Deadline: May 17, 2026
Applications are open for the SpinLab and HHL Digital Space Summer School for Diverse Startups 2026. At SpinLab and HHL DIGITAL SPACE, they believe that diversity is not just a buzzword; it’s the key to unlocking innovation and driving success in the startup world. The mission is to empower underrepresented founders, breaking down barriers to success and creating a more inclusive startup ecosystem for all.
The startup program provides valuable resources and experiences to support your business idea. Throughout the one-week program, you will engage in a series of workshops led by our mentors and coaches, covering essential topics such as financing, marketing, sales, pitch training & product-market fit. Moreover, you will have the opportunity to discuss your individual challenges and receive personalized guidance in 1:1 sessions. Networking with other founders and experts from the SpinLab and HHL Digital Space ecosystem will allow you to build relationships and gain valuable insights.
Benefits
- Workshops: One-week program with hands-on workshops as well as individual 1:1 coaching with top experts awaits you.
- Strong network: Get access to one of the best startup ecosystems in Europe with a variety of community events and more!
- Prize money: The highlight of the program is the public pitch event, where your startup competes for the Digital Award granted by the city of Leipzig, which comes with a prize money of €2,000.
- Startup Festival Tickets: The winner of the pitch contest will receive free tickets to the Web Summit in Lisbon, one of the world’s largest startup conferences.
- SpinLab Academy: Receive lifetime access to our e-learning platform with videos from well-known experts and the chance to earn a certificate from HHL Leipzig.
- Free Program: Thanks to sponsors, the program is completely free of charge for you. They want you to be able to fully concentrate on your growth.
Eligibility
- You have at least one team member that has a diverse background, for example: women, inter, non-binary, transgender, people of color, international background, person with disability, age diversity etc.
- The topic of your business idea does not matter as long as you have the potential to grow.
- A legally founded startup is not mandatory, but your business idea should already be very concrete, for example in form of a business plan.
- You are (at least one team member) available to be onsite in Leipzig for the duration of the program (20.-24. July 2026).
- The program will be in English, so someone from your team should understand and speak English well. If only German-speaking teams are selected, the program can also be held in German.
Application
The form contains a short questionnaire. In this questionnaire, you are asked to upload a pitch deck or a short pitch video (max. 120 seconds).
For more information, visit Summer School for Diverse Startups.
