The StartLife Accelerate is receiving applications for the fifth edition of the accelerate program. This edition is open to promising Food and AgTech startups from all over the world. So, if this relates to you, do not hesitate to apply.
StartLife Accelerate is the number one acceleration program for Food and AgTech startups to validate customer segments, raise funding, and access leading corporates and investors in the industry. The best trainers, entrepreneurs, and Wageningen University & Research experts offer applicants the resources they need to scale up your company.
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About StartLife Accelerate
StartLife Accelerate is a 12-week program for the most promising food- and AgTech startups, that offers pre-seed funding, business support, and access to leading corporates and investors. The StartLife Accelerate curriculum addresses what is crucial to validate your business, attract funding, and grow your company.
The end of the program is celebrated with a festive graduation day. On this day, the startups will present themselves to a wide and international audience of investors, corporates, partners, and other stakeholders from the StartLife community. If you want to know what to expect, you can look through the graduation day of the spring 2020 cohort.
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Benefits Of Startlife Accelerate
The startups will be offered;
- €10,000 pre-seed soft loan at the start and €25,000 after the successful completion of the program. After validating your growth strategy, you are eligible for another €50,000 soft loan.
- The connection to industry experts, WUR researchers, corporates, and investors.
- High-quality curriculum addressing team, product, customer validation, and investor-readiness.
Then, startups commit to
- Participation with at least two founders for the full duration of the program.
- Presence during several training weeks, workshops, and events.
- A fee of €400 per team for catering and other expenses.
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Who can apply?
StartLife is open to early phase startup teams working on technologies and new business models in the food, agriculture, or bio-based economy. The initiative is particularly interested in highly innovative technology-driven solutions that have a prototype or MVP and have the ambition to scale and grow fast.
Eligibility criteria for entry include that you are;
- Active in food, agriculture or the biobased economy
- Addressing a relevant social, health or environmental need
- You are developing a highly innovative technology or product
- You are beyond the idea phase: you have a prototype or MVP of your product
- Have at least two founders able to participate in the curriculum
- You have the ambition to scale and grow fast
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Selection Criteria
How will startups be selected?
From all applications, a group of about 15 startups will be invited to the ‘Selection Day’, which takes place at the Starlife office in Wageningen. On this day the startups present themselves and score in three separate sessions, concerning the following categories;
- Team,
- Product & Technology and
- Market & Customers
And, the best scoring startups (6-10) receives a spot in the StartLife Accelerate program.
Program Timeline
August 3, 2020: Closing of Applications
September 1, 2020: Selection Day (Save the Date!)
September 21, 2020: Program Kick Off
December 9, 2020: Review Board & Graduation Day
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The deadline for the StartLife Accelerate is August 3, 2020. If you operate a food and AgTech Startup anywhere in the world, you should apply immediately. And you can do that here; https://start-life.nl/startlife-accelerate/
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