Frequently Asked Questions?

The Avant Now Accelerator fem track is a program dedicated to give majority women-led ventures that extra push to succeed and a consequential next step on our mission towards closing the funding gap for women entrepreneurs. You receive all the support similar to the Avant Now Accelerator plus quarterly bootcamps, the monthly Women’s Success Circle, and targeted support with a gender lens to overcome the unique challenges and barriers you face as a female founder. It equips you with confidence, tactics, know-how, and persistence to achieve lasting success.

The Avant Now Accelerator and fem track are designed for early-stage startups that already have a prototype or MVP and are ready to scale their business. We look for ambitious innovators that aim to build sustainable ecological or societal impact.

This opportunity is for you, if: 

• You are based in Berlin or ready to move here. 
• You are either about to be ready to incorporate, eg. proven by a tested MVP or if your startup already exists it did not yet generate revenues and is not yet economically active. 
• You did not yet receive other startup funding or grants. (This means, we can not support you, if you received eg. Berlin Startup Grant or Exist before.)
• For the Avant Now Accelerator fem track: the founding team must be majority female and/ or FLINTA - both in terms of headcount and ownership (shares).

* Further eligibility criteria apply, for more details please check FAQ by the Senat of Berlin. A full eligibility assessment will be part of the selection process.

As we celebrate diversity, we especially care about empowering founders from underrepresented groups to achieve their full potential.

The application process involves completing an online application form where we ask about your idea, impact, business model and team. Selected applicants will be invited for a first interview round. From these, selected applicants are invited to the next interview round. In each interview you are asked to present your idea with a pitch deck in max. 3 min, followed by questions.

We open new cohorts every three months. Application deadlines usually end 1.5 months before a cohort starts, we also offer early bird opportunities. The Avant Now Accelerator cohorts start on 1.9.2023, 1.12.2023, 1.3.2024, 1.6.2024, and 1.9.2024. The Avant Now Accelerator fem track cohorts start on 1.10.2024, 1.12.2024, 1.3.2025. Further rounds will be announced. 

Our accelerator program runs for 6 months and is expendable to up to 12 months. The extension is possible if you prove in the first 6 months that your startup idea is viable.

Startups receive a mix of support including equity-free funding up to 105.000 Euro per team based on the Berlin Startup Grant, coaching, mentorship, peer-learning, networking and funding opportunities, access to our extended learning platform and a workspace at betahaus in the center of Berlin. The Avant Now Accelerator and fem track are based on a skill-growth qualification approach, which is individualized for each participant and offers high flexibility.

Yes, we do provide equity-free funding up to 105.000 Euro per team based on the Berliner Startup Grant. The exact amount varies and depends on the number of founders and the length of the participation in the accelerator.

The Avant Now Accelerator and fem track do not take any equity, as the program is financed by the City of Berlin and the European Social Fund. Instead you commit to focusing fulltime on the development of your startup and to report on your progress.

Our Avant Now Accelerator and fem track program are located in Berlin, Germany. You have to be officially registered in Berlin latest by the day of signing the contract. Some program elements can be realized virtually. Hence we call it a hybrid program.

After the program, our commitment to supporting your startup continues. We provide ongoing mentorship, and follow-on funding support. Former participants are encouraged to share their experiences and expertises with new participants, as well as continuing on their peer-learning groups.

While we prioritize teams with at least two co-founders, we evaluate all applications on their merits. A strong solo founder will still be accepted.

Our accelerator is sector-agnostic, but impact focussed. We accept startups from a variety of industries and verticals as long as they align with our program's mission and objectives, which are all about building net-positive impact on society and the environment. Whether your focus is on securing and enhancing the quality of essential resources such as air, water, soil, energy - or addressing societal challenges such as ageing, education, social inclusion, and health - we've got you covered and are always open on new topics.

At avant now, we celebrate diversity and care about empowering founders from underrepresented groups to achieve their highest potential. We are deeply committed to fostering an inclusive environment that breaks down barriers and opens up opportunities for founders of all backgrounds, ensuring their ideas, talent, and dedication are recognized and nurtured.