits: 2
GründerAtelier GmbH, or GA in short, is an international consulting company with headquarter in Weinheim, Germany. GA offers consulting services for early-stage startups and investors within the impact investing sectors including but not limited to healthcare, food & ag, housing, and financial services. GA fully remote working layout allow quickness of execution, high-quality standards, and constant flow of information with all the stakeholders. With experience from various backgrounds, such as start-up funding, business development, strategy consulting, psychology, investment banking and private equity GA is able to support founder-teams on a broad basis.
Stages: Pre-Seed & Seed
Region: Europe
Investment amount: 36k in Services
Sectors: Including but not limited to healthcare, food & ag, housing, and financial services
INTERESTED IN BECOMING A PARTNER OF THE PROGRAM? CONTACT US.
Our Focus
ENERGY
FINANCIAL SERVICES
FORESTRY
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
MICROFINANCE
HOUSING
INFRASTRUCTURE
HEALTHCARE
WASH
EDUCATION
MANUFACTURING
ICT
PROGRAM STRUCTURE
The overall program includes workshops, coaching, dinners, events, speakers, networking with investors, introduction of customers, legal, admin, banking, financial, business support and a virtual Demo Day. The accelerator program takes three month and will be structured in the following fashion:
Participation Requirements
Required
In order to be considered for the program the startup need to satisfy a list of criteria:
- The team needs to be composed of more than 1 person and the members of the team need to have complementary skills.
- The startup needs to have a legal structure and be registered.
- The startup needs to be maximum 4 years old.
- Spin-offs from Universities and/or corporates are allowed to apply.
- The team needs to be working full-time in the startup.
- The startup needs to solve a pressing problem for our society.
- Startups in the Series A phase or above are not allowed to apply.
- Startups that develop business ideas that do not generate any value added for society will not be considered.
Welcomed
Our accelerator will contain the best talents and innovative startups. Some of the key aspects we would wish our candidates to have are the followings:
- Incorporate data as part of their competitive advantage.
- Addresses pain points for payers, providers and society.
- Outsource services to relieve the pressure on the industries ecosystem.
- Focus and disrupt niche markets such as micro loans.
- Dwell into next-generation technologies.
SELECTION PROCESS
ROUND 1
Application through our webform
The startups will apply to the program via our intelligent webform which will calculate a score for each startup based on team, product, technology & innovation and impact among others. According to the score, our analysts will ask you for more information and will forward you to next round if you pass successfully.
ROUND 2
Due diligence
Our analyst-team will perform a rigorous due diligence (DD) on your startups’ documents. In case of a positive outcome of the DD, your startup will be asked to attend a final interview with the GründerAtelier team.
ROUND 3
Interview
Our analyst-team will interview you on multiple topics in order to clarify any open points and to assess the reliability of the management team.
Apply
You are an impact startup and all this sounds good to you? Then don’t hesitate and apply for our program to bring your venture to the next level.
Partner Up
You are an investor that would be interested to be part of the accelerator program, working side by side with Main Incubator and Gründeratelier? Then feel free to contact us.