Become NRW's
next scaleup

Become part of our world-class scaleup community! Batch #5 is launching in September 2026. Your first step to joining Scale-up.NRW is to join our waitlist.

Application Criteria

Marketable product & convinced customers

Your product is already on the market and is used by a significant number of customers. You are no longer in a pure project business, but have an ongoing product business.

Exceptional & diverse team

The most important positions in your team are filled and the skill set complements each other perfectly. In addition, your startup has at least 15 employees.

Necessary growth capital available

Your startup has sufficient growth capital available through completed financing (≥ 3 million €) and own revenues (≥ 1 million € per year).

Ambition for scaling, internationalization

Your startup based in NRW (UG, AG, GmbH, GmbH & Co. KG) not only has the potential and motivation to scale quickly, but also the ambition to internationalize.

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Further Steps

1. Step

Review

Detailed review of your quick application to determine eligible companies
2. Step

Potential Admission

Invitation to complete the final application form (within one week of submitting your quick application)
3. Step

Final Application

Please submit your information for the final application form within one week of your admission
4. Step

Second Evaluation

Second evaluation by an independent and equally represented jury
5. Step

Potential Admission

Potential admission to the final committee before the 19th of August
6. Step

Selection Committee

Selection committee on 3rd of September 2026 (the exact time of your 30 min meeting slot will be announced two weeks in advance)
7. Step

Final Admission

Final admission of the most promising teams into Scale-up.NRW
8. Step

Kick-off Day and Onboarding

September 23rd, 2026 (10 AM - 10 PM)

Please note that meeting the initial eligibility criteria does not guarantee acceptance into the program.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us.

Any Questions?

Have a look at our faqs or get in touch with our Scale-up.NRW team directly.

Markus Hafner

Senior Scaleup Manager

Anna Keup

Senior Scaleup Manager

Christopher Smolka

Senior Scaleup Manager