Incubation II is a five-month venture-building program for Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MIE) students and participants from other ESMT Berlin degree programs. Participants in Incubation II access in-depth mentoring, DEEP expertise, and targeted business-building support, enabling teams to operate as real ventures and creating a clear transition into the wider DEEP ecosystem.
Originally called the NEXT B2B Accelerator, Incubation II has been renamed to better emphasize its position as the advanced stage in ESMT's hands-on founder journey for students who want to build their own startup or venture.
It is run by DEEP – ESMT’s hub for entrepreneurship, innovation, and Deep Tech.
So when you start your own company, it can be a lonely journey...having support along the way is super important, and ESMT has been a great place for that.
So when you start your own company, it can be a lonely journey. It's your idea that you're following and you have to reach out to people and make them believe your ideas. So having support along the way is super important and ESMT has been a great place for that.
What is Incubation II?
Incubation II is a five-month, part-time program that follows on from the skills and venture development built in Incubation I. Running from September until the following February, it is a blended online/in-person program that is built around three distinct phases. Each phase involves expert input and venture coaching and is followed by a dedicated mentorship session.
1. Preparation Phase: Teams prepare to present their venture overview and three objectives; mentors challenge the focus and agree the priorities.
2. Evidence Phase: Teams work against their objectives, test assumptions, and show evidence of progress, setbacks, and key decisions.
3. Build the Venture Case & Mentoring: Teams close priority gaps, prepare for incorporation and market entry, and define the next growth milestones.
What you will learn in Incubation II
DEEP has created Incubation II to strengthen the founder skills and continue building the ventures from Incubation I.
You will:
- work against clear objectives
- access exclusive expert mentorship
- strengthen your product and market approach
- build customer traction
- prepare for incorporation and continued growth
- operate as a real venture
- create a clear transition into the wider DEEP ecosystem.
Taking part in Incubation II
Before you take part in Incubation II, you must first complete Incubation I.
On top of this, participation, eligibility, and how Incubation II can form part of your studies vary by degree program:
Incubation II for MIE students
If you are a Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MIE) student who participated in Incubation I, you have the option of applying to Incubation II as one of your elective components in Terms 4 and 5.
This will run in parallel to to your studies, allowing you to deepen your practical entrepreneurship skills and earn ECTS points towards your degree.
It is the third and final step of the Founder Journey you begin in the Ideation Bootcamp, and continued in Incubation I.
Your founder journey in the Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
ESMT's MIE is a master's degree designed to shape entrepreneurially minded students into hands-on innovators and builders. Throughout the course of the degree, you will have the option to take part in a venture-building founder journey – ideating, researching, testing, and launching your own business idea.
Incubation II for other students
Students from all degree programs are eligible to apply to take part in Incubation II. The only prerequisites are that you first take part in Incubation I and that you are selected by the DEEP team to take part in Incubation II.
However, if you are not an MIE student, Incubation II is an extracurricular. Participants will be expected to continue their coursework in addition to the work from Incubation II. The result is a full workload, but one that comes with a clear path to building your own venture and connecting with the wider DEEP network.
If you are a student from our MBA or other master's programs, or an alum, you are encouraged to reach out to DEEP to find out if Incubation I and Incubation II are the right next steps for you.
Incubation II FAQs
What is DEEP's involvement with Incubation II?
Incubation II is run by DEEP: ESMT's hub of entrepreneurial, innovative, and Deep tech thinking.
DEEP contributes CDL-style mentoring, extensive expertise, access to a knowledgeable network, and targeted venture-building support.
Do I need to do Incubation I to do Incubation II?
Yes, in order to participate in Incubation II, students must first complete Incubation I.
This is because Incubation II builds on the learnings and achievements from Incubation I.
Does completing Incubation I give me automatic access to Incubation II?
No, not all Incubation I participants will automatically be invited to take part in Incubation II. At the end of Incubation I, the DEEP team will decide which students can proceed to the Incubation II program.
Do I need to work on the same venture in Incubation I and Incubation II?
Yes it is recommended that you work on the same venture in Incubation II as you did in Incubation I.
As Incubation II expands on the ideas built in Incubation I, it is highly recommended that you continue working with the same team and concept.
Is Incubation II worth ECTS points?
Yes, for Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship students, Incubation II is worth 12 ECTS points.
For students from all other programs, Incubation II is an extracurricular and therefore it is NOT worth ECTS points
Do I need to be in Berlin to take part in Incubation II?
Yes it is recommended that you be based in Berlin if you are considering the Incubation II program.
While the program blends online and offline components, the offline components mostly take place in person on the ESMT Berlin campus. You will need to be based in Berlin (or able to commute to Berlin) to take part.
What is the wider DEEP ecosystem?
DEEP is the hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and DEEP Tech at ESMT. The aim of DEEP is to build a broad ecosystem that can advance research, programs, partnerships, and events across strategic focus areas.
Deep for students:
DEEP helps students from all programs access venture-building programs like:
- Incubation I
- Incubation II
DEEP works particularly closely with students from the Master of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MIE). In addition to Incubation I and Incubation II, MIE students can access following DEEP programs as part of their curriculum:
