Sustainability Accelerator Program

Empower a Green Future: Elevate Your Startup with Our Sustainability Acceleration Program.

Apply Now

Are you someone who’s got a passion for tackling climate change and building a greener future? We totally get your drive to make a real impact. Welcome to our Climate Change Warriors Program – custom-made for creative minds determined to reshape the planet’s future.

Dive headfirst into an exciting community of eco-conscious trailblazers, experienced experts, and forward-thinking investors, all teaming up to supercharge the essential changes we need to fight climate change.

Our program opens the door to a dynamic crew of sustainability enthusiasts, wise mentors, and change-driven investors, all on a mission to speed up the crucial shifts required to take on climate change. As a member, you’ll tap into a vast network of folks who are all about making a difference in key sustainability areas and taking on climate change head-on.

Why Sustainability?

With around 30+ sustainability startups and three accelerations program under our belt we could proudly say that Sustainability lies at the heart of our vision at Startup Wise Guys. We strive to transform founders into entrepreneurs who can lead and foster the growth of sustainable international companies. Our focus is primarily on startups from the Nordics and Eastern Europe offering B2B software or services that capture, store, or reduce CO2 emissions. Every batch witnesses an investment in around 10 promising startups.

Get funding

Get up to €120K convertible investment (85K cash + 35K program) with a €250K follow-on possibility.

Learn from the best

Learn top sales and product development tricks from leading Sustainability mentors and experts.

Meet the people

Access a community +350 mentors, +200 investors and collaborate with 800+ fellow visionary founders growing in the same industry as you.

About the program

Application Process

Applications are now open for the Sustainability program. The deadline to apply is May, 2024. Our team will carefully review all applications and once we identify potential candidates that fit our requirements we will reach out to schedule an interview!

Apply now

Note: applications are checked on first come first serve basis.

Week 1-5 / Module 1

Setting KPI’s, Company Building, Get together, and Market Engineering Sprint

Program Starts : Q2 2024

Meet your lead coaches, introduce your business idea, set KPI targets and brush up on the essentials. This unit is all about equipping you with the foundations to build your business. 

Week 7-10 / Module 2

Communication, Sales, and Product Sprint

Refine your pitch deck prep and storytelling skills, prepare product demos and test your product-market fit validation in our product sprint. Benefit from the support and expertise of our internal stakeholders.

Week 12-15 / Module 3

Sales, Marketing, Growth and Progress Day

Boost your sales and marketing solutions with one on one mentor meetings who tailor their support to the needs of your growing startup.

Week 17-20 / Module 4

Fundraising, Investor Readiness and Graduation Day

Program Ends: June 2024

Learn the ins and out of fundraising, revamp your strategy and networking approaches. Gain unique exposure to business angels and VCs and prepare your company for investment.

Aftercare

Don’t think that the after the program we stop working together. You can still benefit from the support of the Startup wise guys community channels and get fundraising support for your future investment rounds. 

 

A typical week in the Startup Wise Guys Sustainability acceleration program might look like…

Well truth be told there’s no such thing as a typical week in our Sustainability accelerator program. 

Apart from weekly one-on-ones with your personal mentor, you won’t find any two weeks the same! You’ll be developing your skills and transforming your startup at a supercharged pace. Your experience, over the course of 4 months, will include intensive training and personal development opportunities like never before. 

We want to get the best out of you, so you’ll constantly be challenged in what you do and how you do it. Doing things the way you always have won’t cut it this time !

In program activities:

What kind of activities can you expect? 

  • Workshops and masterclasses delivered by industry experts on specialized topics like product development, fundraising, tech solutions, pitching, marketing strategies….. The list goes on ! 
  • Networking sessions with our mentors and investors. 
  • Chance to learn from the founders. Successful entrepreneurs will share exactly how they built their company and tell you the good, the bad and the ugly ! It’s not all sunshines and rainbows building startups!
  • Intensive pitch practice, in preparation for Demo Day and fundraising. 
  • Every batch and experience is different. Our mentors tailor the content to your businesses’ individual needs so you can develop specifically with your vertical in mind.

And when you think it’s all over… it has only just started. Once you have completed the program we don’t stop working together… 

You will still benefit from the support and program aftercare of the Startup Wise Guys community channels, expert mentors and continue to achieve fundraising support for your future investment rounds.

It would be a great match if you are…

Goal orientated, ambitious and aspiring to build your business for the long term future. 

This Sustainability accelerator program is designed for teams who meet one or more of the requirements listed below.

  • You are an early-stage B2B Sustainability startup working in
    • Climate-smart agriculture
    • Regenerative agriculture
    • Circular economy
    • Circular waste management
    • Sustainable land management
  • You have a working MVP
  • Your startup has at least 2 co-founders or team members
  • You are building initial customer traction, MRR or revenues.

15

Exits

440+

portfolio companies

800+

founders network

70%

Survival rate

Marvelous mentors

Meet the great minds behind it all. We have a network of over 200+ experienced mentors, industry experts and first rate founders who you will have the chance to learn and grow from.

Calum Cameron

The brains behind the first Hack the Crisis hackathon

Jørgen Bo Larsen

Lead mentor of Forestry and Land use; Professor emeritus

University of Copenhagen; EU Commission on the new EU Forest strategy

Mateusz Kozłowski

Partner at Techni Ventures and President at Niepubliczne Technikum Programistyczne Techni Schools

Tech Ventures; Niepubliczne Technikum Programistyczne Techni Schools

Michael Honoré

Mikkel Trym

I have my own company and are partner in a few startups and projects.

Richard Georg Engström

Startup Wise Guys Copenhagen - General Partner

Scott Dodson

Chief Growth Officer, serial entrepreneur and growth, product and marketing mentor

Lingvist

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

  • Why sustainability?

    We believe that entrepreneurship will play a crucial role in reaching a net-zero CO2 world. We have already run the first entirely Sustainability focused program and also are implementing Sustainability principles in the batches that are focused on other verticals. We want to support sustainability-focused founders to make a difference!

  • What does the selection process look like?
    • After the submission of the application to the Dealum, the Scouting team evaluates the application for eligibility. It can take up to 2 weeks for us to get back to you after we have received your application.
    • If the application fits our criteria we might ask you additional questions and invite you to take part in the pitch day to present the business to Startup Wise Guys General partners and team members.
    • Pitch day is an internal event to evaluate the business idea and meet founders face to face, after the pitches SWG team decides how to proceed with the application. Decisions are: move forward with Due Diligence, offer Wise Guys Pre-accelerator program, reject or stay in touch until later.
    • Due diligence process includes: the Tech call, Managing Director call, Partner/ expert call, and the Deal call.
    • After the startup has successfully gone through the due diligence process they are invited to the Selection Bootcamp.
    • TOP 10-12 teams are selected to participate in the acceleration program.
  • What are the investment conditions?
    Receive a convertible investment up to €120,000 (with a program cost of €35,000) and an additional €250,000 as a follow-on opportunity. If you register a legal entity in Bilbao, there's a chance to secure an even higher investment of up to €200,000.
  • What are sustainability specific criteria the investment committee will be looking at?

    For the Sustainability program – we are also looking deeply into the impact aspect of the business:

     

    Definition of impact (problem understanding and theory of change).

    Evidence of impact (metrics design and measurement format).

    Is the impact operational (and aligned with the business model).

    Systemic impact (is there a probability that the solution can disrupt and transform the entire marketplace).

  • What can I expect from the program?

    Throughout the program, there are four main focus areas on which we are working to help you build and grow your startup: Company building, Sales and marketing, Fundraising and Pitching, and Product building.

    Work in these areas happens through intensive collaboration with almost 100 mentors at workshops, one-on-one sessions, and sprint weeks, as well as through a dedicated implementation time throughout the program.

  • Where is the program taking place?

    This is a hybrid accelerator program, where 80% of the program content will take place online, and 20% of the program will take place in person in Bilbao, Spain. The program consists of four modules, and during and modules 1 and 4, startups will have the opportunity to be present in Bilbao, Spain to attend live workshops, mentoring sessions, and meet other founders as well as members of the Startup Wise Guys team. If a relevant conference or networking opportunity in Europe coincides with the program, the startup participants may choose to travel together to attend. All teams are expected to send at least one founder to attend the onsite portions.  Each team can expect to spend between 2-3 weeks in total onsite.

  • What is the expected commitment? Will all the team members have to attend the program full-time?

    A full-time commitment is a requirement to participate in the program.

     

     

  • I have applied for the full-time acceleration program, but I got an invitation to join an online pre-acceleration program. What is the difference?

    The Scouting team evaluates each application and decides what program the startup is eligible for. If we see the potential in the project, but it is still a little too early for acceleration we invite the startup for the 8-week long pre-acceleration program, where we provide mentoring and support to help startups grow faster. After the Pre-acceleration the best teams might get invited to take part in the full-time Acceleration program.

    The acceleration program is a 5-month program and comes with an investment. The main criteria to be eligible for the equity-based program are:
    – a working MVP
    – at least 2 co-founders
    – initial traction. MRR/ revenues.

  • Are there any geographical restrictions on who can apply?

    No, there are no restrictions, but you have to take into account that the workshops, mentoring sessions, and other program activities will happen according to the EET time zone, so you might have to adapt to this schedule.

    Also, it’s a hybrid program with online and onsite modules, therefore, some parts of the program will happen onsite, and you’ll be expected to be there.

If you didn’t find what you were looking for get in touch with us at hello@startupwiseguys.com.