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Accelerating Your Start-Up's Growth
Do you run a start-up that’s already on the market – and now want to really take off? Are
you looking to take the next step in your growth, with a strong network and tailored support for your specific challenges? Then KielRegion.Accelerates is right for you!
KielRegion.Accelerates is an accelerator program for growth-oriented, innovative, and forward-looking start-ups from Kiel and the districts of Rendsburg-Eckernförde and Plön that have achieved initial market validation and now want to further scale their business.
Jan Genge
Contact for KielRegion.Accelerates
In partnership with the Kiel Innovation and Technology Centre (KITZ), KielRegion, opencampus.sh, the Plön District Economic Development Agency and the Rendsburg-Eckernförde District Economic Development Agency, we offer you five months of professional, practical, and intensive support – tailored to your needs and with tangible results. We’re not dangling startup capital in front of you, but rather providing genuine support from experts who will help you and your business move forward.
The Current Batch
The second batch begins on February 5th, 2026, and will end in June 2026.
What can you expect from KielRegion.Accelerates?
Flexibility is our top priority at KielRegion.Accelerates. We know how important it is for your day-to-day operations to run smoothly. That’s why all elements of the program are designed to be integrated seamlessly into your daily work routine without holding you back.
🚀 Growth Spurt
Personalized support from experienced experts – focused on your next steps and specific challenges.
📆 Personalized Roadmap
A clear, personalized roadmap with actionable recommendations that can be easily integrated into your day-to-day routine.
💬 Workshops & Insights
Regular workshops and monthly meetups featuring insights on topics including organizational development, leadership, sales, and investor readiness.
💰 Access to Capital
Based on your needs, we will open the doors to (venture) capital and help you position your startup to appeal to investors.
🫱🏻🫲🏻 Strong Network
Direct access to established companies, investors, as well as regional and national experts.
✨ Greater Visibility
We’ll put your startup in the spotlight, build your reach, and foster strategically valuable partnerships.
What do the alumni say?
1 / 5
"KielRegion.Accelerates was incredibly valuable to us. We received support that was truly tailored to our needs, rather than a one-size-fits-all solution – and we were guided by fantastic experts [...]. It was a brilliant experience that has really helped us move forward."
Philipp Spieck
Screenable
“What I particularly like about KielRegion.Accelerates is that it’s a program designed for the phase following initial successes, such as securing the first customers. The focus is on the startup’s growth, supported by industry experts.”
Tim Grossmann
EXPLO
Why is KielRegion.Accelerates so valuable for start-ups? Because the program is tailored to the specific needs and stage of development of each startup, providing targeted networking opportunities and support. Highly recommended!”
Christoph Gruber
PEUKA
We’re absolutely delighted. Both the roadmap and the contacts have been a huge help. [...]. It’s hard to imagine more valuable guidance for a business data startup. Many thanks to the whole team!”
Maximilian Middeke
Vector Insights
“KielRegion.Accelerates has helped us make a great many new and valuable contacts, who have also provided us with significant added value in terms of expertise. The network is there; we just need to make use of it!”
Dr. Henning Winterfeld
nascit
How does KielRegion.Accelerates work?
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What criteria must your start-up meet?
KielRegion.Accelerates is aimed at growth-oriented, innovative, and forward-thinking start-ups from Kiel and the districts of Rendsburg-Eckernförde and Plön that have achieved initial market validation and now want to scale up.
If you’re already generating initial revenue with a market-ready product, you’ve come to the right place! Generally speaking, we’re open to all start-ups from the moment they enter the market, provided there is sufficient growth potential. We set no upper limit – whether you’ve been in the market for one, two, or three years. As our program is tailored precisely to fit your needs, the age of your start-up is irrelevant.
Any questions? Feel free to contact our start-up advisor Jan Genge directly.
Which experts are supporting you?
We rely on our strong regional and national network of established companies and start-ups, universities, institutions, and financial stakeholders – from banks to investor networks.
For us, the focus is on the high level of expertise and personal commitment of our experts, so that you can benefit from KielRegion.Accelerates in the long term while achieving sustainable growth.
Throughout the program, the experts are available to assist you with various key areas and specific business-related inquiries. You will be in direct contact with them and can reach out at any time to discuss these matters.
For the Health Check
For Inspiration, Exchange & Coaching
Surprise expert
from Silicon Valley
Christian Hank
IB.SH | Advice on grants and financing for businesses & start-ups
FAQ
No, that’s not a requirement. What matters to us is that you’re fully committed to driving your start-up forward and that its growth is clearly evident – even if you’re currently working elsewhere. As some sessions take place during the day, we’d be happy to discuss how the program can be integrated into your daily routine.
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The amount of work involved depends on what documents you’ve already prepared (pitch deck, financial plan, etc.), and the goals that are set for you from the Health Check. It’s important to us that you integrate the roadmap from the Health Check into your day-to-day work so that you don’t lose sight of your goals.
We’ll be on hand as your exchange partners throughout the process, checking in regularly with you to ensure that you’ve either completed your recommended actions or at least made a start on them by the end of the cycle.
The program fits in well with your daily routine – most sessions take place in the evenings, with only a few daytime sessions. You can plan your own schedule, as well as discussions with our network of experts, to suit your daily routine as best as possible.
We meet up in the evenings roughly every two weeks – either at KITZ, starterkitchen or COBL – (lasting around 1–2 hours). At the meetups, insightful talks from our experts are featured, alongside opportunities to network with the other participating start-ups. Topics range from organizational development and leadership, to investor readiness and legal due diligence. If a topic doesn’t fit your schedule, participation is of course optional.
The program is free of charge for all participating start-ups.