Thuringian startups and founding projects can apply for the TRIP Class until 15 October 2022 and benefit from STIFT’s 6-month programme. The programme is looking for innovation-based business models and disruptive technologies in the field of Industry 4.0, among others.
The Thuringian Regional Innovation Programme TRIP was successfully launched in 2019 by the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia (STIFT) as part of the ThEx innovativ project and has quickly become a sought-after programme for start-ups in Thuringia. As an accelerator programme, TRIP aims to strengthen Thuringia’s start-up community, accelerate innovation and connect stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem. Since the start of the programme, 39 startup teams from various fields such as IoT, AI solutions, mobility, sensor technology, new materials, green tech and space tech have already been advanced and successfully networked with the VC community.
What awaits the startups
TRIP offers startups a close-knit programme with focus on investment readyness. For six months, the selected teams benefit from 1:1 coaching and monthly workshops on business model development, strategy, team design, funding and scaling, as well as feedback and reflection. In addition, the start-ups receive up to €4,500 equity-free seed money, which can be used for prototype development, product validation or user testing. TRIP also offers networking with other start-ups, SMEs, industry and investors in Germany and around the world and provides exclusive access to events of the start-up and innovation community. TRIP also provides access to the 100,000 euro early-stage ticket of bm|t beteiligungsmanagement thüringen gmbh.
For particularly scalable projects, there are additional three months of the Final TRIP phase with focus on VC financing. The final highlight of the programme is a pitch at one of Germany’s largest start-up events – the Investor Days Thüringen, which will take place in Erfurt in June 2023 and bring together over 500 national and international stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem.
On the one hand, TRIP aims to provide projects with a sound basis for market entry and, on the other, to generate open innovation processes and cooperation.
TRIP goes Industry 4.0
This batch also focuses on Industry 4.0. Together with the TRIP partner Mehnert GmbH, modules for automation and robotics are offered. That is why part of the TRIP places are earmarked for innovative projects that develop game-changing technologies for the field of Industry 4.0 and robotics, thereby reshaping the industry.
As a hub of industrial collaboration, Mehnert Lab offers the perfect infrastructure for developing innovative solutions. For TRIP participants, this means not only a qualification in terms of business model development, but also exclusive access to the Mehnert Lab Factory to develop technologies and test them live. The teams also benefit from the on-site coworking space, networking with industry experts and lab partners, and access to real market and customer problems.
Get on board to accelerate!
The programme is open to all sectors and is aimed at all those who are tackling the challenges of tomorrow with new technologies and innovative approaches. Resource scarcity, rising energy and raw material prices, stronger competition for resources and markets, and demographic developments are just some of the important factors shaping our society and economy. Through digital transformation, disruptive approaches and more efficient processes, technology change and sustainable growth can be accelerated, making the future more resilient.
Whether projects in the pre-founding phase or already founded start-ups – TRIP accelerates every innovation! At the kick-off event on 9 November 2022, applicants will find out whether they will receive a ticket to the TRIP Class and thus be accepted into the programme.
Applications can be submitted online until 15.10.2022 at: https://trip.community/apply
Contact:
Andreas Sonnefeld
Project Management | ThEx innovativ
Foundation for Technology, Innovation
and Research Thuringia (STIFT)
ThEx innovativ
Olga Röder
Project Management | ThEx innovativ
Foundation for Technology, Innovation
and Research Thuringia (STIFT)
ThEx innovativ
