Deadline 30, 2015 at 24.00. Next Step Challenge is the most ambitious entrepreneur prize and accelerator in Europe with a 1st prize of €250,000. The Challenge offers startups from all over the world a chance to become part of a unique business development program and access to state-of-the art digital infrastructure and smart grid of The Region of Southern Denmark.

1. WELCOME TO OUR WEBINAR:
Thinking of joining Next Step Challenge
– Europe’s biggest startup competition?
Get closer to the program, the benefits, the people and the alumni

2. Voted best professional accelerator at Nordic
Startup Awards 2015

3. Agenda
• Welcome - incl. presentation of the NSC team
• The Program and Benefits (20 min)
• Live interview: iNovar on motivation and outcome (5 min)
• Selection criteria and how to apply? (5 min)
• Q&A (as long as needed)

4. NSC team
Christian Hvashøj
Business Accelerator
& Investor
Thomas Wiborg Steen
Business Accelerator
& Investor
Jes Nordentoft
Business Accelerator
& Investor
Lene Schackinger Juhl
Program Manager
Søren Lottrup
Program Director
Mikkel Toft-Olsen
Program Designer
Lisbeth Valther
Program Director
Søren Røn
Project Manager
Noor Isaac
PA

5. THE PROGRAM AND BENEFITS

6. THE CHALLENGE STORY
Next Step Challenge is the most ambitious
entrepreneur prize and accelerator in Europe. The
Challenge offers startups from all over the world a
chance to become part of a unique business
development program and access to state-of-the art
digital infrastructure and smart grid of The Region of
Southern Denmark.

7. • Partner in Next Step Challenge
• One of Denmarks largest energy
and telecom suppliers
• Strong focus on innovation &
digitalization
• Located in the southern part of
Denmark
• Unique digital infrastructure
• 261,000 households
• Living lab
• Extensive business network
• CEO: Niels Duedahl
• www.se.dk
ABOUT SE

8. • Scandinavia’s leading accelerator,
specializing in helping ambitious
entrepreneurs and startups succeed.
• Accelerace spot, train and fund startup
talents to help them develop faster and
cheaper.
• Partner in Next Step Challenge
Facts
• Established in 2008.
• Worked with 260 startups.
• Startups survival rate of 93,4%
• Our startups have received more than
€240M in total funding and investments.
• CEO: Peter Torstensen
• www.accelerace.dk
ABOUT ACCELERACE

9. ONLY FOR THE VERY BEST
IDEA
PROOF OF TECH
PROOF OF BUSINESS
EFFECTIVITY
SCALABLE BUSINESS
MODEL
COMPANY EXIT
STAGE FOCUS REQUIREMENTS
PRODUCT
Beyond idea and technology
phase
TEAM
+2 FTE, established and proven
traction
CUSTOMERS
Beta-users or paying customers
INVESTMENT
Runway for minimum 6 months
FLEXIBILITY
100 % committed and willing to
relocate

10. VERTICALS
International competition for
startups working within the
fields of next generation
energy and digital products
and services.

11. INTEGRATED SETUP
EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS & ECOSYSTEM
FUNDING/
VENTURE
ENERGY COMMUNI-
CATION
TEST/IMPLE
MENTATION
SPRINT I
2 months offsite
coaching
SPRINT II
5 months onsite coaching in
Esbjerg, Denmark
SCREENIN
G
INT. SOURCING
POST
Individual
engagement

12. ECOSYSTEM
NS
C
CORPORATES EDUCATION
GOVERNMENT
STARTUP
ORG.
INVESTORS
SERVICE
PROVIDERS

13. CORE PROGRAM CONTENT
SE Keypersons
Access to local CEOs

14.  + 200 hours business training from
experienced coaches
 Grand prize money of 250.000€ (Grant)
 Access to world class international
mentors
 Living Lab with test laboratory (2.600
consumer panel and data from 261.000
consumers.)
 30.000 € micro financing at arrival +
optional follow up investment.
 Free office space
 Free housing
- And much much more…
Core Elements
Action Based Learning and development
process with focus on key hypothesis,
market testing, learning and fast track
growth.
TEST
FEEDBACK
CONCEPTS
PATTERNS
Approach
BASED ON A STRONG METHOD

15. DOING BUSINESS INDENMARK

16. Best business climate in Europe*
*World Bank’s Doing Business Report 2014
1) The safe choice – no corruption
Denmark has earned top rankings in the international
transparency index for years.
2) Lucrative market access
Easy access to the entire European Union and next day
delivery reach of 100 million of the wealthiest consumers in
the world.
3) The most flexible labor market
The Danish “flexicurity” model offers a high flexibility in
hiring and firing practices. The Danish workforce is among
the most productive in Europe and no restrictions apply
regarding overtime work, allowing companies to operate 24
hours a day, 365 days a year.

17. 4) Highly qualified and motivated talent pool
96 percent of young people complete a secondary
education program and 47 percent a tertiary one. English
proficiency is in the world’s top three. 4 out of 5 speak
English and half the Danes speak German.
5) The perfect hub
Copenhagen Airport - the most efficient airport in Europe - is
the main hub in the Nordic and Baltic region with 57
operating airlines serving altogether 132 destinations
6) Easy business set-up
Set up a business in one day and have residence and work
permits issued in 5 weeks
7) World leader in cleantech and life sciences
30 percent of the electricity used in Denmark is generated
by Danish wind power. Danish companies control one third
of the global wind market and are the first to exploit 2nd
generation biofuels on a commercial basis.

18. 9) The world's best test market
Denmark is praised as the best test market in the world
and also has world-class IT infrastructure with some of the
world’s highest ICT penetration rates for mobiles,
broadband and PCs.
10) High quality of life
Danes consistently come out as the happiest people in the
world on international happiness indices and Copenhagen
has been nominated the most liveable city in the world in
both 2013 and 2014.

20. RESULTS
Early Indicators:
• + 445 applications in total
• 17 companies moved to Esbjerg
• +50 people relocated
• 88 % funding ratio in R1. Average
funding size 1 mill. USD
• 100% survival rate
• +1000 media features and millions of
exposures
• And much more…

21. WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING
6 YEARS RESULTS
# STARTUPS 253
Survival rate 93,4 %
Value creation € 221 mill.
Funding ratio 63 %
Raised funding € 204 mill.
Share of DK venture 13 pct.
New jobs created (net) 706
# of growth companies 28 %
• +450 applicants
• Applicants from +75 countries
• 17 companies moved to Esbjerg
FIRST 2 NSC ROUNDS

22. What you get
• Help build an international scalable business
• Grand prize money of EUR 250.000 (grant)
• 200+ hours of personal business training from experienced Accelerace consultants
• EUR 30,000 in seed financing (based on a due diligence) when relocating
• Access to local CEOs
• Learning labs and workshops
• Living Lab with test laboratory (2.600 consumer panel and data from 261.000 consumers.)
• Founders Pack worth EUR 50.000 +
• Rich opportunity to qualify for further financing
• Free office space.
• Free housing.
• Free lunch
• Great international startup community
• Free social events (sports, koncerts, dinig etc.)

23. What we want
• Dedication and strong believe
• High scalable business with international
perspective
• Min. 2 co-founders relocating to Denmark
• Strong teams
• Companies that match our verticals
• Willing to learn and share

24. Important info
• We don´t take equity
• €30.000 loan terms
• 10% interest rate
• 48 months
• 2 tranches
• First 12 months no re-payment (but interest are calculated)
• Only mother company guarantee
• Danish entity is a must
• We will help set it up
• Approximate cost is €350
• IvS (€1 deposit) or ApS (€6.700 deposit)

25. What do our alumni say?

26. CRITERIA AND HOW TOAPPLY

27. • Minimum 2 key members
• Valid passports
• Vertical Match
• Business Potential
• Team
• Company Life Cycle
• Market Insight
Selection Criteria

28. How to apply
www.nextstepchallenge.com

29. Q&A

30. Thanks for joining!
See you on
www.nextstepchallenge.com
(application deadline September 30)