Accelerator Program
Founder Applications Now Open!
A STEM-focused accelerator program for students, alumni and academics to turn innovative ideas into global impact.
- Online
- Startup & Scaleup
- Level Certificate
- International Network
Application Dates 9 Nov – 6 Dec 2026 Training: 8 – 31 December 2026 · Online
Apply Now!-
Build Validate your idea
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Grow Develop your startup
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Connect Meet global partners
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Scale Reach international markets
EDUVENTURE is a project of the EIT Higher Education Initiative, funded by the European Union. eit-hei.eu (external site)
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Application period 9 November – 6 December 2026 Deadline 23:59 CET
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Programme start Online
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Training time Startup 20 h 41 min Scaleup 13 h 2 min 8–31 December 2026
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Eligibility Students, Alumni & Academics
EDUVENTURE
Why EDUVENTURE?
On the way from idea to impact, we offer STEM founders the training, mentoring, network and growth support they need.
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STEM Focus
Turn research and ideas into real solutions.
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Expert Training
Online trainings prepared by experts at your level.
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Mentorship
1:1 guidance from experienced mentors.
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Global Network
Connect with startups, researchers and investors.
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Growth Support
From validation to international scale.
Who can apply?
The Accelerator Program is open to students in STEM fields at a university or a project partner institution, to graduates of these fields, and to academics.
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Students in STEM fields
Conditions for students -
Graduates of STEM programmes
Conditions for graduates -
Academics in STEM fields
Conditions for academics
What counts as a STEM field?
STEM covers the natural sciences, ICT, engineering, agriculture and health technology. If you study, graduated or work in one of these fields, you can apply.
- Natural sciences and mathematics Mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology, statistics
- ICT Computer engineering, software, management information systems
- Engineering and manufacturing Mechanical, electrical-electronic, civil, industrial, food, textile
- Agriculture and veterinary Agriculture, forestry, fisheries, veterinary medicine
- Health technology Biomedical engineering, medical devices, health informatics
Business, law, social sciences, education and the arts are not part of the programme.
The Assessment Board decides your level from your answers. See the levels
Cohort 1 · November – December 2026
What do you get in the Accelerator Program?
The programme consists of five consecutive stages. Participants who succeed in the assessment at the end of each stage move on to the next.
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Stage 1 Cohort 1 · Nov – Dec 2026
Training Programme
- Application 9 November – 6 December
- Pre-assessment 7 December
- Online trainings 8 – 31 December
- Exams At the end of each training
- Certificate For participants who meet the conditions
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Stage 2
Bootcamp
Participants who succeed in the stage 1 assessment join an intensive bootcamp.
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Stage 3 3 months
Mentoring
Ventures that complete the bootcamp successfully receive horizontal and vertical mentoring support for three months.
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Stage 4
Investor Meetings
Ventures that complete the mentoring phase begin meetings with investors.
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Stage 5
Demo Day
Ventures present their work to investors and ecosystem representatives on Demo Day.
Stage 1 · Cohort 1 · 2026
Training Programme
From application to certificate in four steps. Participants who complete the programme are assessed; those who succeed move on to stage 2, the bootcamp.
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1 Application
9 Nov – 6 Dec
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2 Pre-assessment
7 Dec
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3 Results and account access
8 Dec
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4 Learning period and certificate
8 – 31 Dec
Vertical acceleration
One venture climbs four steps from idea to market.
EDUVENTURE follows one technical venture through every stage instead of offering a single short course. Each step has its own programme, run with Düzce Technopark, and its own gate to the next.
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01 Idea
Pre-incubation
You test the problem in customer interviews and set the scope of your MVP.
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02 Prototype
Incubation
You build the MVP, write the business and financial plans, and set up the company.
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03 MVP
Acceleration
Companies with a first sale or a binding pilot work on unit economics and investment readiness, and close with an Investor Day.
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04 On the market
Express
A strand of Acceleration, open only to companies that already sell and invoice; it is not an entry programme.
You can enter at the step that matches your venture; nobody has to start at the bottom.
You earn the certificate by meeting three conditions.
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90%
of every video watched, in every training of your level.
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50%
or more on every exam; each training ends with one.
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2
Startup: documents uploaded: business plan and pitch deck. Financial plan and one-pager come in stage 2.
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4
Scaleup: documents uploaded: business plan, financial plan, pitch deck and one-pager.
An EntreComp self-assessment at the start and at the end shows how your entrepreneurial competences have moved.
- Startup 20 h 41 min of video over 24 days, plus exams, your business plan and your pitch deck
- Scaleup 13 h 2 min of video over 24 days, plus exams and your four documents
Participation ecosystem
Take part as a mentor, investor or company.
Mentors, investors and companies join the later stages of the programme and of the ladder.
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Mentors
Mentors join the venture-support stages after the Accelerator Program, run with Düzce Technopark. If you have built, sold or financed technology, tell us where you could help.
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Investors
Teams on the Acceleration step prepare an investor data room and present at an Investor Day. EDUVENTURE does not invest and does not broker deals; it prepares teams. Tell us the stage and the ticket size you invest in.
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Industry
Bring a real technical problem. In the Industry Challenge Sprints, run with ITECAM, mixed teams of students and researchers prototype against it and show you what they found.
Ten partners in eight countries run the programme.
Six higher education institutions, a technology park, an innovation agency, a technology centre and a chamber of commerce work together, coordinated by Düzce University in Türkiye.
- Austria
- Colombia
- Germany
- Latvia
- Poland
- Spain
- Switzerland
- Türkiye
Turn your idea into a venture: apply now.
Applications are open until 6 December 2026 at 23:59 CET. The Assessment Board decides your level from your answers, and the result e-mail on 8 December names it if you are accepted.