Ideas in Motion - The Business Incubator

Ideas in Motion is the first business incubation program that has been co-created with and for newcomer entrepreneurs to start their own business in Germany. The 5-month program entails intensive business training from concept and prototyping to marketing and business model development. Next to presentation and leadership skills, the program also covers specific legal and financial topics around founding a business in Germany. All entrepreneurs are matched with a local mentor to gain direct information about their business sector.

Our mission is to accompany newcomer entrepreneurs on their way to successfully kick-starting their own social or for-profit business in Germany - allowing them to generate their own, sustainable income as well as to share new products and services with society. A big part of this endeavour involves connecting newcomer and local entrepreneurs to exchange experience and networks. Our wide range of “gifts” reflects the partnerships we have started to create with Berlin’s local start-up ecosystem. Furthermore, we are developing an open-source guide that can be used by other incubators interested in attracting and becoming more accessible to entrepreneurs that do not yet fit the mainstream start-up mold - be it newcomers or others.

Ideas in Motion has been co-created with and for newcomer entrepreneurs aspiring to found their own social or for-profit business in Berlin. We have carefully designed the program schedule, content and language to reflect the needs and interests expressed by our participants. Furthermore, this pilot aims to act as a platform to connect newcomer and local entrepreneurs from similar sectors, as well as to involve Berlin’s local start-up ecosystem in a series of roundtable discussions around how to make their business support offers more accessible for new entrepreneurs, from Germany and beyond. At the end of the program, we will create an open-source guide around inclusive entrepreneurship to share with all interested stakeholders.

You should support Ideas in Motion, if…

• you want to actively support people who recently came to Germany to realise their own business ideas
• you want to be part of a movement that supports and learns from newcomer entrepreneurs
• you are curious about how entrepreneurship can lead to a more inclusive society
• you want to see Berlin’s start-up scene becoming more accessible

Whether you represent your company, NGO or as an individual - we are super appreciative of any financial support you can offer - big or small! We also have some pretty awesome awards for you to chose from, so take a look!

By supporting Ideas in Motion you can make a real difference! With Ideas in Motion newcomer entrepreneurs will gain the necessary business know-how, networks and support to found a business in Berlin and thus build the foundation for their future in Germany.

At the same time, a great value for the society overall is created, as entrepreneurs will create new products, services and even jobs in the future. Having successfully launched the Ideas in Motion pilot program with eight business ideas on March 1st, we can assure that your financial support will have a direct impact on the support we can offer newcomer entrepreneurs!

Rational Games, Inc. will match the first 1000 € from the crowd. More info in the blog!

The “Ideas in Motion” business incubator costs around 3000 Euro per participant. This includes the costs of a number of workshop spaces, professional trainings, mini business packages (incl. business cards) and office space for the entrepreneurs.
Thanks to our large professional network, many experts, mentors and trainers have offered to share their knowledge and to give workshops pro bono.

By crowdfunding your support we will finance more specialised workshops such as “The Perfect Pitch” or “Legally Founding in Germany”. We will also use the funds to cover the cost of a flex-desk in a co-working space for each participant. This will ensure that our entrepreneurs have access to a quiet and appropriate place to concentrate on their work. Finally, your support will enable us to transfer Ideas in Motion from the pilot phase ending in July into a long lasting infrastructure to train more generations of newcomer entrepreneurs to come.