Founders Lab: strong ideas should not fail for lack of a coaching budget.
Some ventures are strong, but the capital for professional support is missing. In the Founders Lab selected founders get advice and support, access to investors and to our network – in exchange for an individually agreed stake instead of a fee.
What you get in the Founders Lab.
Not every good idea has the capital for advice and support. In the Founders Lab you get three things start-ups often lack.
Advice and support
Entrepreneurial support from idea to market entry: business model, business plan, financial plan and execution, with no fee upfront.
Access to investors
Once your venture is ready, we open doors to investors and funders from our network and prepare you for those conversations.
A network of excellence
Experienced entrepreneurs and specialists in software and AI, finance, sales and mental performance, plus experience from banking, consulting and fintech.
Network
Connections included.
Good ideas rarely fail on the concept. They fail because the right people never hear about them. Michael Wild has built an international network through banking, consulting, fintech and his own companies, reaching far beyond Germany. When you work with us, you work with that network: we make the right introductions, prepare you for the conversations and open doors that would otherwise stay closed.
You do not just get advice. You get access.
Investors
Venture capital, business angels and private investors, once your venture is ready for a funding round.
Advisors
Experienced advisors and board members who strengthen your venture with their knowledge and their own contacts.
Corporates
Large companies and mid-sized firms as customers, partners or pilot partners.
Start-ups and founders
Founders who are a step ahead and share what they have learned.
Banking and finance
Contacts from banking, consulting and fintech, built over Michael Wild's own career.
Politics and economic development
The right people to talk to when location, regulation or public funding matter.
We make introductions and prepare conversations. We cannot promise commitments, funding or decisions by third parties.
Who the Founders Lab is for.
- Founders with a convincing, well-thought-through business idea
- Ventures with real market potential
- Teams or solo founders ready to take responsibility
- Situations where professional support has so far failed on budget
- International founders building their venture in Germany
The model: support in exchange for a stake.
Instead of a fee, we agree an economic participation in your venture's success. Which form fits depends on your venture and is agreed individually and in writing.
Equity
Shares in the company, for example a GmbH or UG.
Success fee
A fee that only becomes due when agreed milestones are reached.
Revenue share
An agreed share of revenue over a defined period.
Defined IP rights
Clear rules on rights to results developed together.
From application to decision.
- 01
Application
Describe your venture in the form below, with a pitch deck if you have one.
- 02
Confirmation
You receive confirmation that your application has arrived.
- 03
Internal review
We review idea, market, team and feasibility.
- 04
Pre-screening
If it fits, we invite you to a 30-minute call.
- 05
Decision
We decide individually and agree the model in writing.
No automatic admission, no funding commitment
Places are limited. Applying does not lead automatically to admission, a call or funding. The Founders Lab is not an investment fund and does not provide capital. Any agreement is made individually and in writing.
Apply for the Founders Lab.
Allow 15 to 20 minutes. The more specific your answers, the better we can assess your venture.
Frequently asked questions
What does the Founders Lab cost me?
Usually no ongoing fee. Instead, we agree an economic participation whose form and size are set individually and in writing.
Do I get money through the Founders Lab?
We do not finance ventures ourselves. Once your venture is ready, we connect you with investors and funders from our network and prepare you for those conversations. Whether and on what terms they invest is their decision; we cannot promise funding.
Can I apply if I live outside Germany?
Yes, if you plan to build your venture in Germany. Tell us your country of residence and your plans in the form.
What happens to my documents?
We treat your information confidentially and use it only for the review. If we do not work together, we delete your documents no later than six months after the review.
Questions about the Founders Lab?
Write to us before you apply. We will tell you openly whether your venture is a fit.
