Build Your Startup. Create Impact. Gain Real Traction.
Germany’s fully funded 10-week accelerator for early-stage founders.
Funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and the European Union through ESF Plus as part of “Nachhaltig wirken”.
Alumni voices
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![Close-up of a smiling woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a black turtleneck and gold hoop earrings, standing indoors.]()
“With NXT LEVEL’s clear, actionable guidance, we successfully applied for a grant. Their critical but constructive approach helped us achieve real results.”
— Jil Landtau @Fixit
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![A smiling young man, with brown long hair in a suit]()
“NXTLX strengthened my skills across strategy, fundraising, sales and financial planning, and gave me a much clearer view of the decisions that really matter in an early stage startup“
— Gaurav Anand @RadMoo
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![A woman with red, curly hair, wearing a white button-up shirt, sitting on the steps of a building with pillars.]()
“Before NXT LEVEL, I had the vision but not the traction. The program gave me clarity, confidence, and the courage to pitch Porto Dome with real impact.”
— Marisa Toldo @Porto Dome
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![A young man with a black shirt and plants in backround]()
“NXTLX gave me a much clearer understanding of funding in Germany and how to approach sales. I can now explain our product with real confidence, even in German“
— Matt Hudson @Fyvit
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![Two young women with blonde hair, blue eyes, smiling, in an indoor setting with wooden stairs and a concrete wall in the background.]()
“NXT LEVEL helped us sharpen our investor story, strengthen our fundraising materials, and prepare for our next stage of growth.”
— Ksenia & Barbara @Pausify
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![A man with glasses and gray hair standing in an industrial setting, wearing a black quilted jacket over a gray hoodie, smiling.]()
“NXT LEVEL is helping us raise our first investor round with ease through practical templates, expert insights, and hands-on support every step of the way.”
— Dr. Johannes Kotte @Technology Reef
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![man with beard and jacket on stage talking]()
“Before NXTLX I was mostly working by trial and error, now I know how to plan and run an organisation. Build to Learn was my favourite session, because I learned about so many useful tools and could apply them right away.“
Moritz Erdt @Filmmakers & Movie Nerds
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![man with short hair dark hoodie and beard]()
“The sales and networking side of NXTLX was the most valuable part for me, and I left the program having learned, grown and achieved.“
Paul Moritz Schiller @Büffel
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![A woman with long brown hair and a pink sweater smiling at the camera.]()
“On our journey to help international specialists enter the German job market, NXT LEVEL gave us the support and guidance to move forward confidently.”
— Anna Steele @Applitracker
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![Christian Dittmann]()
“NXT LEVEL helped me polish and ship my product, saving me months I would have otherwise spent on less critical tasks.”
— Christian Dittmann @WelcomeBerlin
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![Close-up of a smiling young man with light skin, curly red hair, and blue eyes, wearing a black button-up shirt against a plain gray background.]()
“What began with a focus on facts, structures, and processes has grown into a trusted partnership and valuable mentorship.”
— Rene Papenfuß @Tepavi
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![young man with beard and black shirt]()
“The biggest change for me was learning to think like an entrepreneur instead of an employee. I no longer just have an idea, I have a clear roadmap and the confidence to turn it into a real business.“
— Jorge Jarne @Proctrail
Idea To Traction
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Idea To Traction 〰️
Build Your Startup in 10 Weeks
A fully funded Berlin accelerator for early-stage impact teams ready to validate faster and move toward traction.
01
Execution-first
Accelerator support without program fees, equity loss, or financial pressure.
02
Expert-Led
Hands-on sessions built around the decisions early-stage startups actually face.
03
1:1 Mentoring
Tailored feedback to sharpen your idea, strategy, pitch, and next steps.
04
Market Validation
Test your assumptions, speak to real customers, and turn insight into traction.
05
Founder Network
Connect with ambitious teams, mentors, alumni, and Berlin’s startup ecosystem.
06
Curated Events
Meet the right people, build visibility, and create momentum beyond the program.
A growing network of founders, experts and partners.
65+
Founders supported
25+
mentors and experts
15+
events
What You Will Work Towards
01 Traction and Market Progress
You will sharpen your problem, understand your target customers more clearly, and test your value proposition through real conversations and early market signals.
02 Impact & Sustainability
You will translate your sustainability ambition into concrete business decisions, supported by climate and ESG thinking that can be used in conversations with partners, funders, and stakeholders.
03 Funding & Growth Readiness
You will structure your pitch narrative, understand relevant funding pathways, and build the financial thinking needed to prepare for investor and funding conversations.
From Idea to Real Traction
Our 10-week program is designed to turn ideas into real traction. Build, test and grow your startup with hands-on support, expert mentoring and a strong network behind you.
Introduction & Business Model Foundations
Kick-off session, program overview and introduction to key frameworks including the Balanced Scorecard.
Problem-Solution Fit & Lean Canvas
Define your problem, validate assumptions and structure your business model.
Team & Leadership
Build strong teams, define roles and develop leadership capabilities.
Legal & Company Formation
Legal basics, company setup and key structural decisions for founders.
Product Development
From idea to product: MVP, iteration and user-centric development.
Marketing & Positioning
Define your messaging, channels and go-to-market strategy.
Sales & Traction
Build your sales pipeline and convert early customers.
Networking & Ecosystem
Leverage networks, partnerships and community to accelerate growth.
Funding & Investment Readiness
Understand funding options and prepare for investor conversations.
Pitch Training or Make a Wish Workshop
Refine your pitch, get feedback and prepare for your final presentation.
No Hidden Rubric
Here's exactly what we look for when we read your application, and what happens between hitting submit and hearing back from us.
A Problem You Understand Deeply
Not a perfect solution — real, first-hand insight into who's affected and why it matters.
An Early, Honest Sense of Direction
Idea stage is fine. We're looking for a clear next step, not a finished product.
Genuine Commitment to the 10 Weeks
This only works if you show up. Tell us honestly what time you can give it.
Openness to Being Challenged
Our coaches push back on purpose. We're looking for founders who want that, not just applause.
We Read Every Application
A real person reviews your submission.
Short Online Interview
~10 minutesWe'll ask about your idea and what you're hoping to get from the program.
You Hear Back Either Way
Not a verdict on you or your idea — just limited seats.
The People Behind NXTLX
〰️
The People Behind NXTLX 〰️
Meet Our Coaches
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![A smiling man with brown hair and a beard wearing a black turtleneck sweater, standing indoors with a green cabinet, a purple decorative vase, and a gold desk lamp in the background.]()
Dr. Matthieu Voss
Program Director
Matthieu leads accelerator programs that connect startups with mentors, investors, partners, and growth opportunities. With 15+ years in consulting, acceleration, and investing, he helps founders build traction-focused ventures. -
![A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a light blue blazer and a beige T-shirt, is reading a document at an indoor event. She has a name tag and is focused on the paper she is holding.]()
Jasmine Mortimer
Head of Community and Events
Jasmine shapes the community and event experience behind NXTLX. With 15+ years of international experience in operations and program delivery, she ensures a smooth accelerator journey and meaningful founder connections. -
![Till Lagemann Brand & Founder Coach Till helps founders build brands with substance and companies that can grow beyond founder dependency. As founder of råbowls® and a brand strategist]()
Till Lagemann
Brand & Founder Coach
Till helps founders build brands with substance and companies that can grow beyond founder dependency. As founder of råbowls® and a brand strategist, he brings hands-on expertise in positioning, storytelling, automation, and founder resilience. -
![An older man with gray hair and light skin wearing a white polo shirt, standing indoors with arms crossed, looking confident.]()
Paul Scodellaro
Operations & Scaling Coach
Paul helps founders turn growth into structure, systems, and scalable operations. With 30+ years of leadership experience, he brings expertise in operations, KPI management, M&A, turnarounds, and scaling execution. -
![A woman with reddish-brown hair, smiling, wearing a light blue sweater, sitting on a beige couch with a pillow behind her, in a bright room with white curtains and a potted plant.]()
Kerstin Buschbeck
People & Culture Coach
Kerstin helps founders build stronger teams, clearer roles, and healthier leadership structures. As an early Rocket Internet team member and experienced coach, she brings expertise in leadership, scaling culture, and founder-team dynamics.
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![Close-up of a young man with curly brown hair, glasses, and a white collared shirt, smiling and looking to his right in a group setting.]()
Lennart Klütz
Working Student
Lennart supports the NXTLX team with program operations, founder communication, and ecosystem research. With experience in innovation policy, digital business, and process building, he brings analytical clarity and hands-on execution.
Meet Our Mentors
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![A middle-aged man with a bald head and a gray beard, wearing a blue blazer and a light blue shirt with a leaf pattern, standing indoors with a blurred background of windows and a plant.]()
Mila Galeitzke
Co-Founder
Mila leverages 10+ years at Fraunhofer to help SMEs scale their impact with Aiōn.
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![Marlene Lerch Marlene is a social entrepreneur, facilitator, lecturer, mentor]()
Marlene Lerch
Founder
Marlene is a social entrepreneur, facilitator, lecturer, mentor, and co-founder of dooiy, a non-profit DIY platform. I am an expert for participative processes and co-creation.
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![Simon Bail Startup Advisor and Founder with a beard smiling, wearing a black turtleneck, indoors with a blurred background and a potted plant.]()
Simon Bail
Startup Advisor and Founder
With hands-on founding experience, Simon supports young founders with business modeling, AI tools, and more.
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![Young woman with short brown hair and hoop earrings smiling in an office setting.]()
Dr. Anna Canning
Founder
As a Founder of Atrium Environmental with 10+ years backround in science and startups, she helps sustainable companies achieve real, measurable impact.
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![Smiling man with short brown hair, trimmed beard, in a black blazer and white T-shirt, in an office setting.]()
Christian Bacher
Founder & Investor
As Founder of nyord Christian supports founders with venture building, market validation, and go-to-market strategy, drawing on 15+ years of experience across startups, VC, innovation, and consulting.
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![A young woman with shoulder-length curly brown hair, smiling slightly, wearing a black sweater and a gray turtleneck, standing indoors with a blurred background of windows and green plants.]()
Alex Wolf
Founder and Lead Strategic Designer
With 10+ years of experience, Alex supports startups across design thinking, networking, and coaching.
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![Dr. Erik Steinhöfel man in a black suit and white shirt standing indoors with a blurred background.]()
Dr. Erik Steinhöfel
Co-Founder
As founder of Aiōn and with years in startup research, Erik helps embed impact at the heart of business models.
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![Woman with long brown hair and glasses smiling in a lavender turtleneck sweater, with a playful cat illustration and shelves in the background]()
Madeline Metzsch
Founder & lecturer
Madeline brings 12+ years in marketing and brand strategy and 6+ years as a founder of STRAYZ to help startups build purpose-driven brands that scale.
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![Co-Founder Jean-Paul helps founders communicate]()
Jean-Paul Laue
Co-Founder
As Founder of klima&so Jean-Paul helps founders communicate impact — with social media savvy and activist passion.
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![Venture Partner Prof. Dr. Juan Ocampo]()
Prof. Dr. Juan Ocampo
Venture Partner
Juan helps founders sharpen their strategy, fundraising approach, and market positioning, turning complex decisions into focused execution.
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![Alexey Galiullin Founder & Head of Engineering]()
Alexey Galiullin
Founder & Head of Engineering
Alexey helps founders build scalable engineering systems and high-performing teams, drawing on 20+ years of experience in R&D, innovation, and technical leadership.
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![Daniel Reinhardt Co-founder & Lawyer]()
Daniel Reinhardt
Co-founder & Lawyer
As founder of troedelspende & Startup Lawyer Daniel advises startups, VCs, and companies on legal strategy, M&A, Legal Tech, and AI-driven workflows. He combines legal expertise with hands-on experience in venture building.
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![Christian Wolf Founder & Serial Entrepreneur]()
Christian Wolf
Founder & Serial Entrepreneur
Christian helps tech founders scale with clarity, drawing on nearly 20 years of experience in growth, operations, leadership, fundraising, and international expansion.
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![Karlijn Eskens Founder & Investor Christian supports founders with venture building, market validation]()
Karlijn Eskens
Head of Strategic Marketing & Business Development
Karlijn helps founders sharpen their commercial strategy, market entry, and product-led growth, drawing on 15+ years of hands-on startup and business development experience.
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![Tino Schmutzler Serial Entrepreneur]()
Tino Schmutzler
Serial Entrepreneur
Everyone knows Tino. As a serial founder with a huge network he lives what we aim to teach the next generation of entrepreneurs.
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![Stefanie Zillessen Product, Organization & Impact Mentor]()
Stefanie Zillessen
Product, Organization & Impact Mentor
Stefanie supports founders with product strategy, organizational development, and mission-driven company building. As Co-Founder of STRAYZ and experienced startup advisor, she helps teams turn purpose-driven ideas into viable products, clear structures, and scalable impact.
We Build Connections, Not Just Programs.
From founder gatherings to ecosystem events, NXTLX creates spaces for learning, exchange and meaningful connections.
Events
〰️
Events 〰️
Applying is simple!
Submit your application for the 7th Batch, we review it, and selected founders receive their acceptance notification before the program begins.
01
Apply by
14 September 2026
02
Review until
11 October 2026
03
Get notified on
20 October 2026
If you are ready to move from idea to execution, we are!
Frequently Asked Questions
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The program is for early-stage founders who are building a startup or organisation that aims to create both economic value and positive impact.
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No. The program includes online participation options. Founders based in Berlin can also benefit from in-person and hybrid elements.
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No. Participation in the program is fully funded.
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There is a weekly 2-hour workshop, optional 1:1 mentoring, and additional time between sessions to apply what you learn.
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No. The program is designed for early-stage founders, including those at idea stage or pre-revenue.
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You will take part in expert-led workshops, receive tailored mentoring, and gain access to a supportive founder and alumni community.
Founder Success Stories: Impact Startups Built at NXTLX
Startup Insights
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Still have questions? Let's talk.
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The NXTLX Sommerfest closed out an unforgettable accelerator season, bringing founders, mentors, and the wider NXTLX community together for an evening of celebration, connection, and shared momentum.