Startup Now
Startup Now
We know how difficult the first step can be. This is why we offer the Startup Now program that supports you and your idea by developing a viable business idea and testing it on the market. You will receive support through workshops as well as individual coaching – all completely free of charge.
If not now, when?
With Startup Now, we would like to support you to begin turning your idea into a reality immediately. Are you interested in founding a company, but you don’t have a concrete idea yet? No problem: With our workshops we hand you the right tools for being a founder, and our regular network events help you to meet like-minded people. Do you already have a concrete idea and fellow campaigners with whom you want to change the world? Great! Our free Co-Working Space offers you a great working atmosphere, and our coaches will help you to take the next steps.
This service is being offered to students and graduates of the HWR Berlin (Berlin School of Economics and Law) as well as those of other universities. Ideally you contact us with some information on the status of your startup idea, and someone from our coaching team will consult with you what type of support will be available for you at the Startup Incubator Berlin.
The core of a successful business foundation is a team with passion, know-how, and complementary competences. The Startup Incubator Berlin is committed to supporting you in getting the right people on board. Do you have a great idea but lack a software engineer in order to bring the project to life? Or have you developed a great technology, but need help with marketing? Whether you have a business idea and are looking for co-founders or fellow campaigners or want to become a co-founder yourself, you’ve come to the right place!
Our coaching program consists of two parts: Within the framework of the reflective coaching, our in-house startup coaches will think their way into your idea and evaluate individually where possible challenges might lie, then develop possible solutions and strategies together with you. Within this process, the coaches see themselves as sparring partners: someone who will both expose your weaknesses and help you develop your strengths. In addition, the Startup Incubator Berlin has the opportunity to provide you with subject-specific coaching. On top of that, we cooperate with experts from a wide range of subject areas relevant to founding and startups – from corporate law to crowdfunding.
With the mentoring program, we want to provide our startups with the opportunity to learn from experienced people. The aim is to provide each startup team with two mentors. A mentor comes mainly from the academic world, is usually a professor at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, and accompanies the project from a scientific and strategic point of view. The other mentor comes directly from the business world and has hands-on startup or management experience.
As part of our workshop programs, our speakers will regularly provide you with important input on your startup plans. The duration, content, and presentation of the workshops will be as diverse as the topics themselves. For example, in our prototype workshop, we teach you how and where you can build a real prototype of your idea with simple materials and at low costs. In the workshop „Partnership Agreements: the Do’s and Don’ts”, you can prepare yourself for the first financing round with investors.
Our regular and varied events offer you the opportunity to network with ambitious founders and help you to get your startup idea off to a good start. Aside from highlight events such as the Berlin School of Economics and Law Demo-Day, Pitch events, and the UX testing, we offer a variety of workshops and seminars as well as regular network events in a casual and relaxed atmosphere.
Thanks to the close connection with the academics at the Berlin School of Economics and Law, the startup teams at the Startup Incubator Berlin have access to various university courses. Within the courses, teams are able to realize selected (partial) projects together with students. Whether it’s about an evaluation of possible distribution channels in the course „Product and Distribution Management” or the development of an app prototype in the course „Software Engineering”, the startups profit from the results of the students, and the students in turn profit from real business cases.
Frequently Asked Questions
About the programme
What is Startup Now?
Our program for the first steps toward your startup: free co-working space, individual coaching, mentoring, workshops, events and team matching — all free of charge.
What does the coaching offer?
Reflective coaching with our startup coaches as sparring partners, plus specialist coaching from external experts — for example on company law, crowdfunding, customer acquisition and investment pitching.
What’s the difference from the Lean Startup Sprint?
The Lean Startup Sprint is a compact two-week entry point. Startup Now is the ongoing support afterwards — with a workspace, coaching, mentoring and community over a longer period.
Participation & eligibility
How much does it cost to take part?
Taking part in Startup Now is completely free of charge.
Who can take part?
Students and graduates of HWR Berlin as well as of other universities. What matters is your interest in founding a company, not the university.
Do I already need a concrete idea?
No. If you don’t have a concrete idea yet, we’ll get you ready to found through workshops and networking events. If you already have an idea and a team, you get a workspace and coaching.
Do I need a team?
No. Through our team matching we help you find the right people — whether you’re still missing tech, business or other skills.
Process & on-site
Do I get a workspace?
Yes. Teams with a concrete idea use our free co-working space at CIC Berlin as a place to work and connect.
What’s the best way to get started?
Get in touch with a few details about your project — someone from the coaching team will work out the right support with you. Or get to know us over two weeks in the free Lean Startup Sprint.
Where does the program take place?
At CIC Berlin (Cambridge Innovation Campus), Lohmühlenstraße 65, 12435 Berlin — at the intersection of Kreuzberg, Neukölln and Treptow.