Open Innovation Programs

A global sustainability-focused accelerator backed by major consumer brands for startups and scaleups piloting solutions in water, packaging, climate, agriculture, and biodiversity.

28DIGITAL's Co-Creation Accelerator funds early-stage deep tech startups with up to EUR 250,000 to co-develop TRL 4-5 solutions with industry partners in a 4-month equity-based program.

28DIGITAL's Open Innovation Factory is a year-round matching platform connecting European digital and deeptech startups with EU funding calls, corporate co-creation projects, mentoring, and investment opportunities.

R2GConnect Channels is seeking AI-based mental health solutions for co-development, funding, and commercial partnership routes.

Dassault Systemes' open innovation lab and accelerator supports deep-tech and hardware startups with 3D design and simulation tools, mentoring, and resources.

This briefing seeks ambient scribing and clinical documentation tools that can support healthcare workflows through commercial partnership or pilot engagements.

R2GConnect Channels is looking for AI-enabled documentation solutions for pharmaceutical workflows, including clinical development, regulatory submissions, and pharmacovigilance.

Airbus BizLab is a global aerospace accelerator supporting startups and Airbus intrapreneurs across aerospace, mobility, and defense through acceleration and proof-of-concept projects.

Allianz X is Allianz's digital investment unit making growth-stage investments and forming partnerships across insurtech, fintech, and healthtech.

Amazon's Sustainability Pilot Program is a live MIT Solve challenge page inviting external innovators to participate through the official challenge route.

AstraZeneca Open Innovation accepts external research collaborations in drug discovery, compounds, research tools, and disease biology on a rolling basis.

The AWS Global Startup Program supports later-stage startups with co-sell opportunities, technical and go-to-market support, and cloud credits.

Axel Springer Plug and Play is an accelerator connecting startups with corporate partners and investors, with a strong focus on media and digital ventures.

BASF Venture Capital is BASF's corporate venture arm investing in startups across chemicals, advanced materials, sustainability, and digitalization.

Bayer Co.Lab is Bayer's life-science incubator offering lab space and mentorship to biotech and healthtech startups across locations including Co.Lab Berlin.

Bayer Open Innovation and Collaboration is Bayer's channel for strategic collaboration and open innovation across health, agriculture, and nutrition.

BayStartUP is Bavaria's startup network, running business plan competitions and financing rounds that connect startups with investors, plus coaching.

BMW Group Startup Garage connects startups worldwide with BMW business units to pilot automotive, production, software, and mobility solutions.

Bosch Corporate Innovation Gateway is a global entry point where startups, universities, and enterprises can propose technology collaborations with Bosch business units.

The Bosch Start-Up Incubation Program, run by Bosch Innovation Consulting, supports new ventures and startups from idea through scaling.

Bosch Startup Harbour connects startups with Bosch business units for collaboration and proofs of concept across industrial tech, IoT, and mobility.

The Bosch Validation Program, run by Bosch Innovation Consulting, helps validate business ideas and ventures through market validation and incubation support.

Microsoft for Startups is offering an acceleration route for solutions that support clinical trial development and submission workflows.

Colgate-Palmolive welcomes external innovators to submit technical solutions and inventions against live needs across oral care, home care, pet care, and packaging.

Corbion Open Innovation is a collaboration channel that continuously seeks external technologies and ideas in sustainable bio-ingredients, biochemicals, and biopolymers.

The CUBIC Start Hub Program is Buhler's innovation hub for startup collaboration and proof-of-concept projects across food processing, mobility, and advanced materials.

DB mindbox is Deutsche Bahn's startup accelerator running funded proof-of-concept pilots with DB business units across rail, mobility, and logistics tech.

Dell for Startups offers technology, advisory support, and partner benefits to help startups scale their infrastructure with Dell Technologies.

A major undisclosed diagnostics company seeks novel solutions via Leading Edge Only to remove or replace PFAS in hydrophobic thin films and advanced materials, offering partnership in design or proof of concept.

This German market briefing is focused on reimbursable DiGA and DTx products and teams building for that pathway.

WorldUpstart offers an equity-free accelerator for digital health, life sciences, and medtech companies seeking U.S. market entry.

This call looks for digital therapeutics teams that are open to pilot and commercial partnership discussions.

R2GConnect Channels is looking for digital tools that help pharma companies engage HCPs and clinics beyond traditional product channels.

A support and funding programme by ECDI to help manufacturing SMEs upgrade their drone solutions and strengthen dual-use applications.

E.ON Innovation Ecosystem brings together programs like GenAI Innovation, the E.ON Grid Startup Challenge, and Free Electrons to scale energy, grid, and AI solutions.

EnBW Innovation is the innovation unit of EnBW that partners with startups to build ventures and pilot solutions across the energy transition, e-mobility, and grids, including through its Enpulse Ventures subsidiary.

Enel Open Innovability is a global energy open innovation platform seeking solutions in sustainable energy, grid resilience, and local-community innovation.

ERGO Scale Hub is the insurtech scaling program of ERGO that runs proofs of concept and partnerships between startups and ERGO business units.

Fashion for Good's free, equity-free Innovation Platform gives sustainable fashion innovators bespoke support, pilots with major brand partners, mentorship, and access to funding on a rolling basis.

Festo Start-up Kooperation collaborates with startups on automation, robotics, bionics, and industrial technology through joint development and proofs of concept.

FIEGE Ventures is the venture arm of logistics provider FIEGE, including F-LOG Ventures, investing in and collaborating with logistics and supply-chain tech companies.

Frontiers Health is running an open call to discover startups and scaleups for conference participation and ecosystem visibility.

G4A is Bayer's digital health partnership program, connecting healthtech startups with Bayer for partnerships and co-development across pharma and consumer health.

GO! Start-up Zentrum Oldenburg is a regional founder center offering coaching, workspace, and founding support to startups in the Oldenburg area.

Google for Startups Accelerator runs active AI-first startup programs with regional and thematic calls across machine learning, energy transition, climate tech, and fintech.

Google for Startups Cloud Program provides Google Cloud credits, technical support, and AI tools to help startups build and scale on Google Cloud Platform.

Google LaunchPad supports founders and startups with cloud resources, technical guidance, and mentorship to help them build and scale their products.

Google LaunchPad Accelerator offers equity-free accelerator programs from Google for Developers, providing technical mentorship and resources to help startups scale.

The 18th Healthcare Innovation World Cup invites HealthTech and MedTech innovators worldwide to compete free of charge for a pitch at MEDICA 2026, free dev kits, lab access, and global visibility.

Heartfelt_ is an early-stage pitch and investment initiative from APX, backed by Axel Springer and Porsche, supporting founders at the earliest stages.

Henkel Spark is Henkel Consumer Brands' always-open innovation program seeking external technologies and partnerships in laundry, home care, hair, and sustainable ingredients.

HHLA NEXT is the venture-building unit of HHLA, building ventures and partnering with startups in maritime, logistics, and port technology.

Holcim MAQER Ventures is Holcim's open innovation and corporate venturing arm partnering with startups on sustainable construction and building materials through proofs of concept with business units.

R2GConnect Channels is looking for hospital solutions that can deliver measurable cost savings and operational improvements.

R2GConnect Channels is seeking hospital workflow automation platforms that can improve operational efficiency and support co-development.

hubraum is Deutsche Telekom’s active startup platform for early-stage tech teams working on 5G, AI, IoT, XR, and telecom-linked API opportunities.

Hyundai Innovation Challenge 2026 is a six-month program where Hyundai and startups pursue proof-of-concept and co-development in ADAS, EV, mobility-as-a-service, materials, and manufacturing innovation.

IBA, the Belgian particle accelerator and proton therapy company, runs an open Call for Ideas on its Agorize hub with innovation calls around high-energy e-beam, radiation, and digital technologies.

IMDA Open Innovation Platform is a challenge platform that opens digital problems from Singapore's enterprises and agencies to global solvers, startups, and research institutes.

Unilever provides a live pathway for external parties to submit technical solutions for current challenges, especially around product and packaging innovation.

The 18th Innovation World Cup invites IoT and DeepTech startups, scaleups, and SMEs worldwide to compete for prizes worth over $500K, free dev kits, lab access, and pitches at HANNOVER MESSE 2027. Free to enter.

Johnson & Johnson Innovation Challenges and JLABS connect innovative companies and researchers across medicine, medtech, digital health, and life sciences.

K-Startup Grand Challenge 2026 is a government-led program supporting foreign startups with Korean market entry, incorporation, proof-of-concept, and corporate partnerships.

Kering Ventures is the venture arm of luxury group Kering, investing in sustainability, material innovation, and retail tech for luxury and fashion.

The L'Oreal Beauty Tech Atelier is L'Oreal's beauty startup accelerator, run with Incubateur HEC Paris at Station F, supporting early-stage beauty-tech startups through a semester-long program.

Lufthansa Group Start-up Kit offers business travel advantages and benefits for startups as part of the Lufthansa Group programs portfolio.

Lufthansa Innovation Hub is Deutsche Lufthansa's digital innovation unit focused on travel and mobility technology, venture building, and partnerships with travel-tech startups.

Media Tech Hub Accelerator supports media tech, immersive media, and AI startups in Potsdam-Babelsberg with mentorship and ecosystem access.

The 15th MEDICA Start-up Competition seeks outstanding digital health innovations worldwide, offering cash prizes up to 3,500 EUR, a pitch on the MEDICA main stage, and global visibility.

Merck KGaA offers 2026 research grants of up to EUR 250,000 per year in life science, AI-driven bioprocessing, remediation, and synthesis topics, with close collaboration with Merck scientists.

Microsoft for Startups Founders Hub is an always-open startup platform offering cloud, AI, tooling, and mentoring support for early-stage B2B software companies.

MIT Solve Open Challenges is a challenge platform recruiting teams with technology-based solutions to social problems across climate, learning, health, and economic prosperity.

NASA Prizes, Challenges, and Crowdsourcing engage the public and global participants to help solve problems in space, aeronautics, and science.

neosfer is Commerzbank's innovation unit combining early-stage investing, venture building, and scouting, with a focus on fintech and sustainability technology.

Nestlé's R+D Accelerator and Open Innovation connect startups and research partners in food, nutrition, and packaging with Nestlé's R&D ecosystem.

NetApp Excellerator is a B2B startup accelerator offering mentoring, technical resources, and proof-of-concept opportunities in data, cloud, and deep tech.

Next47 is a Siemens-backed independent global venture firm investing in growth-stage B2B and industrial technology startups and scaleups.

NTT Startup Challenge is a global incubation and startup challenge focused on ICT, telecom, and digital innovation in collaboration with the NTT group.

Opella's open innovation portal invites external innovators to submit new products, technologies, and advancements for consumer health collaboration.

Open Bosch is a venture-client unit run by Bosch Ventures that connects the needs of Bosch business units with startup solutions.

OTTO DOCK 6 is the venture and innovation arm of e-commerce retailer OTTO, building and investing in commerce and retail tech startups.

P&G Connect + Develop is an always-open innovation program seeking collaboration with external companies that have innovations in product, packaging, e-commerce, and supply chain.

Pioneer Lab is the incubator of the Carl Remigius Fresenius Education Group, supporting founders in edtech and health education with coaching and resources.

Porsche Ventures is Porsche's corporate venture capital unit making strategic investments in mobility, automotive, sustainability, and deep-tech startups.

PreZero Innovation Hub is the Schwarz Group environmental division's open innovation program for circular-economy, recycling, and waste-management startups.

REHAU New Ventures is REHAU's corporate venturing and open innovation unit, partnering with and investing in startups in polymers, construction, and sustainability.

Reliance JioGenNext is Jio's startup accelerator that helps digital, mobile, and consumer-tech founders scale through mentorship and access to the Indian market and Jio ecosystem.

Robert Bosch Open Innovation Partnerships is Bosch's open innovation platform for technology scouting and co-innovation with startups across Bosch domains.

Sainsbury's seeks solutions to extend the hot-hold life of food in flexi serve cabinets beyond current 2-hour limits without compromising safety or quality, with the chance to trial and scale across its UK store estate.

Sainsbury's seeks a platform that integrates weather, soil, satellite, and farm data to verify on-farm practices and flag water quality risks across its supply chain, with the chance to pilot with a major UK retailer.

Sainsbury's seeks scalable, low-burden solutions that independently measure and verify water quality and nutrient pollution across its farm supply chain, moving beyond self-reported data and spot sampling.

The SAP BTP Startup Program supports startups building applications on SAP Business Technology Platform, turning data into value with cloud, AI, and analytics integration.

Seven Accelerator is ProSiebenSat.1's early-stage program (via Commerce & Ventures) that supports consumer and digital startups with media reach and media-for-equity investment.

Seven Growth is ProSiebenSat.1's growth-stage investment arm (via Commerce & Ventures) that helps consumer and digital businesses scale with capital and media power.

SevenVentures is ProSiebenSat.1's media investment arm, offering media-for-equity and media-for-revenue deals that give growth-stage consumer brands access to TV advertising reach.

Shell GameChanger is an open innovation program that continuously reviews early-stage, high-risk technology ideas in future energy and decarbonization.

SHIP is a global open innovation platform connecting startups, companies, and innovation partners around the SDGs and corporate challenges.

Siemens Collaborations and Open Innovation connects external partnerships and challenges across industrial software, digital transformation, and sustainability.

Siemens Xcelerator Startup Program connects startups to the Siemens Xcelerator marketplace, supporting digital transformation through software, IoT, and ecosystem partnerships.

Singapore Open Innovation Network is Singapore's official open innovation network connecting government and enterprise challenges with solution providers.

The 9th Smart Building / Smart Construction Innovation World Cup invites startups and SMEs worldwide to submit smart construction and building solutions free of charge for a pitch at BIM World MUNICH.

The Snowflake Startup Challenge, run with the New York Stock Exchange, offers early-stage AI startups building on Snowflake's AI Data Cloud up to $1M in potential investments, mentorship, and global exposure.

Sony’s Startup Acceleration Program is an always-open platform for internal teams, startups, and partners working on business modeling, prototyping, validation, and new venture development.

Sozialinnovator Hessen is a social innovation program supporting impact-driven startups and social entrepreneurs in the Hessen region.

SpinLab is a Leipzig-based, equity-free accelerator offering mentoring and access to a broad corporate and investor network across sectors.

STMicroelectronics' ST Innovation Challenge seeks context-aware hardware combining MEMS sensing, embedded processing, Edge AI, and connectivity, with free dev kits, ST expert support, and a Hannover Messe 2027 stage.

Mercedes-Benz-backed Startup Autobahn connects startups and scaleups with corporate partners for fast validation and PoC work in automotive, production, digital services, sustainability, and software.

Startup Lounge - REWE is the REWE Group retail collaboration program connecting grocery, retail, and e-commerce startups with REWE for pilots and partnerships.

Startup Lounge - REWE Sued is a retail collaboration program connecting food, grocery, and retail startups with REWE Sued for in-store pilots and proofs of concept.

Startup the Future is an Industrie 4.0 Baden-Wuerttemberg initiative connecting industrial startups with manufacturers to advance digital production.

TechFounders Pilot Project matches startups with corporates to run pilot projects and proofs of concept, focused on industrial and B2B technology.

The Open Innovation Platform is Social Alpha's live problem-statement and collaboration marketplace for innovators and partners working across sectors.

TRIP is a regional innovation and acceleration program in Thuringia that supports founders through community, coaching, and structured acceleration.

Tomorrow Street’s Scaleup X program connects later-stage technology scaleups with Vodafone’s global ecosystem for commercial trials and international scaling support.

Toyota Open Labs is an always-open collaboration route for startups, scaleups, and SMEs working on mobility, energy, hydrogen, circular economy, and community innovation.

The Truist Foundation Inspire Awards Year 4 is a live MIT Solve challenge with an application deadline of August 7, 2026.

TUV NORD x Startups is a collaboration program connecting startups with TUV NORD's expertise in testing, certification, safety, and industrial technology.

Unilever Ventures is Unilever's venture capital and private equity arm, investing in beauty, personal care, and digital commerce companies poised for growth.

UnternehmerTUM is Europe's largest center for entrepreneurship and innovation, offering incubation, venture support, and corporate innovation programs out of TU Munich.

The InsurTech Hub Munich Venture Client Program matches insurance and finance startups with corporates for paid pilot projects.

The Verizon Disaster Resilience Prize 2025 is a closed MIT Solve challenge page for disaster resilience solutions.

Vodafone UPLIFT is a startup collaboration and accelerator program focused on connectivity, IoT, and digital solutions, running proof-of-concept projects with Vodafone units.

Wayra Innovation Hub is Telefonica's open innovation and corporate venturing arm, helping startups scale with Telefonica as both client and investor.

R2GConnect is looking for solutions that connect wearables with real-world data workflows and related partnerships.

Wurth Elektronik Start-up Management supports startups with electronic components, hardware development assistance, and partnership opportunities.

Wurth Industry Start-up Gateway partners with industrial, logistics, and C-parts startups on supply chain and procurement innovation through joint proofs of concept.

XPRENEURS is UnternehmerTUM's incubator for deep-tech and B2B startups, offering intensive mentoring and access to investors.

XPRIZE Active Competitions is a large-incentive, prize-based innovation program targeting global challenges in quantum, climate, health, food, and exploration.

ZEISS Innovation Hubs co-locate startups and researchers with ZEISS to drive deep-tech, optics, and semiconductor collaboration in shared innovation spaces.

ZEISS Ventures is the corporate venture arm of ZEISS, making strategic investments and building partnerships with startups in optics, photonics, medical, semiconductor, and deep-tech fields.