To participate in competitions against Y Combinator, Antler, and Techstars, EWOR sets this as a prerequisite.
Crafting a Path for Tech Titans: EWOR's Selective, Founder-Driven Approach
Welcome to the exclusive world of EWOR, a trailblazing Berlin-based startup platform dedicated to nurturing global tech geniuses. Unlike conventional accelerators and incubators, EWOR refrains from rigid programs, emphasizing a modular, customized system of capital, talent access, mentoring, and sparring partners instead. Co-founder Daniel Dippold encapsulates their ethos: "We're not here to build a program. We believe the people we want to attract don't want that."
Behind EWOR's vision are seasoned entrepreneurs like Dippold, joined by Florian Huber, Alexander Grots, and a formidable lineup of full-time partners including Adjust Co-founder Paul Müller, SumUp Co-founder Petter Made, and Felyx Co-founder Quinten Selhorst. This experienced crew is devoted to constructing "the most useful support ecosystem for founders."
Recently, they secured a colossal €60 million investment—€30 million for operational expansion and €30 million for a fund that will invest in selected startups from the pool of EWOR fellows.
We sat down with Dippold to delve into what it takes to secure a fellowship, the best ways for applicants to prepare, and how EWOR stands out from the competition.
More than Just a Launchpad: EWOR's Unique Value Proposition
Expert Leadership Rooted in Success
EWOR capitalizes on the proven wisdom of six full-time partners— collectively worth over €12 billion— who offer one-on-one mentorship. The unicorn founders lend their expertise in strategic decisions and personal development through weekly sessions with each fellow.
Extreme Selectivity Focused on Exceptional Founders
With an astounding 35,000 annual applicants and only 35 fellows selected (0.1% acceptance rate), EWOR zeroes in on exceptional talents. Applicants touting exciting concepts, such as deeptech prodigies and national security hackers, have a higher chance of securing a spot. The selection process employs machine learning-driven pattern recognition, interviews, and empirical testing.
A Flexible, Virtual-First Approach
Unlike traditional accelerators, EWOR offers customizable modules catering to various founder needs (e.g., hiring, fundraising). The company's borderless, decentralized setup allows founders to build products from locations such as Nairobi, hire talent in Europe, and fundraise in Silicon Valley.
Substantial Capital Investments
- €60M pool: Comprising €30M for direct investments and €30M allocated to a Luxembourg-based fund.
- €500K per fellow: One of the largest pre-seed investments globally.
- Proven results: Fellows successfully raise €1M–€11M within six months, with Europe’s largest deeptech pre-seed round under their belt.
Diverse Fellowship Paths
EWOR offers two fellowship paths—Ideation and Traction—catering to pre-idea/early-stage founders and startups with initial revenue respectively. Both tracks include Grand Pitch events, where fellows raise an average of €2.7M.
Global Access to Resources
Fellows gain access to an expansive network of 2,000+ mentors, venture capitalists, and experts, along with opportunities for in-person residencies and decentralized coworking. This contrasts with local-focused incubators.
By blending unicorn-founder mentorship, scientific rigor, and non-traditional structures, EWOR generates an environment where "the world's rarest talent can thrive."
- What sets EWOR apart is its unique combination of unicorn-founder mentorship, scientific rigor, and non-traditional structures, creating a conducive environment for the world's rarest talent to thrive.
- The founders of EWOR, including Daniel Dippold, have collectively amassed over €12 billion in success, offering one-on-one mentorship to fellows on strategic decisions and personal development.
- With an acceptance rate of 0.1%, EWOR is extraordinarily selective, focusing on extraordinary talents from a pool of approximately 35,000 annual applicants.
- EWOR's diverse fellowship paths cater to pre-idea/early-stage founders and startups with initial revenue, offering customizable modules for hiring, fundraising, and more, all while adopting a borderless, decentralized setup.
- The €60 million investment pool at EWOR, consisting of €30 million for direct investments and €30 million for a Luxembourg-based fund, enables substantial capital investments for fellows, averaging €500K per fellow and resulting in fellows successfully raising €1M–€11M within six months.
