Help startups address key industry challenges by sharing their expertise and guidance.
Associate Professor
-
Perrotis College
Founder and Managing Director
-
PatentMind LLC
Managing Partner
-
MALTAccelerate
Founding Partner
-
Lion Partners
Entrepreneur in Residence
-
Founders at the University of Cambridge
CEO/Founder
-
Collabwith
Partner
-
P.L.A.N.
CEO/Founder
-
Missing-Link Oy
Founder
-
Alebimta / AlpahaConsulting
Head of Finance
-
OUVC - Venture Capital & Venture Studio
Founder
-
Impact Prosper
Director of Strategic Partnerships and New Ventures
-
Robocore Technology
Founder and CEO
-
The Finch Advisory
Partner
-
Sympraxis Team
General Partner
-
Loggerhead Ventures
Executive Advisor - Mentor-Coach
-
Polaris Aadvisory
CEO
-
The Entrepreneur Studio
Vice-rector
-
Baku Engineering University
Partner
-
Radix VC
CEO
-
Unismack S.A
Community Manager
-
Warsaw Equity Group
Partner
-
Bence Spiczmuller Law Firm
CEO/Director
-
ST Consultancy
Growth Partner
-
Tamas Szeker
Operations Manager
-
Transylvania Angels Network
CEO
-
JTBD
Founder/Director
-
Eco Consulting
President
-
Cluj Startups
CEO & CFO
-
BGI
Board member
-
Revenue Capital
Head of Applied R&D, Tech & Innov
-
Mytilineos
President
-
Business Angels Slovenia
CEO
-
Smart Studios ltd
Managing partner
-
Florin Pop
CEO
-
JA Malta
Managing Consultant
-
Ascend Consulting
Manager
-
Activize (VMI TECH INVEST)
Managing Director
-
The European Biotech Venture Builder
President
-
Prime Sustainability Foundation
Innovation Project Manager
-
UAB Responsum
General Manager
-
GVI (Gold Ventures Investment) Turkey
Co-invest alongside Ventures Thrive to accelerate the next generation of deeptech startups.
Be a mentor, address key industry challenges, or co-invest alongside Ventures Thrive to accelerate the next generation of deeptech startups.
The purpose of Ventures Thrive is to reduce the existing hurdles deeptech companies face in trying to reach the market, with a combination of equity-free funding, a growth programme, access to specialised investors and a real connection with corporate partners to promote open innovation activities.
Ventures Thrive will host an 8-month programme in 2 different open calls, offering a total of €1.5M to 32 young companies. This equity-free funding will be combined with connections to top corporates, investors, institutions and mentors, helping increase the runway and capacity to grow.
During the first month, 12 selected startups will work with Ventures Thrive coaches to refine their Business Case taking into account a number of specific indicators such as product development and commercialisation, business development and strategic synergies with the programme’s corporate partners, and future fundraising plan. Each team will commit to a set of realistic KPIs to pursue during the Ventures Thrive programme.
After that, in the second month, they will pitch in front of industry leaders and corporate partners. All companies reaching this stage will be qualified to receive a Venture Ticket of €5,000 equity-free, to cover all your costs associated with pitching.
Startups have already set specific milestones and KPIs to achieve during their 6-month growth programme. Each startup will receive individual mentoring, along with innovation strategy workshops and masterclasses, investment readiness programmes and matchmaking, building a business use case for addressing real-life corporate challenges, and access to industry events.
Startups will present their achievements during the programme and give a final pitch at Wolves Summit. Teams must be present to receive an award.
Only startups that reach at least 80% of their KPIs in phase 2 will be eligible for awards. Prizes will be awarded to the top three startups (€15,000, €10,000 and €5,000 respectively). This funding is in addition to money already received within the regular programme.
The Ventures Thrive programme will take 8 months. It will be split into 3 different phases:
1. Build (phase 1) - 2 months
2. Grow (phase 2) - 5 months
3. Raise (phase 3) - 1 month
The first call for applications is now open. You can apply by clicking on the button Apply now. It will take you to the Sploro platform where you must create an account, and then fill in the application form. Make sure to read the Guidelines for Applications. You will find all the information you need to know before applying.
Yes, it is a grant and we do not expect anything in return.
After you submit your application, it will pass a first screening test. After that, you will receive an email, describing the next steps.
Ventures Thrive is a hybrid programme. You don’t need to relocate, however, there will be some events (Pitch Contest, Demo Day) that you’ll need to attend offline.
Startups accepted into Ventures Thrive can receive up to €100k in funding, of which €95k will be provided in cash and €5k in services. Receipt of the full €100k is subject to the startup reaching programme goals.
Yes, your startup can carry on its operations throughout the programme's duration.
The purpose of the Thrive Growth programme is to help you grow your business, not to hinder it. The programme is designed around your company’s goals/KPIs and Ventures Thrive supporting you to reach these goals.
The majority of the programme is remote, which means that you do not need to relocate (excluding 2 startup events where you are expected to pitch and meet investors). This will allow you to keep your business running smoothly while you access the programme.
The funding, provided as a grant, will be delivered to startups across a series of programme milestones. All accepted startups will receive €5k to draft a masterplan and present it to the jury at the Pitch Contest, set to be held in May 2024.
In 2024, the 10 startup finalists (chosen during the Pitch Contest) can also benefit from the following funds:
Companies established or operating in the Widening area, defined by the European Commission as:
EU member States: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
Associated countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, North Macedonia, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey and Ukraine.
Outermost Regions (defined in Art. 349 TFEU): Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Martinique, Réunion, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin, the Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands.
Deeptech solutions leveraging BigData, AI, Blockchain, IoT, and Bio-Tech to address challenges, with promising solutions in the identified focus areas.
Startups should have a working technology that has passed the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage (TRL-6 - technology demonstrated in a relevant environment). The startup should also be actively looking for private funding. It is also beneficial that the startup can generate sales.
Each selected startup will receive a €5000 voucher to be redeemed for focused mentoring, expert content & training, and investor feedback.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Ventures Thrive, project No 101073762 has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe framework programme, under the European Innovation Council’s StartUpEU initiative.