| Supported and funded by Joachim Herz Foundation |
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Next cohort kicks off in early 2026. Apply today to be considered!
(Rolling selection, limited seats per cycle)
Apply Now
Looking for a commercial co-founder for your groundbreaking technology? Or want to apply as a commercial 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 seasoned commercial co-founder (Pioneer)
What is DEEP Pioneers?
DEEP Pioneers is a plug-in ecosystem program that builds high performing, venture-backable founding teams for deep tech spin-offs.
We are building Europe’s one stop platform for deep tech founding teams. We systematize the founding layer of spinoffs, working directly with top TTOs/universities and investors to turn IP 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 of modular Coaching
De-risk team and ultimately business.
FAQs
Top 5 most asked questions
(extended FAQ below)
Am I a fit—who exactly should apply?
Entrepreneurs: Serial/experienced founders & operators ready to commercially drive and co-found their next high potential Deep Tech startup.
Researchers/TTOs: Scientists or researchers with groundbreaking technology that has a strong IP position(protected or protectable), looking for a commercial co-founder to scale the venture:
- Your venture must be ready to spin-out in ≤ 18 months
- Or you are a recent spin-off at ≤ pre-seed stage
How does it work—and what are the key dates?
Scouting → Match making and teaming Offsite → 4–6 months of high-performance team coaching → High-performing Deep Tech founding team ready to scale.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, but the earlier you apply, the more likely you are to be considered for the current round. If your application is strong but not matched this cycle, we’ll keep it in our pool for the next.
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 Tech Ventures qualifies?
Groundbreaking tech that is protected or protectable (FTO), competitive vs. global benchmarks, aligned with macro shifts (climate, health, compute, security, etc.).
Your tech must be deep-tech(originating from research, university, or tech transfer institutes).
- Your venture must be ready to spin-out in ≤ 18 months
- Or you are a recent spin-off at ≤ pre-seed stage
Who should apply as a Co-founder?
Successful serial founders or operators 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 commercial co-founder.
Co-shape the deep tech roadmap as an advisory partner and get early access to top-tier ventures, with founding teams designed to scale.
Partner with us to scale Europe’s deeptech infrastructure - design an exclusive program with DEEP Pioneers.
Last cohort at a glance
We’ve hunted for top IP and seasoned entrepreneurs, delivered our first Pioneers program and collaborated with top TTOs & VC's across Europe:
- Eight ventures selected ranging from Manufacturing, Chemtech/Materials, AI, Energy, Quantum Tech, Cybersecurity, Med/Health, Biotech/Lifesciences
- 80 screened entrepreneurs, with 13 yrs avg. experience, 24 companies founded and 9 exits
- 5 ventures moving to Phase 2 as Minimum Viable Teams(MVT’s), where we are coaching them to become high-performing and venture-backable teams.
- Applications from: Max Planck, Fraunhofer, CISPA, FZ Jülich, TUM, ISTA, DKFZ, Uni Vienna, TU Hamburg, Uni Potsdam, and others.
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.
What does “fully funded” mean – what’s covered?
We cover all program-related costs during the offsite and coaching phase:
• Accommodation and meals during the 2-day offsite retreat near Berlin
• Group transport from Berlin to the offsite location and back
• All coaching, tools, and team development resources for 6 months
You’ll only need to cover:
• Your own travel to and from Berlin (before/after the offsite)
• Any visa or personal expenses not related to the program
Can already-founded companies apply if they’re missing or looking for an experienced entrepreneur?
Yes! Already founded companies in early stages of commercialization can absolutely apply—especially if you're missing a mission-critical commercial co-founder to help you scale.
If you're a research-driven startup in search of the right commercial partner, we’re here to help you find them.
