STARTPLATZ KI AcceleratorNRW Hub

STARTPLATZ AI Accelerator NRW

Scale your startup with the power of AI.
📅 Batch #3 starts in October 2026See the program
STARTPLATZ
300+Startups supported
800+M€ investment
28Accelerator batches
AI Academy
500+AI events
200+AI experts
100+AI managers
Our startups

The startups of the AI Accelerator

Ten teams per cohort, four months, one goal: scaling with AI.

1/10
skulio
KI / Verlage & Bildung

skulio

skulio turns the content of publishers and education companies into digital AI products – from an AI assistant in the shop to an AI subscription, GDPR-compliant and hosted in Germany.

View profile →
kolula
SaaS / PropTech

kolula

Operating system for digital-physical service orchestration. Connects digital booking with physical access – across industries, from housing to last-mile logistics.

View profile →
FlowConAI
KI / Developer Tools

FlowConAI

Brings memory systems, agentic capabilities and the latest LLMs into products. Codebase Insights automatically analyses and documents any codebase.

View profile →
wemote
B2B Software / HR Tech

wemote

All-in-one HR software for corporate workations. Automates workflows, invoicing and compliance – making workations a scalable employee benefit.

View profile →
optcl.io
MarTech / Real Estate

optcl.io

Optcl spots corporate expansion early and matches companies with suitable commercial properties – before they start searching on portals.

View profile →
Mandelbaum.ai
B2B Software / E-Commerce

Mandelbaum.ai

Zero-configuration semantic product search for e-commerce. AI model hosted in Germany plus an MCP server – ready for agentic commerce.

View profile →
KI / Agentic Commerce

Agentic Systems

Native agentic commerce for SMEs with agent-led bookings, orders and payments. From first contact to posting in the ERP – orchestrated autonomously.

View profile →
B2B Software / Procurement

Sourcera AI

KI-gestützte Procurement-Plattform für Enterprise Indirect Spend. Beschleunigt Sourcing Cycles um bis zu 80% – im Einsatz bei Phoenix Group, tesa und Zalando.

View profile →
HealthTech / MedTech

zentras systems

AngioAssist – Echtzeit-Dokumentation für interventionelle Medizin. Tablet-basierter Workflow für Materialien und Komplikationen direkt während des Eingriffs.

View profile →
‹ Swipe for the next startups ›

All accelerator startups in the directory →

AI Accelerator NRW · 16 weeks

The program

Three phases – and every week in between, the founder session. Hover over the phases for details.

01FoundationWeeks 1–4

Arrive, measure, set the focus.

  • Technology readiness check-up
  • KPI definition & growth unlock workshop
  • Mentor madness – find your mentors
  • Kick-off with the startup community
  • Start of the weekly founder session
02ImplementationWeeks 5–12

Build, integrate, grow.

  • Specialised growth workshops
  • Micro-residency with international AI experts
  • Expert sessions & fireside chats
  • Hands-on AI integration into your processes
  • Fundraising & pitch training
03ScaleWeeks 13–16

Investors, expansion, demo day.

  • VC office hours with top investors
  • Demo day preparation & pitch perfection
  • International expansion support
  • Demo day – present your growth
Expert sessions & fireside chats

Practitioners with scars. No theory.

Operators and investors who have already built exactly what you are working on – curated anew for every batch. Fireside chats, VC office hours, sales and pitch sessions.

See all experts →
SBFireside ChatSushel BijganathCo-Founder & CEO, Octonomy

From prototype to an AI product customers pay for.

MMVC Office HourMarkus MerzInvestment Manager, Capnamic

How a fund actually looks at deals.

Max LüpertzExpert SessionMax LüpertzPresales Rockstars

B2B sales: demos that sell.

Janis SchörnerExpert SessionJanis Schörnerordio

AI-driven performance marketing in B2B SaaS.

Dennis FinkExpert SessionDennis FinkxLifeSciences

Pitch perfect: deck & investor communication.

Weekly founder session

14× per batch · every week all teams at the table: north star metric, progress, blockers. No lectures, but a steady rhythm.

Workshop program

15 workshops in 3 tracks · AI & technology, growth & marketing, finance & pitch – hands-on, tailored to the teams of the batch.

Network

Corporate partners, investors, tech partners

Plus international AI experts at defined points in the program and local specialists throughout the four months.

See all partners →
ECODYNAMICS GmbHKölnBusiness WirtschaftsförderungBEST GRUPPEGesa Gröning – Medien für SieHubspot for StartupsStartup Unit Wirtschaftsförderung Landeshauptstadt DüsseldorfTechniker Krankenkasse01 Digitale Age GmbH – Growth & Coding Booster für Dein Tech-StartUpDECODEDeelDigitale Wirtschaft NRWEurA
For companies

Become a partner or sponsor

Access to ten AI startups per batch, visibility at the demo day and in the community – we develop the right model together.

Send a request →
Alumni

Success stories from 28 batches

Cognigy

Conversational AI
Global AI leader950+ M$ exit

deepset

NLP & LLM platform
From 3 to 80 employees45 M$ investment

Ingestro

B2B enterprise SaaS
From 2 to 26 employees4.6 M€ investment

Prematch

Sports tech
From 4 to 55 employees6.5 M€ investment

taxy.io

Tax tech & AI
From 3 to 44 employees6 M€ investment

RIIICO

Manufacturing SaaS
From 4 to 34 employees2.5 M$ investment

Dermanostic

Digital health
From 4 to 45 employees5+ M€ investment

Lumoview

Computer vision
AI pioneer in healthcare5.5 M€ investment
Voices

What founders and mentors say about the AI Accelerator

Founders, mentors and partners on their time in the programme.

„Die Entwicklung zu sehen, die sie während des Programms machen, ist schon echt Wahnsinn.“
Max LüpertzMentor Presales Rockstars
„Der Accelerator hat uns dabei geholfen uns zu fokussieren und Sales Prozesse zu etablieren“
Carl HartmannFounder Mandelbaum

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What does participation cost?

Nothing. The program is funded by NRW; there is no equity stake.

Do we already need AI expertise in the team?

No. What matters is a validated business model and the will to use AI as a lever – the expertise comes from the program and the network.

Do we have to be in Cologne?

The founder sessions, kick-off and demo day take place in Cologne; much in between runs remotely.

What happens after the demo day?

You remain part of the alumni community with access to the network, investors and spaces.

Batch #3 · start October 2026

Still have questions about the AI Accelerator?

Write to us – we will get back to you within a few days.