from pilot
to market readiness
Application for the first batch is now open!
Application deadline: April 17, 2023
Program duration: May – July 2023
The AI Startup Rising Ignition program is a structured incubator with strategic impulses, individual coaching, and financial support.
In the incubator, we lead five startups from the pilot phase to market readiness. We offer six coaching modules that build on each other over a period of 10 weeks. The focus is on the optimization and professionalization of your AI technology stack, quality management, sales, venture capital, marketing, and IP + legal.
Each coaching module includes an introductory impulse by top lecturers with exemplary presentation or transferable blueprints. It also includes individual coaching tailored to the startups according to relevance and needs analysis. Some formats are planned as peer learning format in presence to enable exchange among each other, some will take place online.
All five incubator startups additionally receive funding of €10,000. Depending on the status of the startup, the money is transferred directly and a de minimis certificate is issued (incorporated companies) or the respective costs will be reimbursed (pre-foundation projects).
A highlight of the incubator program is the introduction and presentation of your startup at the AICon conference on July 6, 2023 in Darmstadt.
Finally, we organize a community event to which we invite startups and corporates for an informal exchange.
After completing our incubator program, you will be ideally prepared to enter the market and make your innovative vision take off.
Most workshop days will take place May and June, we will provide a detailed schedule after your application.
The launch module is about planning and executing a successful pilot phase and preparing for market entry. The startups are in this phase with pilot customers and develop the maturity of their product in a targeted manner.
The sales module is about the sales process and sales competence.
The AI-Tech module is about quality standards and technological quality management. We plan to cooperate with the AI Quality and Testing Hub in Frankfurt.
The IP+Legal module deals with all relevant legal aspects of your startup with a focus on property rights, protective measures in product and business model and legal clarifications such as the formulation of general terms and conditions (GTC).
In the investment module we deal with your financial investment roadmap. Here we teach the basics of venture capital, clarify the investor perspective, reflect with you on possible shareholder models and develop a roadmap for the next few years.
In the marketing module we discuss your positioning and differentiation in the market.
We expect you to participate regularly and to plan the appropriate capacities for the face-to-face and online workshops. You will receive a schedule with the dates as early as possible. For more information, see the application page.
No, since AI Startup Rising is financed by federal funds from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), an application from other federal states is also possible. We would welcome if you can describe how you want to use the hessian.AI network for your further development. And of course we expect that the journey for the dates taking place in Hessen should not be a problem for you.
Then contact the team of AI Startup Rising: Feel free to use the open office hours on the last Wednesday of the month or make an individual coaching appointment. Subscribe to our newsletter and follow AI Startup Rising on the social media channels of hessian.AI.