RootCamp Program

Being backed by one of the best-ranked accelerators, the SpinLab, and a worldwide player in the fertilizer and salt field, K+S, the Root Camp Program aims to best support scaling solutions within the AgriFood-Tech sector.

Even if you are a later stage startup or established company, tell us about your solution – we will help you to implement it within the European markets. Our program grants you 24/7/365 access to our lofty innovation hub in the heart of Hannover. Hannover is the Capital of the State Lower Saxony – the biggest AgriFood center in Germany. Moreover K+S offers lab space in Wunstorf at the Innopark Sigmundshall.

We offer an intense program that is customizable according to your needs. We are specifically interested in the following 9 verticals but feel free to apply if your startup operates in a related field for example Ag-biotechnology, agribusiness market places, bioenergy and biomaterials, farming management-software, sensing and IoT, Farm-robotics, mechanization and equipment, innovative food, supply chain and packaging solutions, novel farming systems.

For Early-Stage Startups

The program entails a 3-months acceleration phase including access to the ecosystem, all learning resources, and funding to make you investor-ready.

After that, you will have the possibility to get additional 9 months to further define, develop and pilot your product/technology in cooperation with our corporate partners.

For Later-Stage Startups

You will get a 3 to 12 months period to get real market validation. The goal is to have your solution implemented within the corporate real-world environment through pilot projects and accelerate your growth. You profit either from a new variant of your product/technology or from new customers to enter the European market. Pilot outcomes include: product co-development, commercial partnership, licensing agreements, extension of customers base and additional investments.

Why you should apply for rootcamp in Hannover

1.  Our mission: you share our mission to disrupt the AgriFood value chain.

2.  Personalized program: we design the program around your needs to help you achieve your goals. We focus our program on all aspects relevant for you such as legal & tax, marketing & PR, sales & internationalization, IT & HR. 
3. Working space: you will have an office to work for free in Hannover. In addition our strategic partner K+S can offer lab space in Wunstorf at the Innopark Sigmundshall.
4. Expertise: we have an extensive network of experts in all fields as well as personalized coaching sessions and an online learning platform.
5. Focus on implementation: you will work together with big companies, such as our global partner K+S, and get traction through pilot projects.
6. Capital and equity free: you can get up to 50k euro in funding, while you keep 100% ownership of your startup.
7. All phases: it does not matter whether you are a pre-seed, seed, or later stage startup.
8. International: you will get in contact with startups from all around the world.
9. Community: we belong to an ecosystem made of an accelerator (SpinLab), a VC fund (Smart
   Infrastructure Ventures), and a digital hub (Smart Infrastructure Hub in Leipzig).
10. Fun: you enjoy a fun atmosphere at work as much as we do. We believe in the motto “work hard play hard”!

Eligibility

1. Change makers and entrepreneurs, who are passionate, committed and forward looking. The main selection criteria are you, your team and your ideas.
2. Your startup has a solution in the B2B Agri-Food Tech sector in the so-called upstream area of the value chain. Our target areas are: Agriculture Biotechnology; Agribusiness marketplaces; Bioenergy & Biomaterial; Farm Management Software, Sensing or IoT, Farm Robotics; Mechanization & Equipment; Innovative Food & Ingredients; Supply chain solutions; Green B2B
   Packaging; Logistics of agricultural or food products; Novel Farming Systems and Community solutions.
3. We accept startups from all around the world and from all stages (pre-seed, seed, or late stage startup).
4. We require participants to be fluent in business English, but application can be in German too.