24 accelerators, incubators and innovation centres from all over Europe align activities
On May 23, the recently formed iHub Network presented its activities for the first time to 150 entrepreneurs, investors, corporate executives and editors in Vienna, one day prior to Pioneers Festival. 20 startups from 15 countries that are supported by the iHub network members showcased their products and services at the so called Stargate Innovation Day on a big stage to startup experts, e.g. from Aster Capital, Axel Springer, Bosch VC and the EIT Digital Partners Deutsche Telekom and Vodafone.
iHub Network was initiated by the European Commission and EIT Digital to foster the application of FIWARE technology by European startups. Now, the 24 partners presented the long-term programs they develop to support startups all over Europe.
"In the iHub network we combine 130 years of startup and investor experience. We worked with more than 1,300 startups - we saw them rise, we saw them struggle to scale-up in Europe and we also saw how much joined efforts can contribute to their pan-European success", explains Rafa Aguado, CEO of iHub and Founder of Spain-based Bolt Accelerator.
"Europe needs expanding its innovative digital ecosystem to grow successful businesses. Drawing on its own strong expertise on the matter, EIT Digital supported and accompanied the set up of the iHub aiming to further contribute to accelerate the scale up of startups across Europe and, eventually, European growth", says Fabio Pianesi, Research Director of EIT Digital.
24 partners, 20 countries, one goal
"Our mission is scaling by sharing. We aim to gather startups, corporations and investors to contribute to the production & development of Internet Innovation through sustainable business", adds Eva Maurina, co-founder of iHub and responsible for Business Development at the Austrian iHub partner INiTS. "We jointly developed services to be offered either from each iHub partner, or on behalf of iHub Network. These services include business development and training services for several stakeholder groups, always with Internet technologies as the main vertical."
Besides networking events like Stargate Innovation Day, the iHub network will host investor dinners in Europe, the first one coming up in Luxembourg by the end of summer, as well as regular, focused online pitching sessions. Startups can also benefit from the individual services of the partners including coworking space, business modelling consulting, product testing, access to finance.
Stargate Innovation Day, May 23, Vienna
In Vienna, iHub presented 20 startups from 15 countries that benefited from the individual services provided by the 24 accelerators, incubators and innovation centers from the iHub ecosystem already. They introduced their new solutions in IoT, PropertyTech, Music, Digital Healthcare and much more. Among them: Audiotube, coModule, STYLIFF, Measurence, OJOO, Tracktics, indoo.rs, Sofasession, Urban Clouds, RezGuru, Sport50, Zoomsquare, Dignisen, iLocator, MOGY, SprayPrinter, Sorex Wireless Solutions, Canard Drones, Smart Load Solutions.
Photo Credits: Sinisa Kanizaj / ABC Accelerator
