Build Your Startup. Create Impact. Gain Real Traction.

Germany’s fully funded 10-week accelerator for early-stage founders.

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Funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and the European Union through ESF Plus as part of “Nachhaltig wirken”.

Alumni voices

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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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Two men are standing in a modern interior space, one is holding a glass of red wine and the other is writing on paper. There are various craft supplies and a roll of paper on the table in front of them, with a vase of pink lilies nearby. A chalkboard with colorful drawings and notes is on the wall behind them.

Idea To Traction

〰️

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.

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A growing network of founders, experts and partners.

65+

Founders supported

25+

mentors and experts

15+

events

A woman with long hair and earrings sitting at a counter, looking up at a man standing next to her, who is gesturing with his hands. There are other people sitting at the counter, with glasses and lamps in front of them, inside a well-lit room with large windows.

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.

10 weeks sprint to empower your impact

10-Week Program Timeline

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.

Duration: 10 weeks Schedule: Tuesdays, 16:00-18:00 Format: Workshops, mentoring & hands-on sessions
01
Week 1

Introduction & Business Model Foundations

Kick-off session, program overview and introduction to key frameworks including the Balanced Scorecard.

02
Week 2

Problem-Solution Fit & Lean Canvas

Define your problem, validate assumptions and structure your business model.

03
Week 3

Team & Leadership

Build strong teams, define roles and develop leadership capabilities.

04
Week 4

Legal & Company Formation

Legal basics, company setup and key structural decisions for founders.

05
Week 5

Product Development

From idea to product: MVP, iteration and user-centric development.

06
Week 6

Marketing & Positioning

Define your messaging, channels and go-to-market strategy.

07
Week 7

Sales & Traction

Build your sales pipeline and convert early customers.

08
Week 8

Networking & Ecosystem

Leverage networks, partnerships and community to accelerate growth.

09
Week 9

Funding & Investment Readiness

Understand funding options and prepare for investor conversations.

10
Week 10

Pitch Training or Make a Wish Workshop

Refine your pitch, get feedback and prepare for your final presentation.

The People Behind NXTLX

〰️

The People Behind NXTLX 〰️

Meet Our Coaches

  • 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.

    LinkedIn
  • 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.

    LinkedIn
  • 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.

    Website
  • 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.

    LinkedIn
  • 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.

    LinkedIN
  • 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.

    LinkedIn

Meet Our Mentors

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

Group of people gathered indoors, some talking, others looking at their phones, with a plant and dark decor in the background.

Upcoming Events

〰️

Upcoming Events 〰️

SEE ALL EVENTS
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Applying is simple!

Submit your application, we review it, and selected founders receive their acceptance notification before the program begins.

01
Apply by
13 August 2026

02
Review until
18 August 2026

03
Get notified on
19 August 2026

If you are ready to move from idea to execution, we are!

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • The program is for early-stage founders who are building a startup or organisation that aims to create both economic value and positive impact.

  • No. The program includes online participation options. Founders based in Berlin can also benefit from in-person and hybrid elements.

  • No. Participation in the program is fully funded.

  • There is a weekly 2-hour workshop, optional 1:1 mentoring, and additional time between sessions to apply what you learn.

  • No. The program is designed for early-stage founders, including those at idea stage or pre-revenue.

  • 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

Blog
Financial Plan for Startups: The Most Common Mistakes
Financial Plan for Startups: The Most Common Mistakes

A financial plan is a tool for testing your own business idea. Because the better a founder can explain why their numbers will materialise, the more likely it is that they actually will.

Why Startups Fail: The 7 Most Common Mistakes Founders Make
Why Startups Fail: The 7 Most Common Mistakes Founders Make

Thousands of startups are founded every year. Most of them never become sustainably successful. While a lack of capital or missing investors is often named as the main cause, the reality looks different.

What Makes NXTLX Different from Other Accelerator Programs in Berlin?
What Makes NXTLX Different from Other Accelerator Programs in Berlin?

Discover how NXTLX differs from other accelerator programs in Berlin. A free, equity-free 10-week accelerator for impact-driven founders who want structure, traction, and hands-on support.

Startup Accelerator in Berlin for Founders with Impact
Startup Accelerator in Berlin for Founders with Impact

Looking for a startup accelerator in Berlin? NXTLX supports early-stage impact founders over 10 weeks with workshops, mentoring, and practical startup development.

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Still have questions? Let's talk.

Funded by

A German governmental document mentioning the program 'Sustainable Working - Promotion of Socially Oriented Companies,' with logos of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the European Union, and the organization IBYKUS.