How far can you go?

 

Aim high, accelerate fast and make your vision come true.

Grow with the EY Startup Academy!

Digitalisation is unstoppable and brings along new challenges as well as new opportunities. Parallel to these changes, digital transformation has forcefully started to impact all sectors. Technological innovation has become a major force of change by completely infiltrating private and entrepreneurial realities via online channels, smartphones and the internet of things. We need new solutions and products which have not been asked for or had so far not been imaginable.

EY is dedicated to supporting progress in line with our slogan Building a better working world. In this context, the EY Startup Academy is another step for the development of entrepreneurial innovation by startups.

 

What is the EY Startup Academy?

  • The EY Startup Academy is a 6-week program in which selected startups are given the unique opportunity to improve their business models and its main components through structured help and advice from EY experts. The program takes place every year from September to November. It is free of charge.
  • The program is aimed at Tech or FinTech startups that have completed the Alpha phase, already have a minimum viable product or a proof of concept and are seeking funding within the next 12 months.
  • The EY Startup Academy consists of a series of workshops and training events offered by EY in Frankfurt. In addition, there are fireside chats with investors and selected corporates as well as founders’ chats with successful founders to exchange experiences. In total, the Academy consists of more than 30 events.
  • EY organizes the Startup Academy together with Blockchain Founders Capital, Business Angels FrankfurtRheinMain, C3 Venture Capital, ChannelCreator, CTG Consulting, CV VC, HIGHEST, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), MediaTech Hub Accelerator, neosfer, neoteq ventures, Optio Incentives, OVHcloud, seed + speed Ventures, SixThirty Ventures, Sparkassen Innovation Hub, StartingUp, STATION, Stuttgart Financial and TechQuartier.
  • The EY Startup Academy is an expression of our commitment to support the startup ecosystem and founders in their journey “from idea to exit”. With the program, EY and its partners support startups in overcoming difficulties in questions related to tax, audit and financing / assessment. We question their business plan, scalability of organization and IT as well as legal and regulatory frameworks from an investors’ perspective so that they can achieve investor readiness as quickly as possible. We thus contribute to the sustainable growth of the eco-system for startups in Europe – our interpretation of Building a better working world.
  • Please check out our flyer for further information.

 

What is the added value for you as a participant of the EY Startup Academy?

  • Long-term, free support by EY in strategic and operational issues – also in later stages of corporate development
  • Access to the EY ecosystem for startups: Academy Alumni Club, Entrepreneur of the Year, access to global and regional EY events
  • Concentrated knowledge transfer in areas that are of central importance for startups
  • Numerous opportunities for networking with investors, corporates, successful founders and other startups
  • Free access to the TechQuartier with two workstations each for the duration of the program
  • Prize money of 10,000 Euro in total and the EY Startup Academy Award which can be used for advertising
  • Stage to raise your popularity
  • Exclusive access to proprietary EY tools that cover your innovation process holistically and are constantly evolving based on our global ecosystem of startups and entrepreneurs. EY Growth Navigator helps to evaluate and develop strategies and growth plans, EY VentureBuilder helps to develop and implement product roadmaps more holistically, EY Finance Navigator helps to develop financial plans and model business models.

 

This was the EY Startup Academy 2024!

On 7 November, we celebrated the finale of the EY Startup Academy 2024. After 6 intensive weeks with nearly 25 workshops and an exciting pitch contest, the five finalists—chosen by us, our partners, and the audience—competed for the top awards. The main prize from the jury, comprised of experts from our EY Startup Academy partner network, was awarded to mika. This startup is developing a tax and accounting co-pilot for small businesses, seamlessly integrating various data sources, including bank accounts, email invoices, cloud storage, and external accounting software. The three co-founders, Agnieszka Walorska, Henry Müssemann, and Lukas Linnekuhle, impressed the jury not only with their business model but also with their measurable progress throughout the program, securing the EY Startup Academy Award 2024.

The audience had a say as well: Nearly 150 guests, both in person at TechQuartier and online, chose COMESO as the Audience Choice winner. Founded by Gloria Niiquaye, Vela Rajah, and Sinit Negase Goitom, this innovative startup is transforming international money transfers with a unique healthcare financing solution tailored for diaspora and expat communities.

A heartfelt thank you to all 16 startups that participated in the EY Startup Academy 2024, as well as to our partners and speakers who made these 6 inspiring weeks possible. We look forward to following the progress of our participants within our alumni network and are already excited for the next EY Startup Academy!

 

Best-Of-Videos and review

Meet Christopher Schmitz, Partner at EY and Curator of the EY Startup Academy, and Peter Fricke, Associate Director FinTech and Business Development, and get to know everything you need to know about the EY Startup Academy:

Watch our EY Startup Academy 2023 Wrap-Up Video:

If you want to take a glance behind the scenes of the EY Startup Academies of the past years, you can get some impressions here.

 

Startup Academy Newsletter

You want to stay in touch with us, regularly receive the latest news about the program and get to know more about our alumni? Then our Startup Academy Newsletter is the right thing for you. Please subscribe here.