innoWerft
Early-stage investor and startup accelerator in Walldorf, Germany, for B2B and industry-tech startups.
innoWerft at a glance
| Established | 2010 |
|---|---|
| Address | Kleinfeldweg 54, Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg 69190, DE |
| Programmes | 6 standing programmes |
| Fees | Free — all 2 programmes that state a fee policy |
| Official website | www.innowerft.com |
| info@innowerft.com |
Which innoWerft programme fits you
6 programmes compared by who they are for, the stage they accept, how long they run and what they cost.
| Programme | Best for | Stage | Duration | Format | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| innoWerft Beteiligung | Early-phase B2B tech startups | — | — | — | — |
| Open Pitch | B2B startups with a pitch deck | — | — | — | Free |
| Up2B Accelerator | B2B and high-tech startups, Rhine-Neckar region | — | Breakthrough six weeks, Firecamp five days, Product Booster five weeks | — | Free |
| AI Accelerator | Founders at idea stage and AI startups in growth | — | One to two days per track | — | — |
| Startup BW Pre-Seed | Early-stage startups with a Baden-Württemberg company seat | — | — | — | — |
| EXIST | Students, graduates and researchers from universities | — | Twelve months | — | — |
Programmes they run
Standing programmes at innoWerft, separate from the funding calls above.
innoWerft's own early-stage investment in B2B tech startups, paired with a personal venture manager.
Best for: Early-phase B2B tech startups
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
The innoWerft Beteiligung is an early-stage investment for B2B tech startups, made through a convertible loan. innoWerft stays with the team from the early phase to a Series A round.
What you get
- An early-stage convertible loan from innoWerft
- A personal venture manager for close sparring
- Access to a network of potential customers and investors
- Support on business model development, fundraising, go-to-market, pilot customers and sales
Who can apply
- Early-phase B2B tech startups
How to apply: Take part in the free Open Pitch, or write through the contact form.
Open Pitch
ProgrammeA free pitch feedback session for B2B startups, and the route into innoWerft investments.
Best for: B2B startups with a pitch deck
- Free
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Open Pitch gives B2B startups free feedback on their pitch deck and a chance at an innoWerft investment.
Who can apply
- B2B startups in industry tech, enterprise software, B2B platforms or green tech, with a pitch deck
How to apply: Fill in the contact form and upload your pitch deck.
Up2B Accelerator
AcceleratorAn international accelerator for B2B and high-tech startups in the Rhine-Neckar region, run with Technologiepark Heidelberg and NEXT Mannheim.
Best for: B2B and high-tech startups, Rhine-Neckar region
- Breakthrough six weeks, Firecamp five days, Product Booster five weeks
- Free
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Up2B is the international accelerator for B2B and high-tech startups in the Rhine-Neckar region. Its partners are innoWerft, Technologiepark Heidelberg and NEXT Mannheim.
What you get
- Breakthrough: six weeks on problem-solution fit, with one-to-one coaching and customer contacts
- Firecamp: a five-day intensive on investor readiness, with pitch training and the chance to pitch to investors
- Product Booster: five weeks on product-market fit, matched with corporates for pilot customers
- Scale Up and Market Discovery, two newer modules for growth and internationalisation
Who can apply
- B2B and high-tech startups at any stage of development
The Up2B pages say state funding runs until the end of 2022. Check the current intake before you apply.
AI Accelerator
AcceleratorA cooperation of IPAI, Campus Founders and innoWerft, with short coaching tracks for AI startups.
Best for: Founders at idea stage and AI startups in growth
- One to two days per track
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
The AI Accelerator supports AI startups from idea development to growth. It is a cooperation of IPAI Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence, Campus Founders and innoWerft.
What you get
- Mentoring and expert coaching on value proposition, prototype development, AI development and business models, for founders at idea stage
- Mentoring on team culture, sales and networking with investors and corporates, for AI startups that are growing
Who can apply
- Founders interested in or recently founding an AI startup
- AI startups looking for growth
Each track runs one to two days and can be applied for separately.
A State of Baden-Württemberg convertible loan for early-stage startups, with innoWerft as an accredited partner.
Best for: Early-stage startups with a Baden-Württemberg company seat
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
Startup BW Pre-Seed is a funding instrument of the State of Baden-Württemberg, run with the L-Bank. It is a low-interest convertible loan for early-stage startups, and it can later turn into a company stake under certain conditions.
What you get
- A convertible loan from the state, with a co-investor sharing the cost
- Support from an accredited partner through the application and panel pitch
Who can apply
- Innovative, growth-oriented startups with a scalable model
- A company seat or investment site in Baden-Württemberg
- Half of the founders living in Baden-Württemberg
- A company entered in the commercial register no more than five years ago
- No profits distributed yet
How to apply: Apply through an accredited partner such as innoWerft.
EXIST
Grant schemeA German federal programme for start-up projects from universities and research, which innoWerft helps founders use.
Best for: Students, graduates and researchers from universities
- Twelve months
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
EXIST is a funding programme run by the German Federal Government. It supports start-up projects from universities and research, with living costs, prototype material, coaching and academic and industry networks for twelve months.
Who can apply
- Students, graduates and researchers who want to set up a start-up
- University or research involvement is required
InnoWerft helps founders make targeted use of EXIST and structure their projects.
Incubation tracks
The routes into innoWerft, and what each one includes.
| Track | Type | Space | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| innoWerft BeteiligungEarly-stage capital via a convertible loan (5% interest for €50,000). Support for teams across several stages of development, from early phase to Series A. | Acceleration | — | early-stage capital via a convertible loan, close sparring with personal venture manager, access to ecosystem of potential customers and investors, support with business model development, fundraising, go-to-market and pilot customer access, sales |
| Up2B AcceleratorA consortium of next Mannheim, Technologiepark Heidelberg, and innoWerft. Programs include Breakthrough (6 weeks for problem-solution fit), Firecamp (5-day intensive for investor readiness), and Product Booster (5 weeks for product-market fit). New programs Scale Up and Market Discovery are being added. | Acceleration | — | intensive startup development programs, 1-on-1 coaching, contacts with potential customers, training for perfect pitch, in-depth knowledge of sales, marketing, investments, contact with corporates, opportunity to pitch in front of investors, finding first pilot customers, support for scaling and internationalisation |
| AI AcceleratorA cooperation between CampusFounders, IPAI Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence, and innoWerft, supporting AI-startups. | Acceleration | — | support from idea development to growth, wide range of programs |
Support services
Help offered alongside funding and space.
Business advisory
Investor readiness assessment with coaching, a marketing fit check and review rounds up to a practice pitch.
Market access
Introductions to investors and potential customers. Investor introductions depend on completing the readiness assessment.
Recognitions & empanelments
Official approvals this incubator holds.
Startup BW Pre-Seed accredited partner
Accredited partner (Betreuungspartner) of the State of Baden-Württemberg's Startup BW Pre-Seed programme.
How to apply to innoWerft
Choosing a programme
- Early-phase B2B tech teams usually start with the Open Pitch, which is free and requires a pitch deck.
- Founders who have not yet formed a company may look at EXIST, if they come from a university or research background.
- Startup BW Pre-Seed is only open to startups with a Baden-Württemberg company seat.
How applications work
- Open Pitch: fill in the contact form and upload the pitch deck.
- Startup BW Pre-Seed: apply through an accredited partner such as innoWerft.
- Up2B and the AI Accelerator: check the current intake dates on the programme pages before applying.
Before you apply
- Prepare the pitch deck and financial plan. innoWerft offers an investor readiness assessment that reviews both.
About innoWerft
innoWerft is an early-stage investor and startup accelerator in Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It works with B2B and high-tech startups in their early phase, with a focus on industry tech, enterprise software, B2B platforms and green tech. The organisation was set up in 2010 by the city of Walldorf, SAP SE and the FZI Forschungszentrum Informatik.
How the programmes work
The innoWerft Beteiligung is its own early-stage investment for B2B tech startups. It is made through a convertible loan, and innoWerft says it stays with the team from the early phase through to a Series A round. Each founder works with a personal venture manager on business model development, fundraising, go-to-market, pilot customers and sales. The venture model is built around the milestones of early-phase startups: hiring, organisation building, product development, raising capital and shaping the business model.
Open Pitch is a free session for B2B startups that have a pitch deck. Founders get pitch feedback, and it is also the route into the innoWerft Beteiligung.
The Up2B Accelerator is run with Technologiepark Heidelberg and NEXT Mannheim. It serves B2B and high-tech startups in the Rhine-Neckar region, with an international focus. Its three current tracks are Breakthrough (six weeks, for problem-solution fit), Firecamp (a five-day intensive on investor readiness) and Product Booster (five weeks, for product-market fit and pilot customers at corporates). The partners describe the programmes as free of charge for startups, because the state funds them. The Up2B pages say state funding runs until the end of 2022, and they introduce two new modules, Scale Up and Market Discovery. Check the current intake before you apply.
The AI Accelerator is a cooperation between IPAI Innovation Park Artificial Intelligence, Campus Founders and innoWerft. It supports AI founders and AI startups in short tracks of one to two days each.
Startup BW Pre-Seed is a funding instrument of the State of Baden-Württemberg, run with the L-Bank. It is a low-interest convertible loan for early-stage startups. innoWerft is an accredited partner for this programme. It guides applicants from the first assessment through the application and the panel pitch, and in selected cases it can act as the co-investor.
EXIST is a German federal programme for start-up projects that come from universities and research. It covers living costs and prototype materials, and innoWerft helps founders use it. The site notes that many teams start with EXIST, then move to Startup BW Pre-Seed or an innoWerft investment.
Who can apply
Startup BW Pre-Seed needs a company seat or investment site in Baden-Württemberg, and half of the founders must live there. This programme is therefore closed to founders based outside Baden-Württemberg, including India-based founders. The innoWerft Beteiligung and the Up2B Accelerator name a B2B or high-tech focus, and their pages do not set a location rule. Ask innoWerft before you apply.
Open Pitch takes B2B startups in industry tech, enterprise software, B2B platforms or green tech. The AI Accelerator is for AI startups, including founders who are still at the idea stage.
Support and services
innoWerft offers an investor readiness assessment with coaching. It reviews the pitch deck and financial plan, runs several review rounds and ends with a practice pitch. It also offers a marketing fit check and access to its network of investors and potential customers. Introductions to investors depend on completing the readiness assessment.
Who runs it
The imprint names innoWerft Walldorf GmbH as the operating company. The Up2B pages name innoWerft Technology and Start-up Centre Walldorf Stiftung GmbH. The two names are not reconciled here, so check the legal entity before a formal agreement.
Location
The office is at Kleinfeldweg 54, 69190 Walldorf, Germany.
Get in touch
Send a message to innoWerft — we'll forward it on your behalf.
Who they work with
Stage
Frequently asked questions about innoWerft
What does innoWerft do?
innoWerft is an early-stage investor and startup accelerator in Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It works with B2B and high-tech startups in their early phase, with a focus on industry tech, enterprise software, B2B platforms and green tech.
Where is innoWerft located?
innoWerft is located at Kleinfeldweg 54, Walldorf, Baden-Württemberg 69190, DE.
What programs does innoWerft run?
innoWerft runs innoWerft Beteiligung, Open Pitch, Up2B Accelerator and AI Accelerator, among others.
Do innoWerft programmes charge a fee?
No. Every innoWerft programme that states a fee policy is free to join, including Open Pitch and Up2B Accelerator.
What stage of startup does innoWerft support?
innoWerft supports startups at the Ideation, Validation and Early Revenue stages.
Is innoWerft government recognised?
innoWerft holds the following recognitions and affiliations: Startup BW Pre-Seed accredited partner.
How do I apply to innoWerft?
- Early-phase B2B tech teams usually start with the Open Pitch, which is free and requires a pitch deck. - Founders who have not yet formed a company may look at EXIST, if they come from a university or research background. - Startup BW Pre-Seed is only open to startups with a Baden-Württemberg company seat. - Open Pitch: fill in the contact form and upload the pitch deck.
When was innoWerft founded?
innoWerft was founded in 2010. It is an accelerator.
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