Call for Applications: D2XCEL Scaling Programme (Cohort 2)

D2XCEL is a collaborative pan-European scaling programme, bringing together a top-tier industry network of 300+ investors, public and private lead customers, and innovation hubs to support deep tech and digital ventures.

D2XCEL’s primary goal is to create and implement a sustainable scaling platform, enhancing the existing European startup ecosystem’s effectiveness and efficiency. This platform aims to support deep tech and digital ventures in developing market-ready applications, fostering significant growth and impact, particularly in key sectors like Transport, Logistics, Trade, and Smart Cities. By providing state-of-the-art methodologies, best practices, tools, and extensive pan-European networks, D2XCEL aids startup ecosystem actors and support organizations.

D2XCEL 2nd open call focuses on 5 market opportunities. It will attract minimum 125 applications (25 in each defined market opportunity) and will select 50 (10 in each market opportunity) companies that will benefit from the D2XCEL services delivered by the consortium partners, top-class expert mentors in 5 market groups and from network partners delivering additional horizontal services.

The open call aims to discover and select promising ventures for involvement in a tailored scaling program. The primary objective is to provide support that fosters the growth and investment opportunities of these companies, ultimately aiming to empower them as prominent leaders in deep tech innovation across Europe.

Focus Areas 

• Supply Chain Management & Trade Finance
  • Digital and deep-tech technologies that can reconfigure and revolutionize the efficient movement of goods and services.
• Sustainable Mobility
  • Innovative solutions to increase the adoption of electric passenger vehicles (cars, buses, trams) and sustainable public transport.
• Renewable Energy Production
  • Innovative solutions to generate and manage renewable energy, both heat and electricity, in order to increase the sustainability and sovereignty of Europe´s energy supply.
• Circular Models for Cities & Regions
  • Solutions such as urban-industrial symbiosis, reverse logistics and the Internet of Waste to help establish regional closed-loop systems
• AI-Powered Utility Management for Sustainable and Smart Cities
  • With advanced algorithms, machine learning (ML), and predictive analytics, AI helps optimize how we handle electricity, water, waste, and transportation

Benefits

• The program focuses on 100 selected high-potential ventures (startups and scale-ups), ensuring a direct impact on their success and offering ecosystem actors practical experience with new methodologies, networks, and synergies by:
  • Tailored support and collaborative services
    • The D2XCEL Scaling programme offers tailored support and collaborative mentoring. The programme will provide holistic and time-efficient mentoring to identify and advise on both the specific challenges of each and every venture but also the industry ones.
    • Companies will receive coaching and support from top experts and industry-specific stakeholders on:
      • access to pan-European growth funding, both dilutive and non-dilutive, public and private
      • access to pan-European markets and internationalization (incl. legal/tax issues, setting up local subsidiaries, etc.)
      • access to lead customers, across borders
      • strengthening your founder team and boards and attract the best talent (pan-EU and global)
      • building and managing strong IPR portfolios
  • Access to network of investors, customers, and partners
    • D2XCEL Scaling Programme will foster the development of contacts, opportunities, and networks. The selected companies in the programme will receive support in attracting investments of Series A, series A+ or equivalent and unlock access to potential customers and Europe-wide markets. The programme’s curated roadshow of in-person and online events is a pivotal element in facilitating these opportunities by bringing together the portfolio companies with investors engaged in the programme, corporates, lead customers, corporations, as well as potential talent and leaders. Selected companies can leverage these events to showcase their potential, build strategic relationships, and drive business success.
  • Raising international awareness and visibility
    • The D2XCEL Scaling programme is dedicated to promoting the portfolio companies within and outside its networks. By joining their scaling programme, you gain access to prominent expert investors, network partners, leading customers, corporations, and fellow entrepreneurs. Engaging with these stakeholders within the D2XCEL network will enhance the visibility of your venture within relevant industry circles.
    • They offer comprehensive communication services, including the publication of high-quality news articles, success stories, recorded pitches, promotional videos, and insightful podcasts. These materials will be disseminated through the D2XCEL website and across their social media channels.
    • The D2XCEL network is founded on the shared goal of fostering the growth and success of companies, and they are committed to collaborating to showcase your company not only in Europe but also on a global scale, expanding your market presence.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants for the D2XCEL open call for proposals should be representatives of an entity legally established in one of the eligible countries. All companies that apply should comply with the following eligibility criteria:
  • Company HQ location (geographical eligibility). The application is submitted by a representative of a company which is a legal entity (a single organisation, not a consortium) – an SME, start-up, or scale-up, according to the EU definition of SMEs.
    • in EU-27 (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Malta, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden)
    • or EIC funding eligible countries at the time of project proposal writing: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, Morrocco, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine . Applicants should have less than 25% of (voting) shares held by Russian shareholders concerned by the EU Restrictive Measures in response to the crisis in Ukraine.
• Company maturity (development stage eligibility) – deep tech and digital companies that have achieved market-product fit within one of the market opportunities in the scope of the open calls and looking for Series A to Series A+ funding, or to expand their market and have already received at least one of the following types of funding or support:
  • Support from the European Innovation Council (EIC) (Grant or Equity funding or Seal of Excellence)
  • Grant from other EU/National/Regional funding programmes
  • Raised at least a round of financing (seed or later). The latest round of funding should have been raised after 1 January 2019.
• Company technology (sectorial eligibility) – digital and deeptech solutions in one of the five listed market opportunities and their related technologies. The solutions shall have high exploitation and market potential (TRL5-8), that can contribute to the competitiveness and strategic sovereignty and sustainability of EU industry in key technology areas and value chains, operating in one of the five listed for each call market opportunities and their related technologies:
  • Supply Chain Management & Trade Finance
  • Sustainable Mobility
  • Renewable Energy Production
  • Circular Models for Cities/Regions
  • AI Powered Utility Management for Sustainable & Smart Cities
• Deep tech, as defined in the EU regulation “is technology that is based on cutting-edge scientific advances and discoveries and is characterised by the need to stay at the technological forefront by constant interaction with new ideas and results from the lab. Deep tech innovation aims to provide concrete solutions to their societal problems by finding its source in a deep interaction with the most recent scientific and technological advances and by seeking to produce a profound impact in the targeted application technologies”
• The Selection Panel will consider and evaluate the applications of all companies that comply with the eligibility criteria. No exceptions can be made related to geographical eligibility criteria.

For more information, visit D2XCEL.