3rd open call
Start-ups & SMEs in Stage 2: Acceleration
Start-ups & SMEs in Stage 1: Incubation
WHAT DID THE PROGRAMME LOOK LIKE
Along the course of the 3rd open call, IMPACT EdTech supported 17 start-ups/SMEs in education and digital learning through a hybrid incubator-accelerator. We validated, tested MVPs (Minimum Viable Products) and prepared them to reach the market by providing early business and go-to-market support, in collaboration with education experts.
Start-ups/SMEs have received business and educational mentoring and training services both in Stage 1 and 2. Experts helped to analyse the potential of the start-ups/SMEs by short-cycle piloting in real educational settings to obtain preliminary impact assessment data that investors and clients require.
Distribution of funding per stage for each open-call
The 17 selected companies have received support to develop an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) based on their prototype, at the end of which their MVP underwent live testing by a pool of experts in education. They received up to €87,388 of EU Grant – of which up to €10,000 have been paid in the form of vouchers to access business and educational mentoring services, with the rest being paid as an equity-free lump sum.
8 companies selected from Stage 1 with the best performing MVPs, received additional support to bring their solutions to the market, either through piloting in schools or through beta testing, to assess the impact and performance of their solutions. They received up to €110,000 of EU Grant – of which up to €20,000 has been paid in the form of vouchers to access business and educational mentoring services as well as other services to pilot solutions, with the rest being paid as an equity-free lump sum. A total of 25 companies were accelerated.
EDTECH CHALLENGES
Inclusive education
targeting specific underserved or vulnerable groups (socially disadvantaged persons, immigrants or minority groups, special educational needs students or other groups), address early school leavers or support the improvement of educational attainment for all.
Personalised learning
(based e.g. on Artificial Intelligence (AI), learning analytics, and other technologies) with a focus on supporting new, research-based pedagogical approaches for in-classroom education and encouraging life-long learning.
Skills development
of children, teachers and other types of learners with a focus on, but not limited to, the development of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), Computational Thinking and 21st century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication.
WHAT CAN IMPACT EDTECH OFFER YOUR START-UP/SME?
Stage 1: MVP Validation
Incubation phase (4 months)
PITCH TRAINING
28 selected EdTech start-ups/SMEs invited to a pitch training session, one day before the Jury day.
MENTORING
Individual business, education and digital learning mentors.
BOOTCAMP
4-days business bootcamp.
MVP LIVE TESTING
Live Future Classroom Lab testing by education experts and digital learning professionals
EDTECH RESOURCES
Full access to EdTech resources to develop your MVP (education ministries connections) .
EQUITY FREE FUNDING
Up to fixed lump sum of €85,300 per EdTech startup/SME, including up to €10,000 of voucher-based business & educational expertise and specialized resources.
Stage 2: PROOF OF MARKET
Acceleration phase (5 months)
BOOTCAMP
3-day acceleration bootcamp.
TRAINING
Go-To-Market activities training.
PILOTING PATHWAYS
Strand A and Strand B piloting in real educational settings.
INVESTMENT
Visibility to relevant education ministries, investors and potential partners.
MENTORING
Systematic 1-1 business and education mentoring services.
EQUITY FREE FUNDING
Up to fixed lump sum of €110,000 per startup/SME, including up to €20,000 of voucher-based business & educational expertise and specialized resources.