This is our Hardtech Innovation Program, a accelerator program for Startups in Berlin.

ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

HARDTECH INNOVATION

INNOVATE. IMPACT. INSPIRE.

JOIN THE ACCELERATOR PROGRAM!

Are you an early-stage hardware startup committed to engineering the future with solutions that reduce carbon emissions in your field, contributing to our vision of net zero by 2050?

Join the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator Program, where startups like yours thrive with comprehensive seven-month support, resources, tools, and mentorship, all dedicated to accelerating sustainable initiatives. Don’t miss the chance to unleash the full power of hardtech and play a vital role in shaping a greener, more sustainable future for all. 

JOIN THE ACCELERATOR

YOUR PROGRAM ADVANTAGES

Financial Support

Cash support of €2,200/month per founder

During the program, each founder receives €2,200/month cash support to help your team fully focus on your innovation. Plus, we provide valuable in-kind support to bolster your startup’s growth.

Resources & High-End Machinery

Full access to high-end prototyping machinery

We provide full access to high-end prototyping machinery to support your hardware development journey and help you bring your product to life.

Hardtech Ecosystem

Access to Europe’s biggest hardtech ecosystem

We’ll help connect you to potential partners, investors, and collaborators who share your passion for engineering a greener, more sustainable future.

Individually Tailored Mentorship

Industry experts provide hardware and business coaching

Our team of industry experts provides hardware and business coaching tailored to your specific needs. You’ll attend workshops and masterclasses to acquire subject-specific knowledge in a hands-on learning environment.

Visibility & Marketing Support

Strategic marketing support that elevates your visibility

We provide strategic marketing support that elevates your visibility not only across our social media channels but also in the broader market.

Access to Location & Community

Access to a thriving community in a cool physical location

Our MotionLab.Berlin Alt-Treptow campus will be your home for the next seven months, and you will join the community that sparks innovation and collaboration.

At MotionLab.Berlin and within the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator, we value diversity. Individuals of all ages and nationalities are welcome to apply, and we especially want to support women in the tech industry.

ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

TIMELINE & MODULES

This is our accelerator process with all overall topics which the startups in the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator Program will learn on their journey in the program.
This is our accelerator process with all overall topics which the startups in the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator Program will learn on their journey in the program.

IN THE WORDS OF

OUR PROGRAM ALUMNI

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REQUIREMENTS & SOLUTION AREAS

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

Our program goes beyond just selecting teams based on their innovation; we prioritize those with hardware solutions that contribute to reaching net-zero emissions. We are looking for passionate and dedicated individuals, fully committed to driving their ideas forward and being active participants in our program. Apply to join the accelerator if your startup meets these criteria:

Solutions we are seeking for:

Industrial Production – Solutions to reduce emissions in manufacturing processes and industries.

Energy Production & Distribution – Clean energy technologies and efficient energy distribution systems.

Agriculture – Sustainable farming practices, precision agriculture, and carbon sequestration

Logistics & Transport – Green transportation solutions, electrification, and efficiency improvements.

Cooling & Heating – Energy-efficient cooling and heating systems, renewable heating solutions.

Industrial Production

Energy Production & Distribution

Agriculture

Logistics & Transport

Cooling and Heating

LEARN FROM A WIDE RANGE OF

INDUSTRY EXPERTS & COACHES

Effective mentorship has always been about combining expert insights, diverse knowledge, practical guidance, foresight, and a commitment to innovative thinking to address future challenges. That’s why the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator prioritizes direct learning, insights, and support from industry leaders. You’ll gain access to real-world expertise and hands-on experience, empowering you to navigate and solve complex problems.

Daniel Shor

Daniel Shor

As Research Director, Europe at Innovobot, he blends human contact and experiential context to build the future of haptic technology, focusing on developing devices that stimulate human connection and behaviors through vibrotactile feedback.

  • MSc in Product Design Engineering
  • BSc in Mechanical Engineering
  • He lectures at TU Delft in the Faculty of Industrial Design and the HCI department at FH Salzburg.
Jana Mendelski

Jana Mendelski

Jana is a Berlin-based freelance innovation designer, coach and founder developing, shaping and introducing new product opportunities and agile methods and mindsets for organizations and companies

  • Graduated in Free Art as well as in Business Administration
  • Certified Design Thinking coach and facilitator at HPI Potsdam,
  • Teacher at the Design Faculty at University of Arts Berlin
  • Founder of compositive.bio.

Georg Meuser

Georg has 7+ years of experience in restructuring of SMBs and strategic business structuring of Startups, which combines a financial analysis and financial modelling together with strategic decision-making.

  • Consulted over 300 Startups, mentored over 100 Founders & built his own consultancy
  • Focus: Establishing a thorough understanding of a company’s financials + helping Startup founders understand, how to get funding for their ideas & developing financial plans

ANY QUESTIONS?

GET IN TOUCH WITH US!

Still have questions? Need more information about applying? Or would you like to get in touch with us directly?

Contact us: me@motionlab.berlin

The program takes place in Berlin, at the MotionLab.Berlin Alt-Treptow campus.

  • All applicants are expected to register their residence in Berlin and be living there for the duration of the program.
  • Applicants’ startups should be in the early-stage/pre-seed phase.
  • Applicants should not yet have received any public funding in the area of business start-ups. Recipients of the Berlin Startup Stipendium, EXIST, and GründungsBonus are not eligible for participation.
  • Applicants’ companies are either not incorporated prior to the application date for the Hardtech Innovation Accelerator Program or, if already incorporated, have not initiated any economic activity involving the offering of goods or services in a specific market. In addition, the company must relocate its registered office to Berlin in order to participate in the program.
  • A company may only be founded during the program with its registered office in Berlin.
  • If already established, participants must have majority control and voting rights in their startup.
  • Applicants should have unrestricted ownership of the intellectual property of their startup (unrestricted rights to exploit the concept or idea).
  • Applicants should be willing to work full-time on and in their startup for seven months. 
  • Applicants should not yet have successfully founded a startup.
  • Previous freelance start-ups/companies for “odd jobs” are allowed: the freelance work only included subject-specific, specialized activities within the usual framework without the skills to run a company.
  • Applicants should not have held any management positions.
  • No other permanent employment relationships (full-time, part-time) are permitted for the duration of the program; mini-jobs and self-employed secondary employment on a small scale are permitted.
  • Participants may not be enrolled in a degree program for the duration of the program unless they are about to complete their studies. This means that no examinations other than the final thesis (e.g., Bachelor’s thesis) may be outstanding.

You can apply online via the following link: here

We extended the application phase until 20.09.2024.

After the application phase (15 August – 15 September, 2024.), our jury will decide who will be invited to the second round of interviews. Afterwards, we will announce the teams who will join us for the next batch of the accelerator on 1 October.

Our jury, comprised of MotionLab.Berlin experts and advisors, will evaluate the applicants based on:

  • Founder-market fit
  • Team composition
  • Feasibility of technology
  • Feasibility of business model approach
  • Likelihood to successfully achieve a sustainable and/or social impact

Full commitment, punctuality, and clear communication. But most importantly: Enjoy being an active part of the community at MotionLab.Berlin.

The Hardtech Innovation Accelerator will end with a Demo Day at the end of May 2025, where you can pitch your projects in front of investors, our community, and extended network. At the end of the program, you will join the MotionLab.Berlin alumni network, which allows you to continue benefiting from being part of our ecosystem.

All workshops will be held in English. It is therefore required that you and your team have a sound command of the English language. Proficiency in German is a benefit.

We do not take equity. We invest €2,200 per month per founder in cash and provide valuable in-kind support, which includes access to the MotionLab.Berlin campus, program office, machines, and labs, as well as regular knowledge and support from the MotionLab.Berlin business and hardware coaches, engineers, and mentors.

The Hardtech Innovation Accelerator Program is supported by funds from the European Union (European Social Fund) and the State of Berlin.

OUR HARDTECH INNOVATION PROGRAM

IS SUPPORTED BY

The accelerator program hardtech innovation is co-financed by the european union.

The Hardtech Innovation program is supported by funds from the European Union (European Social Fund) and the State of Berlin.

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