SCE Accelerator Program

Short facts

Target group

Students and graduates of all universities as well as professionals or prospective founders without a degree with an innovative and scalable start-up idea (all sectors) in the pre-start-up or early start-up phase.

Duration and cycle

Multi-month accelerator program (on-site and online participation; event language mainly English) to get started with your own start-up incl. official certificate graduation at HM after two semesters

Application at any time; program starts semi-annually in March and October (selection process approx. 1-2 months before)

Requirements and application

University entrance qualification and completion of a multi-stage selection process

Online application (German/English) via an application form incl. file upload of a meaningful presentation (read deck) and CVs of the applicants

Costs

None for program participation; the semester fees for enrollment at HM (for two semesters) can be compensated with the SCE budget

We are looking forward to your start-up project!

Application deadline for Batch #11:

January 2024

Apply now

Support program of HM and SCE for prospective entrepreneurs

Do you have an innovative project? Apply now and become part of the Start-up League!

Are you looking for competent and personal support for your innovative start-up project on your way to a successful start-up and do you want to conquer the market with a strong sparring partner? Apply now and become part of the Start-up League!

The SCE Accelerator program "Founding your own start-up" of the HM Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences (HM) and the Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship (SCE) is your ticket to the Start-up League and accelerates start-up projects of all industries in a multi-month accelerator program for the realization of your own start-up idea incl. official certificate completion in the field of start-up. It skillfully combines start-up support and founders training. We support projects in the pre-start-up phase or early start-up phase of any industry with consulting, budget, workplaces, workshops (event language mainly English), start-up events as well as networking on their way as successful founders.

Students and graduates of all universities as well as professionals or prospective founders without studies from all over the world can apply. Those who are looking for competent support and the necessary funding within an (inter-)national entrepreneurship ecosystem for the implementation of an innovative and scalable start-up idea can, thanks to the program, make full use of the start-up offer of the HM and the SCE to get started with their own start-up and, with enrollment for two semesters, receive university status (for the first time or again). The SCE Accelerator program aims to minimize start-up risk so that more technology-based start-ups are spawned as they pass through.

The program is funded by the Zeidler Research Foundation.

Come to the Strascheg Center at HM Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences to start up. We look forward to walking this exciting path with you!

Services

What does the support program offer?

With the start of the program, the selected founders and their projects are part of the Start-up League of HM and SCE. The start-up projects are provided with a structured and high-quality offer to increase the probability of success in establishing the start-up.

Support & promotion of founders:

Competent and individual consulting as well as coaching by experienced start-up consultants.
Exclusive workshops, networking events and start-up events such as Investor Days
Workplace in the incubator
Chance to obtain material budget by SCE for the construction of a first prototype, joint application for KickStart@HM funding from the BMBF (material budget and incubator extension) and to the AI+MUNICH funding of the BMWK (AI-focus of the start-up projects mandatory; budget for e.g. scholarship, expert pool, prototyping and incubation)
Application for public funding (including EXIST, FLÜGGE)
Network and community (exchange with successful founders, entrepreneurs, investors and experts)
Resources and infrastructure of the HM
Student status through enrollment
Certificate completion in two semesters

In this way, the prospective founders not only receive support that is of great added value for their future careers - whether as founders or in other positions - but also grow into their role as successful founders with HM & SCE as sparring partners.

Come to the Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship of the HM Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences. We are looking forward to walking this exciting path with you!

Requirements

Who can apply?

Do you have an innovative and scalable start-up idea? At best still in the pre-founding or early founding phase? HM and SCE are to be your home base and you would like to advance your project with us? In addition, do you have a university entrance qualification such as a diploma, bachelor's degree, master's degree, high school diploma, vocational baccalaureate, master craftsman's diploma or similar? Then submit your idea now and become part of our start-up community! Apply together as a team or as an individual founder with your own start-up project.

The funding program is open to prospective founders from all sectors and industries: Product or service, software or hardware, social impact or commercially driven, high-tech or low-tech. Furthermore, it does not matter whether those are studying or founding part-time. Participation in the program can be very easily combined with a degree or a job. International teams are just as welcome. Decisive for us is the idea (degree of novelty, scalability, potential), the founders as well as the motivation and personal commitment to develop the idea further!

Procedure

Application

When and how do you apply?

The application for the funding program is possible at any time in German or English via the online application form. All information and submitted documents will be treated confidentially and will not be passed on to third parties!

The program starts twice a year (March and September). In the meantime, we are happy to support your project in the start-up consultancy, which is open to all interested founders. Simply submit your application via the online form so that we can get in touch with each other. For start-up projects with a connection to HM (e.g. students, alumni, employees at HM), there are also other support formats and, as a special feature, the possibility of an accelerated program start. To do so, indicate the relevant HM reference in the online application form.

Selection process for admission to the program: 1st stage online application to the SCE, 2nd stage invitation of selected start-up projects to answer open questions (optional) and 3rd stage acceptance/rejection (can also be reached without stage 2). Admission decision will be made based on documents submitted via the online application form and stage 2 responses, if applicable. Application documents: Read Deck (meaningful and formulated presentation), in which the innovative business concept is explained in detail, as well as CVs of the prospective founders. The contents and a suggested outline for orientation can be taken from the template in the download area. Admission to the program takes place twice a year.

Here is the selection process in detail

(1) First of all, inform yourself here on the website, familiarize yourself with the procedure and the required application documents (e.g. Read Deck) and prepare them for the online application.

(2) The online application for the program, including submission of supporting documents, is made via the online application form here on the website (see above, right). The application form should be completed by all team members involved in the start-up project. Teams must first designate a team representative as the primary contact person. This representative will provide additional information about the start-up project and will be responsible for file uploads (read deck presentation and resumes), while the other team members will only be required to respond to personal information. Individual founders fill out the form as team representatives. If you are still undecided whether your project is suitable for the program (thematic focus or phase of the business idea): An application is always worthwhile, since among other things the founders already receive valuable feedback, coaching and network access. Promising projects have the chance to be included in the start-up consultation and to be supported in order to further advance their business development. You are allowed to resubmit your proposal and you can then reapply with a revised proposal for a later selection round. You are also welcome to take advantage of the opportunity for an initial consultation at the start-up consultancy.

Contents of the application:

Read Deck (meaningful and formulated presentation): 12 slides (details and requirements to be taken from the template in the download area; serves as orientation)
CVs of all team members

(3) Screening and selection of the new batch takes place twice a year (usually January - February and July - August).

To clarify open questions that came up during the screening process, we invite these projects to a short follow-up interview: You will receive an individual time slot for a short interview in which we would like to clarify the questions together. If the dates are known, they will be communicated in the confirmation email of the application and we ask you to keep them free as far as possible.

(4) The decision about acceptance into the program will be made after the application deadline and the review of all applications including the follow-up interviews. The applicants will be informed about the result and will also receive feedback if they are interested. It is of course possible to reapply in order to continue working on the project and to use the opportunity again at a later point in time. The accepted founders will receive the certificate of the SCE/HM Gründungsförderung, which is necessary for the formal online application and enrollment at the HM.

Enrollment at HM: Start-up Certificate for local founders

Finally, the local founders carry out the application at HM and complete the enrollment (HM students who are already enrolled as well as other students from Munich universities; they are dually enrolled without extra costs):

Registration and document upload on the university's own online application portal
Required documents: University entrance qualification (i.e. degree certificate/certificate of the highest academic degree), curriculum vitae and SCE/HM certificate
In the further course after acceptance by HM, it is important that you accept the study place, declare provisional enrollment, upload further documents and transfer the semester fee (note: those studying at a Munich university only have to pay this once).

We are happy to assist with enrollment in case of challenges.

Downloads

Downloads Application Document Read Deck (Template)pdf

Links Online Application Start-up League

Testimonials

Here's what our Start-up Certificate alumni have to say about the Accelerator.

The special feature of the SCE and HM is the individually tailored support of the start-up teams. Our start-up advisor and business mentor have shown a very high level of commitment over the entire period of the Start-up Certificate. They always went the extra mile with us for the finishing touches. You can tell that working with start-up teams is not just their job, they put their heart and soul into it. A big thank you for the great support - also to all other supporters from the SCE & HM network!

The SCE provided us with a great breeding ground for the first steps of our venture. Particularly noteworthy is the incredible wealth of experience in applying for the EXIST grant.

During the Start-up Certificate, we were able to make important contacts, received help with the application for the EXIST start-up grant and also developed personally through the instructive workshops and individual coaching. Are you looking for competent start-up advice, access to infrastructure and experts, or just the necessary motivation? Then you've come to the right place!

The SCE Start-up Certificate accelerator is the best enviroment for young teans to develop great business ideas. Apart from the coaching you have great access to the SCE network.

Partner

Are there any costs associated with program participation?: The program is sponsored by the Zeidler Research Foundation, which means that program participation is free of charge. The certificate students only have to pay the usual study fee for two semesters. If they are already studying at a Munich university, they do not have to pay these twice. The current amounts per semester can be found here. In addition, the SCE budget paid to the founders can be used for these fees.
What are the entry requirements?: Admission requirements are a university entrance qualification and the completion of a multi-stage selection process. The online application with the application documents (read deck presentation as well as CVs of the founders) via the online application form is possible at any time. Twice a year, the decision on the invitation to an (online) admission presentation takes place.
How is my application handled or who has access to it?: The information and documents submitted on the founding project or start-up will be treated confidentially and will not be passed on to third parties.
Will HM or SCE receive shares in my company?: The SCE does not receive any shares in the company (in the process of being founded) or in the company in compensation.

Contact

Saskia Schmidl New Venture Creation

T: 089 1265 3239

Linkedin saskia.schmidl@sce.de

Saskia Schmidl joined the team at the Strascheg Center for Entrepreneurship in summer 2017. As part of the new venture programme, she advises founders and supports our teams of the start-up-league in the incubator.

Saskia received her degree as a graduate in Social Sciences from the University of Göttingen (focus on business administration, economic and social psychology, civilian media law and sociology).

She has come to know the founding scene from various perspectives and gained valuable experience: as part of start-ups, on the investor‘s side of a venture capital company or in a supraregional third party project to promote and support start-ups of scientists from non-university research institutions (Max Planck Society and Helmholtz Association).