Deadline: September 30, 2014
Are you a startup in Digital Health, Smart Energy, Smart Home, or Communication? Apply now to Next Step Challenge – Europe’s most ambitious and unique business development program with a grand prize of €250,000! Next Step Challenge is an international competition for startups working within the fields of next-generation energy and digital products and services.
Further Details
Next Step Challenge offers ambitious startups the chance to become part of the most ambitious accelerator program they’ll ever encounter. It offers businesses the opportunity to take full advantage of a unique digital infrastructure. This Challenge could open a whole new world of opportunities for startup companies within the fields of digital health, smart energy, smart home, and communication.
The Challenge lasts six months and takes each company through an intensive business development program worth more than EUR 100,000. The program will be individually designed to help transform and mature your startup to unleash its full business potential.
Prizes and Benefits
- The grand prize of up to EUR 250,000 for the winning startup makes Next Step Challenge the biggest entrepreneurship prize in Europe and the US.
- All 10-15 startups who qualify for the five-month program receive a business development package worth approximately EUR 100,000.
All Next Step Challenge participants are enrolled in an extensive six-month business development program that guarantees:
- Two months of preparation where your business is currently located and four months on site in Next Step City
- EUR 30,000 in seed financing (based on a due diligence) when you relocate to Next Step City
- Individual mentoring by external business experts from leading Danish and international companies
- 200+ hours of personal business training from experienced Accelerace consultants
- Learning labs and workshops where you will get intensive training designed to maximize your business potential
- The opportunity to test technology on 261,000 households using one of the world’s most advanced digital infrastructures
- Free office space in Next Step City with access to high-speed broadband
- Free housing in the region during the four-month relocation period
- Rich opportunity to qualify for further financing from Accelerace and other Danish seed funds
- A Founders pack with resources and tools worth EUR 50,000+
- The benefit of a collaborative business environment featuring ambitious companies like your own
- And much more …
Eligibility
To take part in Next Step Challenge, you must have a strong idea and the will to make it happen. They are looking for startups and people with true business courage. Startups should be ready to disrupt the market and aspire to change the lives of the people they reach – or even to change the world.
To enter Next Step Challenge, candidates must have the following: right product, the right team and the ability to meet our eligibility requirements.
- The right product – are you on to something interesting?
- The right team – can you do it and make it big?
Requirements
- Part of the Challenge program requires that a minimum of two members from the management team relocate to Next Step City in Esbjerg for a minimum of four months.
- Foreign startup representatives must have valid passports and non-EU residents must be able to obtain the necessary travel documents. Next Step City and Accelerace will facilitate the relocation process and provide free housing as well as free office space.
- Since the coaching and mentoring is in English, it is required that you have the language skills needed to get the full benefit of the training sessions.
For more information, visit Next Step Challenge.
