Connect Day 25

Startups that apply for matchmaking with investors within the application process will be screened by a jury. The regular admission criteria apply and the best rated startups will be chosen to contact investors.

From April 22nd, you can schedule Matchmaking meetings. Thus, from April 22nd on, you can check if you’re eligible for Investors Matchmaking. Simply log into your profile, click on "Participants," and see if you can filter for investors. If so, you can request meetings with investors.

If you do not see the investors filter, your startup has not qualified to request meetings with investors. However, you are qualified to schedule meetings with other participant types. Additionally, feel free to approach investors on Connect Day on-site.

Attention: only one person per Startup is selected to participate in investor matchmaking, if there is more than one representative activated for Connect Day.

During the application process for Connect Day 25 (via the Apply button), you choose Yes when asked if you want to pitch at the event. You need to upload a pitch deck for evaluation.

• Young companies with less than 250 employees,

• At least one self-developed product or service,

• At least a prototype or minimal viable product (MVP) in place,

• Competitive advantage through a technological leap (high grade of innovation),

• Scaleable / highly scaleable,

• Existing proof of concept (depending on the degree of innovation: patents, awards, test customers, first paying customers or significantly scaling sales).

• Team should:

  • Have relevant experience / training in the areas required to implement the Startup, (including leadership positions),

  • be divers (age, gender, origin),

  • ideally have existing founder or deep industry experience.

• Pitch deck: for evaluation purposes, each Startup is required to upload a pitch deck during registration. Even if the Startup only wants to attend and not take advantage of the pitching opportunities.

  • Upload PDF slides maximum 20 MB size

  • It should include: product / service, proof, business model, market/target customers/competitors, team, timeline (incl. previous funding and grants), capital/support requirements (incl. use of funds).

After the end of the application period, a jury will choose from all startup applicants who will pitch during Connect Day and assign the pitching session as well as stage to each startup. The event team will contact all applicants and inform them accordingly.

If you are chosen for one of the slots, the pitch deck can be updated.