EIT Manufacturing, Ieteam and S&F Consultants will launch a new acceleration program for high-potential startups

EIT Manufacturing, in collaboration with ieTeam and with the support of S&F Consultants, has launched an innovative acceleration program aimed at startups located in the Basque Country and aligned with the RIS3 Euskadi, mainly in the sectors related to bioscience, nanoscience and advanced manufacturing. Startups from all over the country can also access if they are specific to the industrial vertical. This program seeks to provide comprehensive support to startups and emerging companies in their initial stages, providing a wide range of resources and specialized services to boost their growth and business success.

Donostia-San Sebastián, May 30, 2023 The acceleration program, driven by EIT Manufacturing -the largest manufacturing innovation community in Europe that is part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union- in collaboration with ieTeam -a renowned consulting firm, specialized in open innovation and startups- and with the support of S&F Consultants -specialists in strategic business development-, aims to provide selected startups with a wide range of resources and access to a valuable network of mentors, investors and industry professionals. These expert staff will provide strategic guidance, while the resources provided include training workshops, personalized advice, collaborative workspaces and key connections in the entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The entities in charge of implementing the program have a strong track record of success in supporting start-ups. To date, they have supported more than 100 startups, which many of them have experienced tremendous growth, have attracted investments of more than €30 million, and have secured relationships with more than 40 corporations. These achievements demonstrate the ability of these agents to identify and drive entrepreneurial potential in a variety of sectors.

The application period will open in June, but interested startups can apply through the program’s official website (https://acelerastartups.es/) if they meet the established selection criteria. These criteria include the viability of the business model, growth potential and the founding team’s ability to execute.

A boost to innovation and job creation in the region.

This accelerator program is expected to foster innovation, drive job creation and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in the region. This program not only represents a very relevant opportunity for the entrepreneurial environment, but will also have a significant impact on the ecosystem in general. According to Gala Maturana, Senior Business Creation Manager at EIT Manufacturing, “This acceleration program is an important step towards fostering innovation and supporting entrepreneurs, both locally, regionally and nationally in the industry vertical“.

Iñaki Lasa, director of innovation and entrepreneurship at ieTeam, considers that “this project will allow us to increase the value proposition that we have been offering to startups and corporations, as we bring together in the same program the leaders of the entrepreneurial and business scene of the Basque Country together with the largest network of innovation and industrial startups in Europe“.

The Acelera Startups program is coordinated by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism and the EOI Foundation, and is funded by the European Union Next Generation EU – within the framework of the Spanish Government’s Recovery and Resilience Plan managed by the School of Industrial Organization (EOI). Both institutions have a long track record in driving entrepreneurship and innovation and have invested significantly in the development and execution of this program to provide the selected startups with the resources and support needed to accelerate their growth and achieve business success.