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Opened 2018 with Dieter Schwarz Foundation support. Runs an Incubator for idea validation and a 12-week Accelerator for investor readiness; notable mobility and AI startups. Support: training, mentorship, foundation grants. Scope: Regional (Heilbronn-Franken).
Digital innovation hub founded in 2017 for the Rhineland region offering structured accelerator programs, mentorship, networking, and investor access to digital startups. Focus on digital transformation with alumni in cybersecurity and enterprise software. Scope: Local (Bonn/Rhineland).
Launched 2013. Energy and cleantech accelerator with a 3-month program, up to EUR 22,000 funding, coaching, and access to E.ON's network. Support: seed funding, mentorship, utility industry access. Scope: National.
European cleantech accelerator offering a three-stage program with grants, mentorship, and industry network access. Notable projects include carbon management and sustainable agriculture startups. Support: non-dilutive funding, expert coaching, EU network. Scope: International (EU-wide).
Deutsche Telekom's tech incubator founded in 2012 with campuses in Berlin and Kraków, focusing on 5G, IoT, and AI startups. Support: corporate seed funding, technical resources, co-creation programs, and access to Telekom's network. Notable alumni include telecom IoT ventures integrated into Deutsche Telekom. Scope: International.
Ran 2013-2016 as part of Microsoft for Startups. Four-month cohort with expert mentorship, Azure credits, and investor connections. Support: coaching, cloud infrastructure, partner network. Scope: Global.
The Siemens Technology Accelerator (STA) is a unique corporate accelerator program run by Siemens AG since 2001, aimed at spinning out non-core technologies from Siemens’ R&D into independent startups. Based in Munich, STA essentially identifies promising internal innovations (often developed at Siemens Corporate Technology labs) that don’t fit Siemens’ core business, and forms new ventures around them. STA provides seed funding, co-founding management, and access to Siemens’ infrastructure to these ventures, effectively acting as a venture builder. Over its history, the Siemens Technology Accelerator has spun out more than 12 companies across sectors like energy, industrial automation, healthcare, and materials. Notable spin-offs include MetisMotion (advanced actuators), Magazino (warehouse robotics – which STA helped early on), and Epiqo (a digital twin software). One high-profile case is Rethink Robotics GmbH: in 2020, STA helped relaunch assets of Rethink Robotics (the US cobot pioneer) in a joint venture, integrating it with Siemens technology. The typical STA project starts with identifying a tech with market potential. STA then recruits external entrepreneurs or Siemens intrapreneurs to lead the startup, develops a business plan, secures intellectual property rights (license or assign IP from Siemens to the newco), and provides initial funding (often low millions of euros). Siemens often remains a minority shareholder and provides pilot customers or manufacturing help. The time from project inception to an independent company launch is around 18–24 months. STA’s model addresses a common big-corporate problem: great inventions that don’t make it to market. By essentially incubating startups from within, Siemens both creates value from dormant IP and fosters innovation culture. Many STA spin-outs go on to raise venture capital or get acquired. For example, Ionity (an EV charging network) was seeded by Siemens’ STA and later became a major joint venture with automakers. The Siemens Technology Accelerator operates with a small specialized team and has won awards for corporate venturing. It serves as a best-practice example of how large industrial firms can proactively spin off new ventures rather than let R&D sit on a shelf. In essence, STA extends Siemens’ innovation beyond its core by unleashing startups that bring cutting-edge tech (like novel sensors, new materials, etc.) to the broader market.
Founded 2016. Accelerator for the video game industry connecting German and French hubs; provides workshops, industry mentoring, and investor access. Notable studios: Burning Glass Creative, HandyGames. Support: game-specific mentorship, networking, funding access. Scope: Regional.
Founded 2014. Six-month program for entrepreneurial teams with coworking, mentoring, and technology partners; alumni include energy and healthcare startups. Support: mentorship, workspace, partner resources. Scope: Regional (East Germany).
Established 2016. 100-day accelerator for web and software startups with intensive coaching, mentoring, and free workspace. Focus on B2B software with SaaS and fintech alumni. Support: mentorship, coworking, investor connections. Scope: Regional (Northern Germany).