Open Innovation Cycle by Starthaus

The Open Innovation Cycle reduces the uncertainty and risk of your startup!

The program starts for you in the idea phase and accompanies you over three months until the pre- or seed phase. The Open Innovation Cycle provides you with startup-relevant skills, such as state-of-the-art startup methods, and mentors to develop your project. You will learn to form the crucial hypotheses and how to test them. You'll gain the know-how to develop your startup quickly and with minimal resources. During the program we will provide you with industry experts who will discuss your project with you.

By the end of the cycle, you will have an initial company vision, a first marketable business model and have developed a minimum viable product. We will put you in touch with experts who will give you valuable feedback and contacts for your progress. Perhaps we will also find your first investors together. With the skills you have learned, you can continue your startup journey well prepared and have the tools for a digital and scalable project at hand.

With our help, you can also prepare for participation in an incubator, accelerator (e.g. ESA BIC) or the Starthaus coaching program. We also support you, for example, if you want to prepare the content of your project for EXIST funding. You will receive the EXIST application and the corresponding advice from our cooperation partner BRIDGE .

The Open Innovation Cycle reduces uncertainty and risk when expanding your business model!

The Open Innovation Cycle provides you with state-of-the-art startup methods as well as experts and mentors to further develop your business model. Together with you, we check your business model for validity and derive the necessary next steps.

You will get the know-how how to develop your business model fast and with low resources. During the program, we will put you in touch with industry experts who will discuss your project with you.

Depending on your starting point and objectives, you will complete the Open Innovation Cycle after 3 months with a marketable, investor-ready business model or MVP. At the end, you can present your project to a panel of experts who can provide valuable feedback and contacts for your advancement. Maybe we will even find the first investors together. With the skills you have learned, you can continue your project in a structured way and have the tools for expanding your digital and scalable project at hand.

Within 12 weeks, you will develop your project or existing business model (according to SCRUM) together with up to four other startup teams. You will not only benefit from the knowledge, the network and possible resources of the other teams, but you will also be individually supported in various 1:1 coaching sessions and accompanied on a weekly basis.

Step 1: One-Day Incubator

Participation in the Open Innovation Cycle begins with the One-Day Incubator - currently two exclusive half-day workshops - as a kick-off. Depending on your situation, your vision, strategy, elevator pitch and business model will be examined closely. Together with you, we define the starting point and goal of the cycle and determine the resources you need.

Step 2: SCRUM Training

We continue with the SCRUM training. In another half-day workshop, we will show you agile startup methods and you will learn how to apply them to your project.

Step 3: Start the Open Innovation Cycle

Now you are prepared to participate in the Open Innovation Cycle until the end of the 12 weeks. Every three weeks you will meet with up to four other start-ups and the coaches. Here you will do an agile work planning, supported by experienced coaches. You will exchange ideas in your Start-up Cycle and thus learn from each other and find the best approach for your success. Through the open exchange in the group, mutual synergies should be made usable and new perspectives on your own approach should be shown.

Step 4: Midterm Pitch

In the middle of the cycle, a midterm pitch awaits you. In this closed-shop format you will receive exclusive feedback from experts that we invite specifically for you. Building on this knowledge and contacts, you can continue to work in a targeted manner.

Step 5: Final Pitch

At the end, we address your specific needs by connecting you with potential pilot customers, mentors, investors or future employees. In this way, we want to facilitate the smoothest possible transition from incubation to acceleration of your idea. 

• Reduction of uncertainty and risk of founding a company
• All coaches have founded companies themselves
• Rapid validation and further development of business idea and model via MVP design
• Ensuring customer-centric development through involvement of industry experts
• Learning and cultivating Lean Startup and agile methodologies into day-to-day operations
• Being part of a group, motivating each other, celebrating successes and dealing with setbacks together
• Optional mutual sharing of network contacts and resources
• Procurement of interested parties for pilot projects
• Preparation for investor meetings

Participation is open to anyone who...

• has the willingness to be transparent with the idea or already existing business model and their own approach in the group,
• strives for a digital or scalable business model,
• as well as has time every 3 weeks to participate in the joint sprint change (Fridays).