Work. Learn. Connect. The motto of the three months accelerator based in Berlin expresses its focus. Bringing European startups to Berlin to connect them to the local startup scene as well as key partners in the EIT ICT Labs network and offer them an intensive coaching programme is the aim of Berlin Residency program. EIT ICT Labs XEU Outreach set it up to strengthen early stage startups and young innovators from outreach countries and make them profiting from a unique possibility to make new contracts in one of Europe’s hotspots for IT companies.
Berlin Residency teams
Four teams, selected from contests of EIT ICT Labs and its partners, were invited from August to October to reside in Berlin:
Bliu Bliu from Lithuania developed an adaptive algorithm to make language-learning fun. Two Austrian teams attended the program: LineMetrics offers cloud-based industrial analytics for SMEs and QGo uses queue length detection to optimize wait time. The Slovakian team Excalibur offers a solution for seamless authentication.
Three months of coaching
To push the teams forward, intensive and tailored coachings have been offered. In the first month, the law firm Weitnauer addressed issues that may appear when “the startups are taken to Europe“. Questions raising on IP protection and transfer of IP rights, trademarks and license agreements or legal pitfalls were answered.
The second module focused on user exprience and market entry. And as the coach Lindsay Eyink led a design team at Apple iTunes for some years, she also shared her experiences in company culture besides giving the teams valuable feedback on their user design.
To give a perfect performance when it comes to pitch in front of investors, cooperation partners or potential customers, Bianca Praetorius prepared the teams to “Get ready for Demo Day“ in the third module. Speech tempo, use of breaks and how gestures underline your message have been trained as well as how the optimal slide deck should look like.
Seeing places and connecting to the local scene
The international startup hot spot Berlin offers a lot of opportunities to explore its vibrant scene. Visiting co-working spaces, innovations centres such as SAPs and trade fairs as the worlds leading fair in consumer electronics and home appliances IFA helped the startups to network with other founders and potential partners.
At Demo Day on October 28, the teams presented their learnings and developments of those three months to the EIT ICT Labs partners and potential investors. About 80 startups, VCs and partners attended the event taking pace a hubraum Berlin.
