Those who want to accelerate their innovation can apply for the TRIP Class until October 15, 2021 and benefit from STIFT’s 6-month program. We are looking for game-changing business models, innovative technologies and ambitious start-ups in the automotive sector – among others.
The Thuringian Regional Innovation Program TRIP was initiated in 2019 by the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia (STIFT) as part of the ThEx innovativ project to strengthen Thuringia’s startup community, accelerate innovation, and connect stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem. Since then, the accelerator program has already advanced 26 start-up teams from diverse fields such as IoT, AI solutions, mobility, new materials, green tech and space tech and successfully networked them with the VC community.
TRIP goes Automotive
This year, the TRIP program is all about transforming structures, processes and new ways of thinking. For the first time, the thematic focus will be on the automotive and mobility sectors. The entire industry is currently geared towards change and is open to rethinking, innovation impulses and disruptive concepts. Due to its complexity, the automotive industry has a high degree of interconnectedness with other industries, forces their transformation processes and thus advances the entire innovation ecosystem.
That’s why this year, a portion of TRIP’s slots is earmarked for innovative projects that develop game-changing technologies for the automotive and mobility industries, thereby reshaping the industry.
What to expect as a start-up
After the application deadline, 10 future-shaping projects will be selected for the TRIP class to reach the next level. For six months, teams will benefit from workshops and 1:1 coaching on business model development, strategy, team design, funding and scaling, as well as “outside the box” feedback and reflection. In the process, teams will work with TRIP coaches to identify the next milestones for advancing the project to achieve Investment Readyness.
In addition, the start-ups will receive up to €4,500 in equity-free seed money that can be used for prototype development, product validation or user testing. Furthermore, TRIP offers networking with other start-ups, scale-ups, industry and investors both in Germany and around the world and provides exclusive access to events of the start-up and innovation community. In addition, TRIP provides access to the €100,000 early stage ticket of bm|t “beteiligungsmanagement thüringen gmbh.
For particularly scalable projects, there are an additional three months of the Final TRIP phase with a focus on VC financing. Since the sponsoring organization, STIFT, also acts as an early-stage and side investor and has just completed a successful EXIT, the TRIP program offers a wealth of expertise and practical experience in the field of venture capital from which start-ups can benefit. The final highlight of the program is a pitch at one of Germany’s largest start-up events – Investor Days Thuringia, which will take place in Erfurt on June 14 and 15, 2022.
Get on board to accelerate!
The program is open to all sectors and is aimed at anyone who wants to transform the future of automotive and other fields of innovation and thus drive technology change and sustainable growth. Whether projects in the pre-founding phase or already established start-ups – TRIP accelerates every innovation! At the kick-off event on 10.11.21, applicants will find out whether they will receive the ticket to the TRIP Class and thus be accepted into the program.
Applications can be submitted online until October 15, 2021 at: https://trip.community/en/apply/.
TRIP Community
The TRIP program has a large community of innovators, investors and established companies and is supported by strong partners such as EY, German Accelerator, Mehnert GmbH as well as the sponsoring partner beteiligungsmanagement thüringen gmbh. Through this collaboration, TRIP drives Thuringia’s startup ecosystem and accelerates innovation.
TRIP is an initiative of STIFT as part of the ThEx innovativ project and is supported by the Thuringian Ministry of Economics with funding from the European Social Fund (ESF) and state funds.
Contact:
Christiane Kilian
Project Manager ThEx innovative
c/o Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia (STIFT)
Peterstraße 3 | 99084 Erfurt
Tel.: 0361/7892374 | e-mail: christiane.kilian@stift-thueringen.de
