La IMPACT accelerator will contribute an investment of 6,4 million euros in mobile internet startups Europeans with their third open call, which has been opened with the aim of selecting and accelerating 22 new disruptive startups in the field of mobile Internet.
The selection process will last until October 15. Finalist startups will receive 2,2 million euros in non-refundable funds, with an average of 100.000 euros per project, 200 hours of training, training sessions mentoring for six months and access to private investors. During those six months, the chosen ones will have the support of IMPACT's network of international mentors, experts in mobile acceleration processes that provide entrepreneurs with a unique opportunity for growth and internationalization of your projects.
Nacho from Pinedo, CEO of ISDI and steering committee of IMPACT explains: “IMPACT's goal has been to create a differential accelerator based on high performance and transparency. The first selected startups have developed their teams, created new jobs, increased the number of clients by 300% and attracted external rounds of financing. We are convinced that with the projects we select in this third open call, IMPACT will consolidate itself as one of the most relevant international accelerators in Europe and will have generated enormous value for the European entrepreneurial ecosystem ”.
Requirements to access the third IMPACT open call
The requirements to qualify for the selection are the following:
- All initiatives that qualify for the acceleration program must work in the mobile environment and will use or commit to use FIWARE technology, an innovative and open infrastructure powered by the European Commission and based on the cloud for the creation and publication of Internet applications and services.
- They can be presented projects in the startup phase (80% of those who have been selected in the two previous open calls) as long as they count with a working prototype available, a valuation of less than one million euros and with, at least, a team of two people with full dedication to the company. IMPACT's work in this case focuses on its launch and consolidation in the market in less than six months.
- They can also be presented andcompanies already developed, with a presence in the market, as long as they have with less than seven years of life, income of between one and two million euros and in which the founders hold at least 51% of the shareholding. IMPACT's objective with them will be focused on their internationalization, consolidation or a change in orientation to facilitate exponential growth.
The finalists of this selection process will receive a average financing of 100.000 euros per project, non-refundable. In addition, they will access a mentoring permanent for six months with internationally renowned experts in the mobile digital business, who will provide entrepreneurs with a global vision and a unique opportunity for the development and internationalization of their projects.
IMPACT, a unique acceleration model
IMPACT offers a unique acceleration model, which can be defined as global, scalable, and offshoring. One of the main strengths of the IMPACT model is the possibility of accelerating companies from anywhere in the world, with its international network of expert mentors in mobile digital acceleration.
IMPACT has developed a series of online acceleration processes unique in the market that allow startups to access their services remotely, channeling the work of the group of mentors, which brings together entrepreneurs and professionals from the main companies in the digital ecosystem and global innovation centers: MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Google, LinkedIn and Amazon, among others.
IMPACT has an exceptional team of mentors and advisors, which has been joined by personalities such as Steve Cadigan (former LinkedIn vice president and startup advisor in Silicon Valley), Yaniv J. Turgeman (MIT, Senseable City Lab), Mauro del Río (founder of Buongiorno), Arnaldo Muñoz, (CEO of Airbnb Spain and Portugal), Toni Raurich (CEO Booking.com EMEA), Francois Derbaix (founder of Top Rural), Gustavo García Brusilovski (founder of Buy VIP), Carina Szpilka (Vice President of UNICEF and former CEO of ING) and Didac Lee (member of the board of FC Barcelona and CEO of Inspirit), among other relevant experts. The list of mentors continues to grow and it is expected to have a team of more than 50 professionals who contribute their experience, contacts and knowledge, achieving the growth and development of the projects.
Compared to the average of accelerators in Europe that invest between 20.000 and 50.000 euros in exchange for between 10% and 15% stake in the shareholding, IMPACT has 6,4 million euros of European funds to invest in startups and their contributions, with an average of 100.000 euros per project, will be carried out without any exchange of shares.
On the other hand, it highlights that the IMPACT model offers significant differences compared to other acceleration programs in different aspects, which are the following:
- Financing model: the grant of up to 100.000 euros is non-refundable; No counterparty or exchange of shares is required from startups.
- Profile of startups: IMPACT is focused on mobile Internet projects, with a European scope, both in the startup and growth phases.
- Multilevel selection process: with an online platform, an independent panel of experts and different formulas for evaluating projects.
- Delocalized acceleration process. It is not necessary for startups to change their place of residence.
- Network of venues and spaces: through agreements with various institutions and ISDI centers in Madrid, Barcelona, b-ventures in Milan or MStartup and 14 other countries from the second investment phase.
For more information on the selection process of the third open call from IMPACT visit www.impact-accelerator.com