Startup Scouting

Find the right startup.
Scouted across the whole market, validated with experience.

The market is full of startups – and every one claims to be the best. We scout systematically across the entire market, based on your question – and validate the candidates with the experience of 13 years as a startup hub and daily accelerator practice. For venture clienting, M&A preparation or the search for technology and cooperation partners.

Curated, not a databaseEvaluated shortlistSecure & confidential

Three typical questions.

More and more mid-sized companies and corporates work with startups – as solution providers, technology partners or investment targets, instead of building everything in-house for years. The question is no longer whether, but: with which startup?

Venture Clienting

“Which startup solves our specific problem – as a supplier, not as an investment?” We find startups with deployment-ready solutions and support you through to the pilot project.

M&A & investments

“Which targets exist in our search field – and which really fit?” Discreet research and a scored longlist/shortlist as a decision basis for your M&A team.

Technology & cooperation partners

“Who has the technology we lack?” From a market overview to a moderated first conversation with the right partners.

Two paths to the right startup.

Both packages start with your question. The difference lies in the depth of support.

Insights gives you the basis for your decision.·Full Service takes you all the way to the decision.
Compact

STARTPLATZ Scout · Insights

A solid market analysis and a clear, scored shortlist – based on the question defined in your kick-off.

Ideal for: teams with their own innovation or strategy capacity who need a fast, reliable market overview and a clear selection.
What’s included
  • Kick-off workshop: sharpen the question, search field & evaluation criteria together
  • Structured market analysis: market & technology field, trends and relevant players
  • Long-list of all matching startups, systematically filtered against your criteria
  • An interim review, so the direction is right early on
  • A prioritized short-list with transparent scoring
  • Startup one-pager – a compact analysis profile for each shortlisted startup
  • Results report & handover incl. a recommended course of action
Outcome: you receive a scored shortlist and decide on the next steps yourself.
Fixed-price package · price in the initial call
Request Insights →

One process, two depths.

01
Kick-off
Define the question & criteria
02
Market analysis
Map the field, trends & players
03
Long-list
Identify matching startups
04
Short-list & report
Scoring, one-pager, recommended action
05 · Full Service
Warm intros
Contact & initiation via our network
06 · Full Service
Supported conversations
Facilitation, briefings & pitch day
07 · Full Service
Decision
Criteria-based comparison & recommendation
08 · Optional
Market radar
Ongoing monitoring for continuous needs
Included in both packages Only in the Full Service package
You can start with Insights – and upgrade to Full Service anytime, when the shortlist should turn into real conversations.

Curation needs a network and experience.

We validate

Anyone who evaluates startups every day recognizes quickly what holds up: team, traction, technology maturity. You don’t get an unfiltered list, but robustly vetted candidates – by the same criteria we use to decide on accelerator admissions.

We scout across the whole market

Our network of 1,500+ funded startups and the accelerator dealflow is the head start – not the limit. We research systematically beyond our own ecosystem and won’t sell you a startup from our own portfolio: a neutral broker role.

13 years of experience in access

Startups talk to us differently than to corporate buyers: since 2012 we’ve been the go-to point of the NRW scene. That opens doors for warm intros, honest assessments and fast initiation.

And after the scouting?

As a client you’re automatically in the Trusted Advisor Program: if you need additional expertise for the pilot project, integration or contract design, we connect you with vetted partners from our network.

To the Trusted Advisor Program →
About STARTPLATZ

Who’s behind the scouting.

Since 2012, STARTPLATZ has been NRW’s largest startup hub: 1,500+ funded startups, our own accelerator programs and a daily line into the scene — from the founder to the investor. This very closeness is the basis of our scouting: we know the market not from databases, but from 13 years of lived practice — and we evaluate startups by the same criteria we use to decide on accelerator admissions.

1.500+
funded startups since 2012
€1.5B
Investment in our alumni
13+
years as a startup hub in NRW
10
AI startups per accelerator batch
Contact

Ready for your scouting?

In an initial call we sharpen your question – and honestly recommend whether Insights or Full Service is the right path.

JP
Julian Palaszewski
Head of Strategic Partnerships & Sales
partner@startplatz.de
Book a consultation