Being backed by one of the best-ranked accelerators, the SpinLab, and a worldwide player in the fertilizer and salt field, K+S, the Root Camp Program aims to best support scaling solutions within the AgriFood-Tech sector.
Even if you are a later stage startup or established company, tell us about your solution – we will help you to implement it within the European markets. Our program grants you 24/7/365 access to our lofty innovation hub in the heart of Hannover. Hannover is the Capital of the State Lower Saxony – the biggest AgriFood center in Germany. Moreover K+S offers lab space in Wunstorf at the Innopark Sigmundshall.
We offer an intense program that is customizable according to your needs. We are specifically interested in the following 9 verticals but feel free to apply if your startup operates in a related field for example Ag-biotechnology, agribusiness market places, bioenergy and biomaterials, farming management-software, sensing and IoT, Farm-robotics, mechanization and equipment, innovative food, supply chain and packaging solutions, novel farming systems.
For Early-Stage Startups
The program entails a 3-months acceleration phase including access to the ecosystem, all learning resources, and funding to make you investor-ready.
After that, you will have the possibility to get additional 9 months to further define, develop and pilot your product/technology in cooperation with our corporate partners.
For Later-Stage Startups
You will get a 3 to 12 months period to get real market validation. The goal is to have your solution implemented within the corporate real-world environment through pilot projects and accelerate your growth. You profit either from a new variant of your product/technology or from new customers to enter the European market. Pilot outcomes include: product co-development, commercial partnership, licensing agreements, extension of customers base and additional investments.
Why you should apply for rootcamp in Hannover
- Our mission: you share our mission to disrupt the AgriFood value chain.
- Personalized program: we design the program around your needs to help you achieve your goals. We focus our program on all aspects relevant for you such as legal & tax, marketing & PR, sales & internationalization, IT & HR.
- Working space: you will have an office to work for free in Hannover. In addition our strategic partner K+S can offer lab space in Wunstorf at the Innopark Sigmundshall.
- Expertise: we have an extensive network of experts in all fields as well as personalized coaching sessions and an online learning platform.
- Focus on implementation: you will work together with big companies, such as our global partner K+S, and get traction through pilot projects.
- Capital and equity free: you can get up to 50k euro in funding, while you keep 100% ownership of your startup.
- All phases: it does not matter whether you are a pre-seed, seed, or later stage startup.
- International: you will get in contact with startups from all around the world.
- Community: we belong to an ecosystem made of an accelerator (SpinLab), a VC fund (Smart
- Infrastructure Ventures), and a digital hub (Smart Infrastructure Hub in Leipzig).
- Fun: you enjoy a fun atmosphere at work as much as we do. We believe in the motto “work hard play hard”!
Eligibility
- Change makers and entrepreneurs, who are passionate, committed and forward looking. The main selection criteria are you, your team and your ideas.
- Your startup has a solution in the B2B Agri-Food Tech sector in the so-called upstream area of the value chain. Our target areas are: Agriculture Biotechnology; Agribusiness marketplaces; Bioenergy & Biomaterial; Farm Management Software, Sensing or IoT, Farm Robotics; Mechanization & Equipment; Innovative Food & Ingredients; Supply chain solutions; Green B2B
- Packaging; Logistics of agricultural or food products; Novel Farming Systems and Community solutions.
- We accept startups from all around the world and from all stages (pre-seed, seed, or late stage startup).
- We require participants to be fluent in business English, but application can be in German too.