SpinLab - The HHL Accelerator

Check you can take part before you apply

• SpinLab is based in Leipzig and the accelerator expects the team to come to its headquarters during the focus weeks.
• Business-level German or English is required for at least one language in the team.
• SpinLab's pages never say whether founders from outside the European Union can apply. Write to info@spinlab.co and ask before you put a deck together.

How applications work

• Applications go through the F6S startup platform, not through SpinLab's own site.
• You need a pitch deck of 10 to 15 slides as a PDF, or a pitch video of 7 to 10 minutes.
• The January 2027 class closes on 8 October 2026. SpinLab publishes no time of day for the cut-off, so do not leave the submission to the last hour.
• For the Summer School, apply on F6S with the questionnaire and a pitch deck or a pitch video of up to 120 seconds. Questions go to summerschool@spinlab.co.

Choosing between the programmes

• Startup Acceleration Program: for a complete team of two to four founders in energy, smart city, eHealth or a cross-functional field, ideally at pre-seed or in an expansion phase.
• Summer School for Diverse Startups: for teams with at least one member from a diverse background, in any topic. One week, in Leipzig.
• Alumni Growth Membership: only for graduates of the accelerator.
• Landing Pad: arranged through an institution, not by individual founders.

What the application asks for

• A complete team. SpinLab expects all the crucial skills and the necessary experience to be in the founding team already.
• A deck that shows the business clearly, in the stated length.
• A fit with the current call: technology-based, in the named sectors or a cross-functional field.

What to confirm directly

• Whether the programme runs for five or six months. SpinLab's pages give both.
• How much of your time must be in Leipzig, as its pages describe focus weeks in one place and Tuesday to Thursday presence in another.
• The exact funding terms for accepted startups, as its pages describe them differently.

SpinLab, also known as SpinLab – The HHL Accelerator, is a startup accelerator in Leipzig, Germany. It is run by SpinLab GmbH from the Leipzig Old Cotton Mill (Baumwollspinnerei), the former spinning mill the accelerator takes its name from, and it works with HHL Leipzig Graduate School of Management. Its main programme is a hybrid accelerator that takes no fee and no equity from the startups it accepts.

SpinLab is a German programme for teams that can work in Germany. Nothing on its pages is aimed at Indian founders, and none of them says whether founders based outside the European Union may apply. Its pages describe hosting startups from around Germany and the European Union, and its Summer School accepts applications from all over Europe. If you are an Indian founder, treat this as a Europe-focused programme and ask the team before investing time in an application.

How the accelerator works

The Startup Acceleration Program runs as a class with a fixed start and end. The class now accepting applications starts in January 2027 and ends in June 2027. SpinLab states that it takes zero equity, shares or intellectual property from the startups it accepts, and that the programme costs nothing to join.

The programme is hybrid. SpinLab is based in Leipzig, and the team is expected to come to its headquarters during the focus weeks. The rest of the programme is online. Another page on the site says at least one founder should try to be in the SpinLab space from Tuesday to Thursday, so ask what in-person time is expected before you apply.

Accepted startups get free office space and round-the-clock access to the coworking space in the old cotton mill. They also get coaching and mentoring, and access to SpinLab's network of founders, established companies and investors. SpinLab says it has over 35 corporate partners and, in its alumni offer, a network of more than 800 venture capital firms and angel investors. Both are its own figures.

Accepted startups also receive funding to help cover living costs while they attend the programme. SpinLab's pages describe this funding differently: the application page describes a fixed amount for every accepted startup, with further prize money for the best pitch and the most sustainable idea at its Investors Day, while the home page describes a larger sum available on acceptance. Read the application page for the current terms.

The curriculum is laid out month by month and the site says it is subject to change. In the fourth month teams prepare for the HHL SpinLab Investors Day, SpinLab's version of a demo day, where they pitch to interested investors and to the partner network.

Who can apply

SpinLab asks for a complete founding team of two to four founders who already have the skills and experience the business needs. At least one of the two working languages, German or English, must be spoken at business level. You can apply in either language.

The current call looks for technology-based startups in energy, smart city or digital city, and eHealth, as well as cross-functional industries. SpinLab's FAQ and home page say the programme is not limited to one industry or type of technology, so the sector list on the application page and the open wording elsewhere do not fully agree. Startups should ideally be at pre-seed or in an expansion phase. Teams that have already closed funding rounds can still apply.

How to apply

Applications for the January 2027 class close on 8 October 2026. You upload a current pitch deck as a PDF of 10 to 15 slides, or a pitch video of 7 to 10 minutes, and submit the application on the F6S startup platform before the deadline. SpinLab does not state a time of day or time zone for the deadline.

Summer School for Diverse Startups

With HHL Digital Space, SpinLab also runs a one-week Summer School in Leipzig for teams with at least one member from an underrepresented or diverse background. It is free, and SpinLab takes no shares or fees. It includes workshops, one-to-one coaching and a public pitch event, where teams compete for a Digital Award given by the City of Leipzig. The only condition is that at least one team member is in Leipzig for the week. The 2026 edition has taken place. The 2027 week is listed for 19 to 23 July 2027, with the application deadline still to be announced. The page also carries older wording for the 2026 dates, so check the current deadline before relying on it.

Alumni and institutional programmes

SpinLab offers its graduates a paid Alumni Growth Membership, with a 12-month commitment. It covers coaching, investor introductions, events, workspace bookings and an e-learning academy through its community platform. It is not an entry route for new applicants.

SpinLab also runs Landing Pad, a service for foreign regions and institutions that want to send their startups to Germany. It says it has delivered landing pads for Canadian and Spanish institutions in food tech, prop tech, hydrogen and AI in industrial manufacturing. Landing Pad is arranged with an institution and is not an open application for individual startups.

Scale

SpinLab says it has supported more than 240 startups since 2015 and that 89 percent of its startups are still operating. Its FAQ gives a slightly lower count of 235. These are SpinLab's own undated figures and have not been checked independently.

Location and contact

SpinLab is at Spinnereistraße 7, 04179 Leipzig, Germany, in the Leipzig Old Cotton Mill. Its general contact is info@spinlab.co.