Catapulting Deep Tech founders forward

Join the #1 European bootcamp for Deep Tech founders. Grow your team, accelerate your business and find funding faster.
Logo of RWTH Aachen UniversityLogo of Techstars Berlin

Why join Deep Tech Momentum?

Deep Tech Momentum is the go-to event for Europe's leading early stage Deep Tech founders, investors and corporates to accelerate and grow their businesses.

Build your team: The opportunity to connect with potential co-founders and early employees.

Accelerate your business: Access to an unrivalled network of 50+ mentors that give you hands-on support during the event to refine your business idea, strengthen your value proposition and hone in on venture-scale markets.

Find funding faster: Win more than 1€ million in investment prize money from top tier Deep Tech investors during our pitch competition.

350+

DeepTech enthusiasts

250+

Founders

50+

Mentors

25

Mentors & Experts

DTM'23 Pitching Competition Winners

Lúnasa Space
Accelerate Award from
Freigeist
GEMESYS
Accelerate Award from
Amadeus Capital Partners
Silica Corpora
Accelerate Award from
Lakestar
GEMESYS
Investment Prize from
Earlybird Venture Capital
Veecle
Investment Prize from
High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF)

Who can apply for
Deep Tech Momentum?

Early-Stage Deep Tech Startup Teams

• Incorporated or in the process of incorporating
• Looking for pre-seed or seed-stage capital
• Developed business idea related to the DTM Deep Tech areas
• Ideally, with some early traction (e.g. customer validation in progress, pilot projects running)

Joiners

• Solo entrepreneurs looking to join or create a startup
• Professional tech or business background with a burning passion for Deep Tech
• Ready for a full-time commitment
• Ideally, previous experiences as a founder or in a startup or a scale-up or a consultancy or in a relevant corporate job

Early-Stage Deep Tech Investors

• Active Deep Tech focused business angels
• European Deep Tech VCs with a focus on the pre-seed and seed stage
• VCs with a Deep Tech focus - preferably bringing the "corporate mothership" as partner to Deep Tech Momentum

Counting the days for DTM

0
DAYS
0
HOURS
0
MINUTES
0
SECONDS
contact us

1€ million to win

Win >1€ million in investment prize money from top tier Deep Tech investors during our pitch competition.*
* investments are subject to a due diligence and will be done after the event by our investment partners.

4 Days of Deep Tech

Drive your Deep Tech startup to the next level. Over four days, we will provide to Deep Tech founders:

DAY 0

(optional)
ATEC: Aachener Technology & Entrepreneurship Conference
Inspire yourself and your start-up, through a wide variety of keynotes, panel discussions at the leading Deep Tech conference.
Handshake icon

DAY 1

Build your team & set your Northstar
Use our matching workshops to complement your team & sharpen the six key dimensions of your North Star to boost your odds of fundraising success.
Directions icon

DAY 2

Refine direction with mentors
Grow your ideas into a fundable venture through speed dating with our pool of senior Deep Tech experts.
Presentation icon

DAY 3

Pitch a fundable venture
Secure your share of the >1M€ in investment prizes from top-tier VC funds.

Get game-changing tips for fundraising in times of financial volatility

Venture deals workshop - a virtual, live workshop on fundraising success with Brad Feld, the co-founder of Techstars and co-author of Venture Deals.
CONTACT US

Brad Feld

What's on the agenda

Take a look at our official schedule for May 24-27, 2023.
Slide
09:00
10:00
Welcoming words & Keynote
10:00-10:30
11:00
Panel: Industrial Tech
10:45-11:15
Engineered Health Talk
11:15-11:45
12:00
Aachen Ecosystem
11:45-12:00
13:00
Pitch Battle
12:30-13:30
Panel: Future Mobility
13:30-14:00
14:00
Speed-Dating
14:00-14:30
Panel: Climate Tech
14:30-15:00
15:00
Pitch Battle
15:00-15:15
16:00
Panel: Building Europe's Deep Tech Titans
15:15-16:05
+
Panelists
Professor Dr. Malte Brettel (RWTH Aachen)
Fannie Delavelle (Bpifrance)
Thomas Sattelberger (Federal Ministry of Education)
Charlotte Bruce (Techstars)
Moderated by
Martin Schilling (Techstars)
17:00
Keynote & Closing Remarks
16:15-17:00
18:00
DTM Welcome Drink & Matchmaking
18:00-20:00
19:00
20:00
21:00
22:00
Scroll to the side
09:00
Arrival & Welcome Coffee
09:00-10:00
10:00
Welcome to DTM 2023
10:00-10:15
11:00
Joiner & Founder Matchmaking
10:45-12:30
+
Get the opportunity to meet potential co-founders, first employees or sparring partners in a fun setting.
12:00
13:00
Lunch
12:30-13:30
14:00
Workshop: Setting an Attractive Northstar with Martin Schilling I
13:30-15:30
+
Discover your startup’s true North Star. From value proposition to team composition, he’ll guide you through the six key questions investors seek answers to. Uncover your unique opportunity, envision your future, gain momentum, monetize in an uncrowded market, assemble a stellar team, and define your funding goals. This workshop covers all the essentials and is the ultimate compass for a successful pre-seed fundraising pitch deck.
15:00
16:00
Workshop: Setting an Attractive Northstar with Martin Schilling I
16:00-18:00
17:00
18:00
Office Hours
18:00-19:30
Dinner
18:30-20:30
19:00
20:00
Open Working Session
20:30-23:00
21:00
22:00
Scroll to the side
09:00
Welcome Coffee & Kick-Off
09:00-10:00
10:00
Mentor Madness
10:00-13:00
+
Mentors will be hybrid. All founders & joiners must be on-site.
Founders & Joiners need to bring their laptops & earphones.
11:00
12:00
13:00
Lunch
13:00-14:00
14:00
Workshop Block I
14:00-15:30
+
Chemovator
Build and Launch Products with Confidence - A Patent is no Guarantee to win Customers
Amadeus
From Stealth to Exit: What you should know about Terms and Valuation in Deep Tech
Lakestar
Navigating the Investment Landscape for Deep Tech Startups: Fundraising Strategies and Best Practice
Azure OpenAI with Microsoft
Supercharging Venture-Building
15:00
16:00
Workshop Block II
16:00-17:15
+
HTGF
From Lab to Market: Achieving Product-Market Fit in the Deep Tech Space
Earlybird
Building bridges: The Art of Cultivating Strong Founder-Investor Relationships in the Deep Tech Space
Orrick
Employee Participation Programs - VSOP, ESOP and Growth/Hurdle Shares
VSquared
Investing in the (seemingly) Impossible: Understanding the Criteria for Deep Tech VC Funding
17:00
Workshop: Venture Deals by Brad Feld
17:30-18:30
18:00
19:00
Open Work Session
18:30-20:00
Participant Dinner
19:00-21:00
20:00
Drinks & Networking
20:00-22:00
21:00
22:00
Scroll to the side
09:00
CEO Pitch Briefing
09:00-09:15
+
All Founders pitching receive a briefing to ensure a smooth transition between presenters.
Pre-selection Pitching
09:30-11:30
+
60 startups compete for 8 spots in the pitching final. Every team will have the opportunity to hold a 1-minute pitch. After each pitch, online voting will be open for 15 seconds to score each start-up on a scale of 1-10. A standardised slide on-screen will show only your startup name, logo and team members. You will see a countdown timer on a screen in front of you while pitching. In order to present, submitting your information on time as well as participating in the CEO pitch briefing is mandatory.
10:00
11:00
12:00
Pitch Finale
12:05-13:45
+
Finalists will be selected by the jury and public vote. Nominated teams will have the opportunity to present for 3 minutes followed by a 5-minute Q&A by our jurors. Here you will be able to use the pitch deck you submitted a day prior. You will see a countdown timer on a screen in front of you while on stage.
13:00
14:00
Investment Prize Announcement
13:45-14:15
+
Investment and Accelerate prizes will be given by our investment partners at their discretion and subject to due diligence.
DTM 2023 Networking Session
14:15-15:30
15:00
16:00

Apply now

Applications close on May 1st!
We are Europe's #1 Deep Tech conference bootcamp. Founders, Enthusiast, Investors & Mentors require an application to attend the event. Spots are limited. Early applicants will get the first spots.
CONTACT US

Who's at DTM?

Founders. Pre-seed and seed-stage Deep Tech startup teams that aim to find co-founders or senior leaders and look for venture capital.

Joiners. Deep Tech enthusiasts with technical or business expertise and interest in co-founding or joining a Deep Tech startup.

Investors. Top deep tech investors of Europe interested in deal flow in the (pre-)seed phase.

Corporate partners. Companies interested to invest or work with deep tech startups as part of their open innovation initiatives.

We focus on

Robotics

In the future, robotics will become increasingly commonplace, automating many tasks that are currently performed by humans. What new applications of robotics will emerge in the future?

Semiconductors

Semiconductors will continue to play a vital role in electronic devices. How will semiconductors continue to miniaturize and increase in speed and efficiency?

Mobility

What does the future of mobility look like? Huge areas for improvement including charging experience, In-car (& out-of-car) experience, lifestyle & community, connected cars, autonomous driving, on-demand mobility, real-time carpooling, intelligent parking)

AI/ML

AI and ML will become more widespread and integrated into society. They will be used for a variety of tasks such as automating jobs, assisting humans in decision making, and improving human cognitive abilities. How will AI/ML be used in everyday life and work?

New Energy

New energy is a deep tech sector that refers to the development and deployment of new energy technologies. This includes renewable energy sources like solar and wind, as well as new energy storage technologies.

loT

The Internet of Things will continue to grow and become more integrated into our lives. More and more devices will be connected to the internet and be able to communicate with each other. What will the Internet of Things look like in 2025?

Quantum Computing

Quantum computing is a deep tech sector that deals with the development of quantum computers. These computers are able to perform calculations at a much faster rate than traditional computers, and have the potential to revolutionize many industries.

Space

Space exploration will continue to advance. We will learn more about our solar system and beyond. How will space exploration evolve in the coming years?

Computer Vision

Computer vision is a deep tech sector that deals with the development of algorithms and systems that can interpret and understand digital images. This technology is used in a variety of applications, including facial recognition, object recognition, and image search.

Wildcard

we're open to your crazy ideas! What are the most important deep tech problems you're solving? Apply with them and come drive your business forward.

We focus on

Robotics

In the future, robotics will become increasingly commonplace, automating many tasks that are currently performed by humans. What new applications of robotics will emerge in the future?

Semiconductors

Semiconductors will continue to play a vital role in electronic devices. How will semiconductors continue to miniaturize and increase in speed and efficiency?

Mobility

What does the future of mobility look like? Huge areas for improvement including charging experience, In-car (& out-of-car) experience, lifestyle & community, connected cars, autonomous driving, on-demand mobility, real-time carpooling, intelligent parking)

AI/ML

AI and ML will become more widespread and integrated into society. They will be used for a variety of tasks such as automating jobs, assisting humans in decision making, and improving human cognitive abilities. How will AI/ML be used in everyday life and work?

New Energy

New energy is a deep tech sector that refers to the development and deployment of new energy technologies. This includes renewable energy sources like solar and wind, as well as new energy storage technologies.

loT

The Internet of Things will continue to grow and become more integrated into our lives. More and more devices will be connected to the internet and be able to communicate with each other. What will the Internet of Things look like in 2025?

Quantum Computing

Quantum computing is a deep tech sector that deals with the development of quantum computers. These computers are able to perform calculations at a much faster rate than traditional computers, and have the potential to revolutionize many industries.

Space

Space exploration will continue to advance. We will learn more about our solar system and beyond. How will space exploration evolve in the coming years?

Computer Vision

Computer vision is a deep tech sector that deals with the development of algorithms and systems that can interpret and understand digital images. This technology is used in a variety of applications, including facial recognition, object recognition, and image search.

Wildcard

we're open to your crazy ideas! What are the most important deep tech problems you're solving? Apply with them and come drive your business forward.

"Companies that deliver beer to our doorsteps will not solve the big problems of our societies. The time has come to build the next generation of Deep Tech companies in Europe. Why not build the first cold fusion reactor in Europe? Or launch a European owned satellite-based internet? Launching these types of startups requires patience and the right investors. This is why we designed Deep Tech Momentum to bring together the best Deep Tech founders with the best Deep Tech enthusiasts, investors and mentors of Europe."

Techstars Berlin

Martin Schilling

"Deep Tech innovation by its nature is complicated. University scientists and researchers struggle to turn their inventions into real products and to find the cross-functional team that’s needed to build a successful company. European universities, like RWTH Aachen, are the hotbed for Deep Tech innovation. At Deep Tech Momentum, we help founders to shape ideas, find a technology-market-fit and level-up their teams with highly enthusiastic „joiners“ having complementary skills. The 4-day bootcamp is designed to be a catalyst by providing world-class mentoring and connecting startups to investors."

Marius Rosenberg

RWTH Aachen University

Selected Speakers

Dr. Martin Schilling

Managing Director Techstars Berlin

Professor Dr. Malte Brettel

Head of Innovation and Entrepreneurship RWTH Aachen University

Charlotte
Bruce

General Manager EMEA & APAC and Head of Operations

Thomas Sattelberger

Former Science Commissioner for Transfer and Spin-offs & Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Minister of Education & Research

Mario Brandenburg

Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister
of Education and Research

Fannie
Delavelle

Europe Manager for EuroQuity at Bpifrance

Isabelle
Flanagan

Co-Moderator

Pia
Otto

Co-Moderator
DTM was a great kickstarter for us to get introduced to the german market and meet potential customers and investors. We also got a good network of strong talents who has a similar interest in the field.
Amira Moussa
Founder & CEO of Cheetah AI
DTM helped us to transform our Deep Tech idea into a concrete industrial application. We found an expert who helped us to set up the most important hypotheses and then validate them.
Kevin Berghoff
Deep Tech Founder, Quantum Diamonds
DTM was a great experience which allowed me to connect to fellow deep tech founders and enthusiasts. The quality of speakers, mentors and workshops was superb and really helped me to proceed with my business.
Lena Bödeker
Deep Tech Founder, Clean Ocean Coatings
A must-attend event for gaining practical exposure to challenges and opportunities for early-stage DeepTech startups.
Mukund Srivastava
Deep Tech Joiner Mimotype Technologies
Deep Tech companies have been historically the backbone of the European economies. With Deep Tech Momentum we are contributing to build the deep tech industries of the 21st century.
Martin Schilling
Managing Director, Techstars Berlin
European Universities are the hotbed for Deep Tech innovation because they bring together world-class research and young & enthusiastic students & researchers. At Deep Tech Momentum we want to support these innovators by challenging their ideas and by providing the necessary international network to grow their businesses.
Marius Rosenberg
RWTH Aachen University
Our Partners
Founding Partners
Techstars logoInnovation RWTH Aachen University logo
Investment Partners
Earlybird logoVisionaries club logoHich-Tech Gründerfonds logo
Lakestar logoVsquared ventures logo
Partners
Orrick logo
Orrick logo
Orrick logoOrrick logo
Orrick logo
Chemovator logoChemovator logo
AI Partner
German Entrepreneurship logo
Network Partners
Whu Entrepreneurship Center logoGerman Entrepreneurship logoChemovator logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logo
Participating investors from:
Whu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logoWhu Entrepreneurship Center logo