4 data-driven business acceleration programs

Starting a business is not always easy: according to Fortune, 90% of start-ups fail and only 10% achieve success. The reasons are varied, starting because the market does not need the product or service offered. But, although having a brilliant idea, the lack of human and economic resources can lead any company to failure.

In this context, acceleration programs are especially important, as they help new companies to access financing and support services, as well as to obtain relevant contacts to establish alliances. But it is not always easy to keep up to date with new opportunities.

In datos.gob.es we have already informed of some calls, such as those organized by Parsec or Corresolab. Today we focus on 4 financing programs aimed at boosting the European entrepreneurship ecosystem based on data and managed by Zabala Innovation Consulting Group, a consulting firm dedicated to the integral management of grants, subsidies and R&D projects. Zabala acts as a manager in the cascade funding programs of the European Commission, coordinating and distributing the funds of the European innovation programs for start-ups and microenterprises. You can learn more about how cascade funding works in this video.

Next, the main programs focused on data that Zabala manages are detailed:

DATA MARKET SERVICES

Data Market Services supports 50 new companies focused on data every year.

• What does it offer? Free support services in acceleration, fundraising, standardization, legal aspects, intellectual property, promotion and data competencies.
• Who is it for? SMEs and startups across Europe with data-based business models.
• Dates: The 2019 call has ended (here you can see the selected companies), so you have to wait for the 2020 call, which will be open from March to May.
• More information: https://www.datamarketservices.eu/

EUROPEAN DATA INCUBATOR (EDI)

EDI (European Data Incubator) is an 8 month incubation program focused on commercial products and services that make use of at least one set of data or resource provided by EDI itself.

• What does it offer? Free technical and commercial services to develop an MVP (minimum viable product) and reach commercial or investment agreements with data providers, companies and private investors. Teams selected can receive up to € 100,000 of investment in non-refundable funding.
• Who is it for? SMEs, startups and entrepreneurial teams focused on Big Data in Europe.
• Dates: The call for start-ups will open in March 2020, although there is currently a call for suppliers that want to participate in the selection of start-ups and take advantage of investment opportunities.
• More information: https://edincubator.eu/

DAPSI

Dapsi encourages advanced research in the field of data portability, one of the priorities of the European Commission. Initially they select 58 teams, which will have to progress through 3 phases in a 10 month incubation program.

• What does it offer? Access to training and tutoring, business training services and data-related issues, as well as collaboration to enhance higher visibility and alliances with other organizations. In addition, each team will receive up to € 195,000 of non-refundable funding.
• Who is it for? SMEs, startups, research centers, universities across Europe and individuals that develop projects focused on data portability.
• Dates: The project has just started in November and will run until 2022. The first call is estimated to open in January 2020.
• More information: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/rcn/225826/factsheet/en?WT.mc_id=RSS-Feed&WT.rss_f=project&WT.rss_a=225826&WT.rss_ev=a

NGI EXPLORERS

NGI Explorers is a scholarship program with US entities. The objective is that European entrepreneurs and researchers with talent in disruptive technologies (data management and analysis, 5G, Internet of Things, blockchain, etc.) stay 3 or 6 months in a reference entity in the United States.

• What does it offer? Financial support for travel and stay in the United States (up to € 27.9k per person).
• Who is it for? EU researchers and innovators.
• Dates: The next call will be open in the first quarter of 2020.
• More information: https://explorers.ngi.eu/

OTHER PROGRAMS

Zabala also manages the Blockchers program, which offers financing, training and technical infrastructures to build real use cases of blockchain technologies, and the DigiFed program, which aims to boost SMEs, clusters, innovation experts, universities and public bodies that can help reach a new era of digitalization of European industry.

In short, with these programs the European Union, with the help of Zabala, tries to boost innovation and entrepreneurship around data. A fundamental issue to be able to develop a European data economy that is estimated to generate around 739,000 million euros in 2020. It is therefore a field with great business opportunities.