Become a co-founder

We bring together skilled individuals and advanced technologies to build deep-tech ventures that tackle grand societal challenges.

We give co-founders (CEOs, CTOs and CBOs) a unique opportunity to build deep-tech ventures from the ground up, starting with selected advanced technologies from world-renowned research institutions and tech companies such as CERN, European Space Agency (ESA), TNO, Philips, PORT, Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology, PhotonFirst, PhotonDelta and other global innovators.

‍What’s in it for co-founders?

• The co-founder team starts with 70% of the shares. If technology is very mature (due to investments by the tech institute) this could be less.

• Pre-seed investment if the startup passes the first phase successfully

• Proven nine-month program

• Support in deal-making and investor connections

What do you need to be a successful co-founder?

• Eager to take ownership and be in the lead

• Commitment and dedication to the startup

• Understanding the process is uncertain, setbacks may and will happen and you must deal with changing insights

• The skills and capabilities to prove the business case you developed is viable after the first phase

• The energy and ability to build relationships

We’re continuously looking for cofounders (CEOs, CTOs and CBOs) to join for deep-tech ventures, so there is no “deadline” to apply. This is your opportunity to take advanced technologies to market and tackle grand societal challenges we face today.

Is startup life for you?

The first step to becoming a co-founder is to fill out the entrepreneur questionnaire. We use this questionnaire as input for a conversation. We then invite you to an interview so we get to know each other better and explain more about the process. Fill out the questionnaire here.

Do you have more questions? Send your CV and motivation letter to entrepreneur@hightechxl.com and we will contact you to start the assessment process.

Exploring the latest technologies: Dive into the next Tech Briefing on March 15th

Technology,Venture building

Mar 15, 2024

3 minutes

Exploring the latest technologies: Dive into the next Tech Briefing on March 15th

Great people
plus great tech

We bring together skilled individuals and advanced technologies to build deep-tech ventures that tackle grand societal challenges.

Steps

Questionnaire + interview
Join the tech briefing
Team formation

Once you have learned about the technologies, it’s time to choose your favorite one. We will connect you to other potential co-founders with an interest in the same technology. During a few meet and greet sessions, you have the opportunity to choose the person with whom you would like to start the pre-program.

This could potentially be the person you start your venture with, but it could also be the case that you find other people during the pre-program. This phase is to get to know each other and see if there is a fit between the co-founders.
Start the pre-program
Together with experts and advisors, you will use their brainpower to generate creative and bright ideas around the technology they chose and work on the business case validation. They answer these questions: Where does this technology add value? What is the impact on the market? The pre-program ends with Final Selection Day.

During Final Selection Day, teams pitch their business propositions to the HighTechXL team, members of the Eindhoven Startup Alliance and other community stakeholders. They will look at a few different elements and, if this is promising, they are accepted into the venture building program and become part of the HighTechXL family.
Join the program
Now it’s time to join the venture building program. During this journey, the HighTechXL program team helps you in building your business and becoming investor ready.

We provide you with business coaching, team coaching, a tool where you can see all the steps you should take to build your business and back this up with workshops and expert sessions on several topics.

Every three months, there is a “Gate Moment” where you present your progress and can ask for feedback from the HighTechXL team and the Eindhoven Startup Alliance members to see if you can move on to the next phase.

Once you have completed the venture builder program, you become a HighTechXL alumni. We still have meetings and keep in touch, just not as regularly as during the program.

Deep Tech

The solution to the challenges of our time lies within acceleration of innovation. Venture building is a powerful tool to create this acceleration. HighTechXL focuses on deep tech solutions as a key to solving grand societal challenges. We scout advanced technologies from world-renowned research institutions and tech companies and assess them on their potential to create innovative startups.