FAQ

Our FAQs are answering most of the common questions related to the Avant Now Accelerator. If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact us.

We are accepting applications for our newest cohort until March 29. The upcoming application dates are the following: 

  • Cohort 1 — Apply by March 29, 2026 | Starts May 1, 2026
  • Cohort 2 — Apply by July 31, 2026 | Starts September 1, 2026
  • Cohort 3 — Apply by November 30, 2026 | Starts January 2, 2027
  • Cohort 4 — Apply by March 31, 2026 | Starts May 1, 2027
  • Cohort 5 — Apply by November 30 2027 | Starts January 2, 2028 
  • Cohort 6 — Apply by March 30, 2028 | Starts May 1, 2028
  • Cohort 7 — Apply by July 31, 2028 | Starts September 1, 2028

The Avant Now Accelerator is a cohort-based program designed to rapidly scale impact-tech startups and strengthen their investment readiness. Running between 6 and 12 months, the program takes a skill-growth approach designed to equip founders with the tools, resources, and strategic support they need to accelerate their growth.

Currently in its second series, the Avant Now Accelerator focuses on majority female-led founding teams. This builds on two previous initiatives: the Avant Now Accelerator Series 1 (September 2023–August 2025), which targeted diverse founding teams, and the Avant Now Accelerator fem track (November 2024–November 2025), which focused on majority female-led startups.

The Avant Now Accelerator is designed for early-stage startups tackling structural problems. We look for ambitious founders that aim to build sustainable ecological or societal impact at scale.

This opportunity is for you, if: 

  • You are based in Berlin or ready to move here before the program starts. 
  • You have a tested MVP
  • You are either about to incorporate, or your company is already registered.
  • You do NOT have revenues yet.
  • You did not yet receive other startup funding or grants. (This means, we can not support you, if you received eg. Berlin Startup Grant or Exist before.)
  • Your founders team must be majority female and / or FLINTA, both in terms of headcount and ownership (shares).

* Further eligibility criteria apply, for more details please check FAQ by the Senat of Berlin. A full eligibility assessment will be part of the selection process.

As we celebrate diversity, we especially care about empowering underrepresented founders to achieve their full potential.

The application process is organised in three stages:

  • Online application: Tell us about your idea, impact, business model, and team.
  • First interview round: Selected applicants are invited to present their idea with a pitch deck in max. 3 minutes, followed by a Q&A.
  • Second interview round: A final selection of applicants is invited to present once more in the same format in front of an extended jury.

Find out more at avant-now.com/apply-now

Application Deadlines — Avant Now Accelerator Series 2

 

  • Cohort 1 — Apply by March 29, 2026 | Starts May 1, 2026
  • Cohort 2 — Apply by July 31, 2026 | Starts September 1, 2026
  • Cohort 3 — Apply by November 30, 2026 | Starts January 2, 2027
  • Cohort 4 — Apply by March 31, 2026 | Starts May 1, 2027
  • Cohort 5 — Apply by November 30 2027 | Starts January 2, 2028 
  • Cohort 6 — Apply by March 30, 2028 | Starts May 1, 2028
  • Cohort 7 — Apply by July 31, 2028 | Starts September 1, 2028

The program runs for 6 months and can be extended to up to 12 months. An extension is granted if you demonstrate clear progress during the first 6 months, for example by getting incorporated and securing your first revenues or funding.

Startups receive a mix of support: 

  • 2,500 Euro per founder per month, based on the Berlin Startup Grant
  • Coaching + mentorship matching
  • Peer-learning, networking and funding opportunities
  • Access to our extended learning platform
  • Optional workspace seat per founder

The Avant Now Accelerator is based on a skill-growth qualification approach, designed to equip founders with the tools, resources, and strategic support they need to accelerate their growth.

Our Avant Now Accelerator program is located in Berlin, Germany. You have to be officially registered in Berlin latest by the day of signing the contract and you get a seat in one of the best coworking spaces of Berlin. Some program elements can be realized virtually. Hence we call it a hybrid program.

Yes, we do provide equity-free funding for each participating founder: 2,500 Euro per month for up to 12 months (based on the Berlin Startup Scholarship).

While we prioritize teams with at least two co-founders, we evaluate all applications on their merits. A strong solo founder will still be accepted, as long as it is clear how they ensure their growth and scaling ambitions.

Avant Now accelerates impact-tech startups tackling structural challenges. We focus on founders building solutions at the intersection of technology and real-world impact. Whether that means securing essential resources like clean air, water, soil, or energy, or addressing deep societal challenges such as ageing, education, social inclusion, and health.

We don’t define impact by sector. We define it by ambition and structural relevance. What matters is that your solution addresses a systemic problem, that technology is core to how you solve it, and that your business is designed to operate at capital-market standards.

If you are building something that deserves capital and is ready to scale – we want to hear from you.

The Avant Now Accelerator does not take any equity, as the program is financed by the Senat of Berlin and the European Social Fund (ESF+). Instead you commit to focusing fulltime on the development of your startup and to report on your progress.

Avant Now operates as a long-term partner. Supporting founders through high-stakes growth phases, fundraising processes, and strategic market positioning well beyond the program timeline.

Alumni remain part of the Avant Now ecosystem: contributing their experience to new cohorts, staying connected through peer networks, and continuing to access mentorship and strategic support as they scale.