STARTPLATZ AI Accelerator NRW
Scale your startup with the power of AI.
STARTPLATZ Track Record - Startup & AI Experience
Is the AI Accelerator NRW right for you?
4 months of AI integration for growth startups on their way to scale-up. One of 6 NRW-funded hubs with the largest startup community in NRW.
We're looking for startups for our AI Accelerator that:
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Already have first customers and have validated their business model
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Have developed a scalable product and want to grow
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Want to use AI as a growth lever in their business
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Are ready to scale with a team of 2-10 people
Still in the idea phase?
Our Open Accelerator is the perfect entry point for early-stage startups with flexible programs.
Startups from Batch #2
wemote
kolula
Mandelbaum.ai
optcl.io
Sourcera AI
FlowConAI
Gridty
SKULIO
zentras systems
Agentic Systems
The Program: 3 Phases to Scale-up
Our proven 4-month program guides growth startups through a structured path to scaling with AI integration as the focus.
Foundation
- Technology Readiness Check-up
- KPI Definition & Growth Unlock Workshop
- Mentor Madness - Find your ideal mentors
- Kick-off event with startup community
- Start of the weekly Founder Session – the rhythm of the program
Implementation
- Specialized Workshops on growth topics
- Micro-residency with international AI experts
- Selected Expert Sessions & Fireside Chats with operators and VCs
- Hands-on AI integration into your processes
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Fundraising &
Pitch Training
Scale
- VC office hours with top investors
- Demo Day preparation & pitch perfection
- International expansion support
- Demo Day - Present your growth
Founder Session & Expert Sessions
The core of the program is not a course but a rhythm: the weekly Founder Session. On top of that come curated Expert Sessions and Fireside Chats with operators and investors who have already built exactly what you are working on right now.
The backbone of the program
Weekly Founder Session
Every week all founding teams of the batch sit down together: North Star Metric on the table, progress since last week, current blocker. Not a lecture, but a fixed rhythm of accountability, peer feedback and direct access to the program team and mentors. The one factor that decides what you get out of the program.
Selected Expert Sessions & Fireside Chats
A selection from the current batch — no theory, just practitioners with scars.
Sushel Bijganath
Co-Founder & CEO @ OctonomyFrom prototype to an AI product customers pay for: an open evening about founding, wrong turns and what really counts when building an AI startup.
On-site in Cologne · incl. Q&A and networking
Markus Merz
Investment Manager @ CapnamicVC visit at the Capnamic office: how a fund actually looks at deals — investment criteria, red flags and honest questions for your teams.
On-site @ Capnamic, Cologne
Max
Presales RocksB2B sales — demos & pre-sales: how to build a demo that sells instead of just showing features.
Janis
ordioAI-driven performance marketing in B2B SaaS: channels, creative loops and what really scales with AI today.
Dennis Fink
xLifeSciencesPitch Perfect: deck optimization & investor communication — how a venture builder takes 25 startups to exit.
The line-up is curated anew for every batch — matched to the teams that are in it.
Workshop Program
Specialized workshops tailored to your team's needs (subject to change).
AI & Technology
- • AI Bootcamp & Prompting
- • AI-First Mindset
- • AI Agents & Automations
- • Technology Readiness Check
- • Security Essentials
Growth & Marketing
- • AI-Powered Growth Strategies
- • AI Marketing Stack 2025
- • B2B Sales Engine with AI
- • Pricing & Packaging
- • International Expansion
Finance & Pitch
- • Financial Planning & Models
- • Fundraising Masterclass
- • Term Sheets & Cap Table
- • Pitch Training & Demo Day
- • Leadership & Culture
Startups from Batch #1
These innovative startups were selected for the first cohort of the AI Accelerator NRW
Alumni Success Stories
Our alumni have proven: with the right support, extraordinary successes emerge.
Cognigy
Conversational AI
deepset
NLP & LLM Platform
Ingestro
B2B Enterprise SaaS
Prematch
Sport-Tech
taxy.io
Tax Tech & AI
RIIICO
Manufacturing SaaS
Dermanostic
Digital Health
Lumoview
Computer Vision
Direct access to AI expertise through our accelerator program
Top AI experts from around the world
At targeted points in the program
Local AI specialists on-site
4 months of continuous support
Our Network
Strong partners for your success - access to investors, corporates and international markets
Corporate Partner
Investor Network
Tech Partner
International
Partnership Models
Various ways to become part of the STARTPLATZ AI ecosystem and profit from innovation.
Looking for a personalized partnership?
Do you have special requirements or ideas for cooperation? We're happy to develop customized partnership models.
Book consultationDo you still have questions about our AI Accelerator?
Don't hesitate to contact us. Our team is happy to assist you:
FAQ - AI Accelerator NRW
None at all, we don't take any shares in your startup.
No, but you should be ready to spend 4 months in Cologne. The program requires your presence on-site.
No, that's exactly what we're here for. The important thing is to be willing to learn and integrate AI into your business.
The program is free of charge. You even get free coworking access at STARTPLATZ.
An average of 2-5 hours per week.
Growth startups with MVP, initial customers, and teams of 2-10 people. You are ready for the next scaling phase and see AI as a growth lever.
We focus on the "pre-scale-up phase" - startups that already function but haven't scaled yet. Perfect as preparation for scale-up programs.
You remain part of our alumni network with access to events and mentors, and you are optimally prepared for scale-up programs or further funding rounds.
The STARTPLATZ AI Accelerator NRW is funded under the NRW Hub Directive (Hub-Richtlinie).
