Denmark As Female Tech Founder Frontrunner

An accelerator is a rapid-growth environment, packed with resources designed to take startups from ideation to validation. Typically, accelerator members have a minimum viable product (MVP) in place and are given special access to mentors, advisors and funding opportunities.

Module 2 is an international Accelerator aimed at high-growth (potential) tech businesses founded/led by women, consisting of:

• What’s the objective?:The role and aim of the Pre-accelerator Bootcamp is to ‘Road test’ the high-growth potential of Bootcamp companies to select ‘the right’ companies for the subsequent Accelerator. See 2) below
• How many Bootcamps will you run? There will be 3 Pre-accelerator Bootcamps in 2022 (Cohort 1, Cohort 2 and Cohort 3)
• When will the 3 Pre-Accelerator Bootcamps run?
  WEEK 1 (2 days)
  Cohort 1: Monday 31 January & Tuesday 1 February
  Cohort 2: Monday 28 March & Tuesday 29 March
  Cohort 3: Monday 2 May & Tuesday 3 May
• WEEK 2 (2 days)
  Cohort 1: Monday 7 February & Tuesday 8 February
  Cohort 2: Monday 4 April & Tuesday 5 April
  Cohort 3: Monday 9 May & Tuesday 10 May
• What’s the Bootcamp Programme?
  Cohort 1 Programme here
  Cohort 2 Programme here
  Cohort 3 Programme here
• What’s the format?
  • The Bootcamp format is interactive workshops, masterclasses, inspirational talks, coaching by the Programme’s national and international Entrepreneurs-in-Residence (EIRs), investors and experts, pitch practice and pitching to Bootcamp judges
• How many companies in each Bootcamp? There will be 15-18 companies in each Bootcamp, depending on the quality of applicants
• When will the Bootcamps run? See Bootcamp Cohort 1, 2, and 3 dates here
• Where will the Bootcamps be held? All 3 Bootcamps are physical events (with limited online content). The Bootcamps will be held at Bloxhub, Copenhagen
• How long is each Bootcamp? Each Bootcamp stretches over 2 weeks
• Wow, 2 weeks is a lot. I have a business to run: Exactly! So each Bootcamp week is only 2 days, so that you can focus on your business on days 3, 4, and 5, and then return for Week 2 of the Bootcamp, 2 days only, the following week.
• When will I know if my business has been selected for the Accelerator? Bootcamp participants are told on Day 2 of Week 2 of the Bootcamp if they are offered places on the Accelerator
• What if I am not selected?: Non-selected Bootcamp participants are given feedback by the Bootcamp judges, to help them improve their strategy/execution and success chances in subsequent Cohorts, if they choose to reapply.

• What’s the Objective?: The aim of the International Accelerator is to accelerate the scaleup of selected Danish, high-growth tech companies, led by women, through targeted scaleup support, delivered by Danish and international experts
• How many Accelerators will there be? There will be 3 x 6 month Accelerators (3 Cohorts) following on from the 3 Pre-Accelerator Bootcamps (with a short break in between)
• When will the 3 x 6 month Accelerators (Cohorts) run?
  Cohort 1 28 Feb to 9 September 2022 (no sessions in July)
  Cohort 2 25 April to 21 October 2022 (no sessions in July)
  Cohort 3: 30 May to 2 December 2022 (no sessions in July)
• What’s the Accelerator Programme? See high level Accelerator Programme here (Detailed programme details will be shared with accepted applicants)
• What’s the format?:PROGRAMME BUILDING BLOCKS: Dynamic, interactive programme, delivered by top-notch national and international Entrepreneurs in Residence (EiRs), partners, experts and investors through:
  • Interactive workshops, masterclasses, case studies and coaching
  • Peer-to-peer groups
  • Demo days, pitch and networking events in Denmark and internationally
  • Access to potential clients, partners, experts, investors, peers and networks across Tech Nordic Advocates’ Global Tech Advocates’ global tech/startup ecosystem, spanning 22 global tech hubs and 22000 tech leaders
  • Introduction to Danish and international investors (see Module 3 also), contacts and networks
  • Collaboration with international embassies, partners and accelerators
  • Trade missions (e.g. UK, US, Canada) – to be confirmed
  • Tech Nordic Advocates’ global women-in-tech community platform
• What will that deliver?
  • Give Accelerator companies access to Danish / international experts who know how to scale up high-growth potential tech companies and navigate scaleup “roadblocks”, including specific challenges women leaders of tech companies face
  • Help women leaders of high-growth tech companies in Denmark fulfil their potential
  • Create new Danish and international peer networks for the benefit of the women leaders of the high-growth tech companies on the Programme, and the tech companies they run
  • Help create more Danish high-growth tech companies with international expansion potential, tech-led innovation, exports, sustainable growth, jobs, welfare and equality in business, tech and society
  • Strengthen know-how and knowledge share in the ecosystem, by bringing international know-how and expertise to Denmark
  • Build new Danish and international partnerships and networks
  • Create role models for future women tech leaders in Denmark
• How many Accelerators? There will be 3 Accelerators in 2022 (Cohort 1, Cohort 2 and Cohort 3)
• How many companies in each Accelerator? There will be 15-18 companies in each Accelerator depending on the quality of 1) Pre-Accelerator Bootcamp companies
• When will the Accelerators run?  Cohort 1 Accelerator: January-September 2022. Cohort 2 Accelerator:  March-October 2022. Cohort 3 Accelerator: April-December 2022. Specific start/end dates to be confirmed.
• How long is each Accelerator? Each Accelerator runs for 6 months
• How much time do I need to devote to the Accelerator? Please assume 20% of your time
• What are the key benefits? The International Accelerator offers a unique opportunity to learn at a rapid pace the critical skills needed to scale a tech business with high-growth potential. Learning-by-doing is vital. The international focus of this Accelerator accelerates that process and adds additional value by injecting international know-how from successful entrepreneurs and experts, to help Accelerator participants compress years’ worth of learning into 6 months, and build international networks in record time, and thus, scale their tech businesses and expand internationally faster
• What makes this Accelerator unique? It’s the only international Accelerator in Denmark/the Nordics/Europe offering targeted support to women leaders of high-growth tech companies

• Women founders/co-founders/c-level leaders (i.e. CEO, CTO, COO, CMO) of high-growth (potential) tech companies (who may have (a) co-founder(s) of any gender)
• Applicants may come from Module 1 of Tech Nordic Advocates Strategic Women-in-Tech Growth Programme OR from outside the programme

• The Programme is funded by Industriens Fond, the City of Copenhagen, private partners and Tech Nordic Advocates
• Successful applicants pay a deposit of 3000 kr before the start of the Bootcamp. Deposits are returned on completion of the full Programme (Bootcamp and Accelerator). Deposits are not returned to participants who do not complete the full Programme.
• Bootcamp participants who are not selected for the subsequent Accelerator will have their deposits returned at the end of the Bootcamp.

• Applicants apply to join the 6 month Accelerator. Successful Applicants are offered places on the Pre-accelerator Bootcamp initially. Successful Bootcamp participants are then offered places on the subsequent 6 month Accelerator. (ie. Applicants submit ONE application only)
• Applicants offered places on a Pre-accelerator Bootcamp must accept and commit to their Bootcamp places within a week of being offered a place. Commitment means payment of deposit (see below) and completion of the 2 x 2 day Bootcamp programme over a two week period. Bootcamp applicants who accept a place on the programme but do not attend all 4 Bootcamp days will not be considered to have completed the Bootcamp, hence will not be considered for the Accelerator OR have their deposits returned
• Pre-accelerator Bootcamp participants who are not offered places on the subsequent Accelerator may submit a new application for subsequent Cohorts
• Succesful Bootcamp companies, offered places on the subsequent Accelerator, must complete this, as a condition of having their deposits return.
• Completion means attendance at the Accelerator sessions and submission and sign-off of an executable scaleup and international expansion plan at the end of the Accelerator Programme.