Labena Ventures Programme (2025 Cohort)

Labena Ventures empowers CEE startups to scale globally. They take high-potential startup ventures on a fast-paced learning journey to help them explore and access business opportunities. Through highly-customized programmes, mentoring dedicated experts, as well as access to their vast network of business partners and investors, they help startups from all stages and across various industries on their way to international success.

Aims

• Labena Ventures, program aimed at scouting the most promising innovative startups and emerging companies throughout the Biotech, Pharma and Health value chains.

Programme

• Labena Ventures offers a structured path to investment readiness, fundraising, MVP, development of technology by enabling access to mentorship, potential business contacts and investors, as well as access to community of founders.
  • Bootcamp
    • A three days long interactive learning experience designed to focus on specifics of innovative start-up ventures in Biotech, Pharma, Health Tech technologies to enable you to take the leap to regional and European markets. They gather industry experts, early adopters and representatives from the investors community and offer an intensive up-skilling experience for start-up teams. Showcase your technology in front of 1000 people.
  • Acceleration
    • A 3-months long programme involving close interaction with over 140 mentors, partners, and investors to help you scale your business.
  • Demo Day
    • On Demo Day your startup gets the opportunity to expand your business networks, forge new partnerships, gain access to required technical and financial resources and more. It is during the Demo Day where you get the opportunity to pitch your technology, minimal viable product or service and to raise funds from investors.
  • Alumni
    • Completion of their programme does not mean the end of the journey. They continue to provide support to their onboarded startups and teams. Within their Alumni Growth program, the founders take part in exclusive networking events, get access to special deals, and receive tailored introductions.

Benefits

• Education and Mentorship
  • They help you prepare for international expansion and navigate your new market, develop a go-to-market strategy, and quickly reach your goals.
• Get Noticed
  • They introduce you to their strong global network, facilitate connections and pair you with the right people in the respective ecosystems, and help you get noticed internationally.
• Investors Network
  • Gain direct access to corporate venture funds, business angels, venture capital and other financial investors.
• Equity Free
  • There is no equity nor need for payment to participate. Best ranked start-up will receive grant of 15.000 euros, second ranked start-up 5.000 euros.
• Life Time Support
  • Their programme is just the beginning of a lifelong journey. Labena Ventures Alumni get access to targeted connections, hands-on commercial and fundraising support, all their events and perks offered by their partners.
• Access To Labena’s Resources
  • Research Laboratory and Office infrastructure combined with advisory, using in-house knowledge and expertise of their business development, sales and research and development teams.

Who can apply?

• They are sector agnostic and welcome any startup with a scalable service or product to apply. Nevertheless, their expertise lies across the following industries:
  • Biotech
  • Pharmatech
  • Healthtech
  • Food
  • Environment

Eligibility Criteria

• Looking for companies:
  • in Bioinformatics, Pharmaceuticals, Biomedical Engineering, Sports Medicine, Sports Injuries, Sports Nutrition, Food Industry, Green Technology, Health, Cleantech, Agricultural Biotechnology, Biological Food Safety, Sports Media, Biotech R&D, Cannabis HealthTech, Life Sciences Tech, Precision Medicine, HealthTech, Biopharmacy
  • located in Eastern Europe, Europe, North America
  • incorporated or not
  • idea, prototype, users or paying users stage
  • Angel, Pre-seed or Seed
  • have raised funding or not
  • currently raising or not raising funds
  • have revenue or not

For more information, visit Labena Ventures.