Driving Urban Innovation
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In the evolving landscape of urban living, the Future City Accelerator emerged as a beacon for ambitious entrepreneurs working to reshape the future of cities. Powered by the Berliner Startup Stipendium (BSS), this pre-seed, equity-free startup program played a pivotal role in supporting and accelerating startups dedicated to solving urban challenges.
Over the course of 8 months, the Future City Accelerator successfully transformed early-stage ventures into investment-ready entities, leaving an undeniable mark on the urban innovation ecosystem in Berlin.
+60
Founders
Supported
+30
Startups
Accelerated
8
Month
Journey
4
Cohorts
Implemented
Challenge
The primary challenge undertaken by the Future City Accelerator was to propel early-stage entrepreneurs into investment readiness within a short time frame of 8 months. The accelerator sought to create meaningful impacts through data-driven business models in crucial sectors such as infrastructure, green tech, energy, retail, and urban life.
I found the Future City Accelerator program very insightful and useful which truly helped our venture to reach our goals. We had participated in several programs in Germany and Hungary but none of them gave us as much: FCA arrived at the right time for us!
Solution
The solution was an 8 month accelerator program that provided the following:
Funding - To support the growth and development of the startups, we offered equity-free, pre-seed financial and in-kind support for up to 5 founders per team. This financial support provided the necessary resources for founders to bring their ideas to life.
Curriculum - We implemented a multi-faceted learning approach that included weekly masterclasses, design thinking bootcamps and personalized coaching sessions that addressed individual needs and challenges.
Infrastructure - As part of our program, participants were provided with their own dedicated workspace in one of Berlin's top coworking hubs. This state-of-the-art infrastructure created a conducive environment for collaboration, creativity, and productivity, allowing founders to focus on building their businesses.
Network - One of the key benefits of our program was the access to a vast and valuable network. Participants had the opportunity to connect with experienced mentors, potential investors, established corporates, and other like-minded entrepreneurs through BIA's own Creators Hub.
It was a great program where we got a lot of input from the BIA team and the coaches. We were able to ask all the questions that might seem silly in the beginning but that everyone else has. I realized that there are things that you need to talk about and this program gave you exactly that.
Impact
34 Startups and 60+ Founders Accelerated
Launched in 2020 in a world that looked vastly different, the Future City Accelerator pushed through challenging times, demonstrating resilience and adaptability. By 2022, the accelerator had successfully accelerated countless startups making a lasting impact on the urban innovation landscape.Over the span of four cohorts across three years, the Future City Accelerator successfully accelerated 34 startups and empowered over 60 founders to bring their innovative solutions to the forefront of urban development.
Success Stories
Ecopals – Sustainable road construction material.
Ridergy – Efficient fleet electrification & charging.
Everyone Energy – Energy transition for all.
Along – Shoppable environments connecting on- and offline experiences.
Asumma – Accessible, affordable, and sustainable homeownership.
If you’re intrigued by the startups that emerged from the Future City Accelerator, check out our full startup portfolio.
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