| Supported and funded by Joachim Herz Foundation |
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Applications are open for the next cohort starting September 2025.
Apply Now
Looking for a co-founder for your groundbreaking technology? Or want to apply as a serial founder to pioneer a deep tech venture and build a high-performing founding team?
Submit your tech venture looking for a co-founder
Apply as a serial co-founder (Pioneer)
What is DEEP Pioneers?
DEEP Pioneers is a plug-in ecosystem program that builds founding teams for deep tech spin-offs.
We are building Europe’s one stop platform for deep tech founding teams. We systematize the human layer of spinoffs—working with TTOs and investors to turn patents into companies built to scale.
Why it Matters
Only 3% of researchers interested in starting a spin-off actually become academic entrepreneurs, despite 28% expressing interest.
ZEW (Centre for European Economic Research)
Finding suitable commercial co-founders is a major barrier to successful spin-offs in Germany and Europe.
European Commission report "Spin-offs: Driving innovation across the EU-27
65% of startup failures are due to co-founder conflict (misalignment).
Noam Wasserman, Harvard Business School professor and author of The Founder’s Dilemmas
How It Works
Step 1: Scouting
Top 10% of breakthrough research IP & seasoned founders.
Step 2: Matching Workshop
48-hour chemistry stress-test.
Step 3: 6-month Coaching
De-risk team & market.
DEEP πoneers 2025 Timeline
FAQs
Top 5 most asked questions
(extended FAQ below)
Am I a fit—who exactly should apply?
Entrepreneurs: Serial/experienced founders ready to drive and co-found their next high potential Deep Tech startup.
Researchers/TTOs: Scientists or researchers with high potential technology (TRL ~4+) seeking a commercial co-founder and spin-out in the next 2 years. Or early spin-offs looking for a commercial co-founder to scale the team.
How does it work—and what are the key dates?
Scouting → Matching Offsite → 4–6 months of high-performance team coaching → High-performing Deep Tech founding team ready to scale.
Cohort 1: Applications close mid-Sept; offsite late Oct; coaching Nov–Mar.
Cohort 2: Applications close Dec; offsite mid Jan; coaching Feb–Jun.
What does it cost / do you take equity?
Cohort 1 is fully funded, no fees to any stakeholders, thanks to the funding of Joachim Herz Foundation. Cohort 2 is partially subsidized and the business model will be discussed for each institute, TTO/UNI/VC/Entrepreneur involved.
What kind of IP qualifies?
TRL 4+ (or more importantly ≤2 years to spin-off readiness), protected or protectable (FTO), competitive vs. global benchmarks, aligned with macro shifts (climate, health, compute, security, etc.).
Who should apply as a Co-founder?
Successful serial founders with 5–10+ years in startups or scale-ups, first-principle thinkers, market-savvy, low-ego/high-conviction collaborators who can frame “Why now? Why this?” and lead zero-to-one teams.
Are YOU a
Build your next game-changing deeptech venture.
Refer or apply with a breakthrough IP team looking for a market-focused serial co-founder.
Co-shape the deep tech roadmap as an advisory partner and get early access to top-tier ventures — with founding teams designed for scale.
Partner with us to scale Europe’s deeptech infrastructure—design an exclusive program with DEEP Pioneers.
Pilot πoneers
We have hunted out for the many few and delivered our first πoneers workshop in an exclusive round:
- 5 top-tier spinoffs in education, cybersecurity, architecture and aviation
- 7 experienced entrepreneurs
- 3 rounds of speed conversations
- 3 rounds of “good fight” deep-dives
-> 1-3 matches per venture that led to ongoing collaboration
Ready to shape Europe’s next deep tech pioneers?
Submit your tech venture looking for a co-founder
Apply as a serial co-founder (Pioneer)
Still unsure?
Here are all your questions answered
What’s the time commitment?
A 2-day off-grid matching workshop (in person), plus ~3 hours/month of structured coaching (virtually) over 4–6 months.
What exactly happens at the matching workshop?
A 2-day, in-person, off-grid session where we test different constellations, run psychometric profiling, and pressure-test co-founder chemistry by experienced team coaches.
How long is the coaching phase and what’s the time commitment?
We coach new team constellations for up to six months; typically 2×90 minutes of structured virtual coaching per month.
How many projects/founders do you accept?
We are highly selective, and cap each cohort at (e.g., ~15–20 projects/entrepreneurs) to keep top 0.1% quality and coaching intensity high.
What don’t you do / who shouldn’t apply?
We don’t take unclear IP or locked licensing, mediocre technologies, inflexible teams, or “MBA” only students.
How are applications evaluated?
Structured scouting, reference checks/interview screening, subject expert feedbacks, project lookbooks—to assess market attractivity, tech readiness, and fair transfer terms. Researchers must be serious about equity and spinning off and Entrepreneurs must be committed to building and scaling.
Who’s behind the program?
DEEP Pioneers is run by the Institute for Deep Tech Innovation (DEEP) at ESMT Berlin. Primary contact: Ali Alam, Manager Venture Building, DEEP Pioneers (ali.alam@esmt.org).
What support do teams receive?
High-quality pre-selection, team coaching by experienced coaches, psychometric profiling, and an action plan plus continuous guidance and mentorship to move from “minimum viable team” to a venture-backable team.
What happens if I’m not matched in this cohort?
High-potential founders/IP projects/Researchers remain in our pipeline for future cohorts; we reconnect when a better fit surfaces.
How is confidentiality/IP handled?
We keep all IP details confidential and nothing is communicated externally beyond the rigorously vetted team and serial founders that are committed to the program, with password-protected docs and exclusive access.
What language is used, and do I need to be in Berlin?
English is the working language. The 2-day offsite is in-person (near Berlin/off-grid), and much of the prep/coaching is virtual.
Are there sector priorities?
We are deep-tech native but sector-agnostic—Quantum, health, compute, natural capital, cybersecurity, food etc. Activities are tailored per vertical and clusters.
