Acceleration

At Zukunft.Gründen we accompany your in your success as close partners. Our expert mentors will support you to bring your startup or social business in your next growth phase in a sustainable way.

You will meet your mentors through biweekly calls and/or in person meetings (depending on the program) and on the side we will offer some capacity building programs to help you design and execute impactful growth plans. 

In our programs we will connect you with marketing experts,customers, partners and investors in Germany and at international level thanks to our wide network, giving you practical and effective support and providing you with the knowledge and skills to succeed in your future growth journey.

In some cases we do offer some financial support to accelerate your venture. Check out the specific programs for this! 

We welcome everyone to join our programs, our programs are addressed to SMEs and Startups in different growth phases and to entrepreneurs from various backgrounds. Check out the specificities for each program! 

The actual programs sponsored by the Yunus&You Foundation are focused on young social business entrepreneurs, in particular: 

• Futurepreneurs LATAM - Social Entrepreneurs aged 18-35 based in LATAM or interested in expanding their social business in the region.
• Zukunft.Gründer*innen - Social Entrepreneurs aged 18-35 based in Germany or interested in expanding their social business in Germany.

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Just fill in the form that you will find on the landing page of each program and share more about your social business or startup idea with us!It is highly appreciated if you can already share a pitch deck or website page. 

Financial support offered depends on the kind of program and on the partners involved. 

Thanks to some government funds, some of our programs offer an initial support to set up your idea that ranges from a monthly"Stipendium" ( a basic salary for the founding team) to some initial funds to launch your idea ( between €5k-€25k. 

Currently the only programs offering financial support are the ones carried out within our HfWU Startup Campus, check them out! 

Our Venture Studio may also decide to invest in your startup or social business if it carries a great potential for impact, scalability and profitability. Feel free to share your ideas with us at this link.

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Applications for the Futurepreneurs LATAM program are open until the 15^th October 2024. 

For the Zukunft. Gründer*innen program they will open in March2025. In the meantime, you can follow our series of workshops by registering at this link or register to our newsletter to stay up to date here.

Our acceleration programs usually last between 3 and 9 months. 

Futurepreneurs LATAM - the mentoring program will start on 21stOctober 2024 and will end around the 15^th January 2025 (3 months). 

For the Zukunft. Gründer*innen program, the incubation program will go from March-December 2025 (10 months).

Usually we take one month to evaluate applications and provide feedback.

We will evaluate how your startup will be aligned to the programs objective and values. The following criteria are taken into account when evaluating applicants:

Social & Environmental Impact

• Relevance of the Problem: does the business address a clear and pressing social or environmental issue?
• Scale of Impact: What is the potential for widespread positive impact (local, national, global)?
• Measureability: can the impact be tracked and measured effectively over time?
• Target Population: how well does the idea serve its intended beneficiaries or stakeholders?

Innovation

• Uniqueness: Is the solution innovative and distinctive?
• Problem-Solution Fit: Does the startup provide a solution that directly affect a problem in a new or effective way?
• Use of Technology: How effectively is technology leveraged, if at all, to enhance the solution?

Business Model & Sustainability:

• Financial Viability: Is there a clear path to financial sustainability? Are revenue streams realistic?
• Scalability: Can the business grow without a proportional increase in costs and is the idea scalable to different regions and markets?
• Cost efficiency: does the startup operate efficiently, ensuring that maximum value is delivered relative to costs?

Market Potential:

• Market Need: Is there a clear demand for the product or service? Is the market large enough to support growth?
• Competitive Landscape: How does the startup differentiate itself from competitors?
• Customer Acquisition: What is the strategy for acquiring customers or beneficiaries? Is it feasible?

Team & Execution Capability

• Team Expertise: Does the team have the relevant skills, experience and networks to execute the idea successfully?
• Commitment: How dedicated is the team to the mission and the growth of the business?
• Execution plan: is there a clear roadmap to achieve short term and long term goals?

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