RESPOND

RESPOND

Redefine How We RESPOND to Global Challenges

how we respond

Accelerating deep-tech innovation to advance the transition towards a net-zero economy

Against the backdrop of the global environmental crisis, economic challenges, and geopolitical turbulences, moving towards a net zero economy is critical to protecting our planet while ensuring economic prosperity for all. We are more committed than ever to doubling down on our work with entrepreneurs from across the globe to help build solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges. Now is the time to advance the net-zero transition and accelerate the solutions that will shape tomorrow.

What are you waiting for?

Be part of the RESPOND Cohort #6!

Applications for RESPOND’s Cohort #6 close on November 30th. The RESPOND Accelerator will be active between May and October 2025.

APPLY NOW

"When we got accepted to the RESPOND Accelerator by the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, I didn’t know what to expect – they promised the program will be really practical and aligned with our needs at this moment of the company’s maturity. And this is also exactly what happened. RESPOND is enabling the next generation of entrepreneurs who are going to shape a more sustainable and responsible future."

Lubomila Jordanova

Plan A (Cohort #1)

RESPOND Accelerator

We equip entrepreneurs with a holistic set of skills that go beyond business and technology development

RESPOND is a six-month accelerator program focused on responsible leadership and transitioning towards a net-zero economy. The program is online first, allowing entrepreneurs from across the globe to participate. In addition to the online sessions, founders are invited to two in-person events across Europe: A 3-day leadership offsite and the RESPOND Demo Night. At RESPOND, founders receive structured, highly individualized support for building and scaling businesses. The startups selected will work with expert coaches to develop their businesses and leadership skills. Our pool of mentors will challenge and advise entrepreneurs on critical business and leadership decisions. Participants will be connected to a diverse global network of entrepreneurs, investors, industry experts, and corporate leaders. Founders will be part of a mission-driven community and are invited to join the BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Network. We provide visibility through speaking opportunities, nominations, conference access, and media coverage. We’re fully committed to scaling your impact. RESPOND is a non-profit entity – the program is therefore completely free of charge, and we don’t take any equity.

dedicated support to groundbreaking innovation

What we offer

At RESPOND, founders receive structured, highly individualized support for building and scaling businesses. We leverage our positioning to create momentum for the transition towards a net-zero economy.

Network & CommunityWe will facilitate relevant introductions to our broad network of entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, and experts. Our networks are truly global but strongest in Europe. We can make introductions to help with leadership development, market entry, customer discovery, thought leadership, and visibility – or simply help you expand your network. While the program lasts for roughly six months, expect to become part of our community for life. During the program, we connect entrepreneurs to our community of alum startups and Responsible Leaders. Following the program, you will be invited to join the BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Network – a community of more than 2,300 changemakers from over 117 countries.
Access to Coaching & MentoringThe RESPOND Accelerator program is highly individualized and designed to cater to specific leadership, business, or impact challenges of every single entrepreneur in the cohort. The program offers a curriculum that focuses on responsible leadership as well as impact and business topics in group sessions during the sprints. The business topics have a specific focus on fundraising and stage performance. In the individualized sessions, which complement the structured curriculum, you can choose from a pool of additional business sessions that are relevant for you. The core curriculum is structured in four sprints. For all other sessions, you’ll be able to align your sessions to your needs, both in terms of content and scheduling.Throughout the program, our lead coaches and mentors will challenge, advise, and guide founders on critical business and leadership decisions.
VisibilityBacked by strong brands – the BMW Foundation and UnternehmerTUM – RESPOND promotes founders at international conferences, through proactive media and PR, and throughout our network. This includes speaking opportunities at global stages as well as nominations for startup competitions, pitch events, and startup awards. We have invited some of our startups to speak at, among others, COP, Climate Week NYC, and the World Economic Forum – taking a stance and advocating for a new way of doing business.
No Fees & Full CommitmentParticipation in the RESPOND Accelerator is free, and we don’t take equity. The accelerator program operates under the philanthropic mandate of the BMW Foundation, with a focus on achieving better outcomes for people and the planet by connecting and strengthening leaders who drive global impact. We support travel costs – when necessary – for founders to participate in the two in-person events.

"RESPOND is different: instead of focusing on the all-consuming pitch and how to get the value prop straight, RESPOND emphasizes on the fundament that lies below: vision, values, and leadership. In our case, this created a tremendous push and helped us scale the company, the team, and the individuals."

Max Gulde

Constellr (Cohort #2)

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Need more information on the Accelerator ?

All you need to know about RESPOND Cohort #6!

We have built a program that will make bright minds not only better entrepreneurs, but better leaders. If you’re a founder trying to figure out whether or not to apply to the program, our Notion guide will help you find all the facts you need to make an informed decision.

LEARN MORE

What are you waiting for?

Be part of the RESPOND Cohort #6!

Applications for RESPOND’s Cohort #6 close on November 30th. The RESPOND Accelerator will be active between May and October 2025.

APPLY NOW
Areas of Action For 2025, we’ve defined two crucial Areas of Actions to accelerate the transformation of our economic system. Throughout the operations of the RESPOND Accelerator program – starting with the startup scouting and selection, all the way to the delivery of our various modules and sessions, we align our efforts with the Areas of Action to strategically address critical intervention points within the system through entrepreneurship and innovation at speed and scale.

Industry Decarbonization

Hard-to-abate sectors need hard-hitting solutions. We’re seeking breakthrough technologies to slash emissions in industrial sectors like steel, cement, and chemicals. Solutions that we’re interested in include carbon capture and storage, electrification of industrial heat, and efficiency solutions that recycle emissions and reduce waste. We see huge potential in solutions that sequester carbon, from advanced geological storage to nature-based approaches enhanced by technology. Let's create a future where industry no longer drives climate change.

Energy Transition & Infrastructure

From fossil-fueled to future-focused energy solutions.To reach net-zero, we need innovations that decarbonize energy production and transform infrastructure. We're looking for cutting-edge solutions in renewable energy generation, next-gen energy storage, and energy efficiency technologies. Additionally, grid and infrastructure upgrades are crucial to support a resilient, decentralized, low-carbon energy network. Join us in accelerating the shift to resilient, clean energy systems that meet the demands of a growing global population.

Selection criteria
Our selection criteria assess businesses and founding teams across four dimensions: impact, innovation, traction, and leadership. The selection process is based on an online application, followed by brief video calls with the RESPOND team.
Impact
We seek sustainable business models that work towards a net-zero economy and systematically address one of our areas of action within energy transition & infrastructure and industry decarbonisation.
Innovation
We’re excited about cutting-edge technology and innovative business models that have the potential to drive transformation, disrupt markets and scale across sectors.
Traction
We look for early-stage startups that are past MVP with a functional prototype and a TRL between 5-7. Startups are typically (pre-)seed to series A, with sustained traction (first paying customers and revenues).
Leadership
We seek entrepreneurs ready to take responsibility, influence change, and create a positive company culture.

Program Timeline

1 November
Application Open
Applications will be officially open on 1 November 2024.
Apply now
30 November
Application Closed
Applications will be closed on 30 November 2024 at 11:59 pm CET!
Early April
Cohort #6 Announcement
We'll announce the chosen startups early April 2025.
End of June/Early July
Leadership Offsite
A 3-day event that brings together entrepreneurs, investors, industry experts to collaborate and grow – collectively and individually.
End of October
RESPOND Demo Night
The RESPOND Demo Night will officially close the RESPOND Accelerator program 2025.

Accelerator operated by UnternehmerTUM

UnternehmerTUM offers founders and startups a complete service, from developing the initial idea to registering intellectual property. A team of experienced entrepreneurs, scientists, and managers support founders with the development of their products, services, and business models. The experts provide them with personal guidance on building up their companies, market-entry, and financing – including via Venture Capital.The RESPOND accelerator program is backed by the whole UnternehmerTUM ecosystem, and benefits from the expertise and network of its tech startup accelerator program, TechFounders.

Our Startups

98% of our startups recommend the program to fellow entrepreneurs.We are proud to work with some of the most innovative entrepreneurs addressing global challenges. RESPOND is all about supporting promising deep-tech solutions that contribute to a sustainable and equitable global economy.

AirSmat
Allegro
BIOSORRA
Cyclize
DaisyLab
Origin by Ocean
Ponda
S.Lab
Sparxell
Symbaiosys
AirSmat
Lagos, Nigeria
WebsiteRevolutionizing African farming with AI-driven AgTech, AirSmat empowers farmers to optimize yields, combat climate change and earn carbon credits. They do this by integrating AI and farm data, democratising the production of biochar to regenerate the soil and improve farmers’ livelihoods across Africa. 
Allegro
Thornton, Australia
WebsitePioneering sustainable, long-duration energy storage using a new type of flow battery, Allegro Energy addresses the challenges of renewable energy integration by utilizing microemulsion electrolytes. Their approach offers a scalable, cost-effective solution supporting a transition to a more sustainable energy future.
BIOSORRA
North Carolina, US
WebsiteTurning carbon waste into soil-enriching biochar with the aid of their patented pyro reactor, BIOSORRA combats soil degradation and sequesters carbon. By doing so, they are contributing to environmental resilience and sustainable farming. 
Cyclize
Stuttgart, Germany
WebsiteCyclize defossilizes the chemical industry by turning plastic waste and CO2 into syngas with the aid of a novel plasma reactor. This enables the circular economy of carbon, replaces natural gas, and utilizes CO2. 
Daisy Lab
Auckland, New Zealand
WebsiteDaisyLab produces dairy-identical proteins using microbial fermentation, offering sustainable dairy proteins without the need for cows. Their technology addresses the environmental concerns associated with traditional dairy production methods. 
Origin by Ocean
Espoo, Finland
WebsiteBy extracting valuable bio-based chemicals from invasive algae, Origin by Ocean provides a sustainable alternative to conventional oil-based products. They promote biodiversity and contribute to reducing environmental pollution and resource depletion. 
Ponda
Bristol, UK
WebsitePonda creates next-generation textiles, crafted from plants grown on regenerated wetlands. They promote ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation while enabling the fashion industry to transition towards healthier materials. 
S.Lab
Kyiv, Ukraine
WebsiteOffering a natural replacement for foamed plastics at an industrial scale, S.Lab's green packaging solution uses agricultural waste and mushroom roots to provide a biodegradable alternative. Their eco-friendly packaging solution reduces environmental pollution and resource depletion in the packaging industry.
Sparxell
London, UK
WebsiteDeveloping bioinspired colorants from plants, Sparxell revolutionizes the colorant industry by making it more sustainable. This is done by creating vibrant structural colors from a single, renewable ingredient, which reduces resource depletion and pollution. 
Symbaiosis
Manama, Bahrain
WebsiteBy building a nature investment database and algorithmic natural capital valuation platform, Symbaiosys unlocks new opportunities for investing in nature, and for quantifying the unpriced value of our planet’s ecosystem services.  
Biotic
EcoLocked
Goodcarbon
Koralo
NatureDots
Nium
Novobiom
SimplexDNA
Toucan Protocol
tozero
Biotic
Cesarea, Israel
WebsiteCommodifying biobased and biodegradable polymers to substitute plastic. Biotic is redefining sustainable materials with fully biodegradable polymers made from macroalgae and a secret recipe.
EcoLocked
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteTurning sequestered carbon into a valuable resource for the construction industry. Ecolocked is developing scalable carbon removal and storage solutions by turning biochar into admix materials for concrete, reducing embodied CO2 emissions in concrete, and improving building performance.
goodcarbon
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteIntroducing a Nature-as-a-Service Platform for conscious corporate climate action. Goodcarbon is providing access to high-quality sustainable projects, creating a new market for carbon offsets that empower companies to achieve a climate, nature, and social impact.
Koralo
Munich, Germany
WebsiteCapturing the ocean's nutritional richness for thriving people and oceans. Koralo wants to change the way we think about food production. They capture the ocean's nutritional richness using the co-fermentation of microalgae and mycelium. Harnessing the abundance of the ocean's microbiome, Koralo produces high-quality food products, including microalgae as an ingredient.
NatureDots
New Delhi, India
WebsiteReducing the risks from ecological threats and uncertainties for water ecosystems and inland fish farmers. NatureDots is providing real-time monitoring and insights into the health of water ecosystems, reducing the risks associated with ecological threats and uncertainties for water ecosystems and inland fish farmers.
Nium
London, UK
WebsiteDecarbonizing chemistry with nanotechnology. Nium is delivering energy through nanotechnology, abating agricultural pollution and eliminating emissions through Green Ammonia on Demand.
Novobiom
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
WebsiteDesigning a regenerative solution to waste by taking inspiration from nature. Novobiom is developing a regenerative solution to waste by using advanced bioengineering, transforming waste into high-value biological compounds, renewable energy and soil regenerative solutions.
SimplexDNA
Winterthur, Switzerland
WebsiteBuilding a biodiversity monitoring system based on environmental DNA. SimplexDNA is building a biodiversity monitoring system based on eDNA, a cost-effective and efficient way to monitor biodiversity, promoting sustainable management practices.
Toucan Protocol
Zurich, Switzerland
WebsiteSupporting the voluntary carbon market to scale in a transparent and high-integrity way. Toucan Protocol is streamlining the carbon trading process with technology to unlock climate action at scale, providing incentives for climate impact projects, and contributing to a greener future.
tozero
Munich, Germany
WebsiteRecycling lithium-ion batteries for the EV industry. Tozero is committed to recycling lithium-ion batteries, recovering essential materials like lithium, nickel, cobalt, and graphite, and reducing the environmental impact of lithium-ion batteries, a major contributor to e-waste.
Cirplus GmbH
Climate Farmers
Ekolive
Hypha
Kitekraft Inc/GmbH
Rrreefs
Sinkco Labs
Strawcture Eco
Strong by Form
Unspun
Cirplus GmbH
Hamburg, Germany
WebsiteCirplus is the global marketplace for circular plastics. Their vision is to end plastic pollution by making it easy, transparent, and cost efficient to use recycled plastics in new products and thus stop the influx of waste into the oceans and the environment at large.
Climate Farmers
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteClimate Farmers builds the infrastructure for scaling regenerative agriculture in Europe by offering a data- and communication platform for farmers, corporates, and regulators. Their first products are carbon credits that generate higher returns per certificate for the farmers.
Ekolive
Paderborn, Germany
WebsiteEkolive is the first and leading provider of a new bioleaching method. Their bacteria-based biological technology turns waste into high-quality raw material and biostimulants for agriculture. The solution is an EU-certified eco-innovation.
Hypha
Wyoming, US
WebsiteHypha builds decentralized tools (DAOs, DHOs) to consolidate the various movements, organizations, and platforms striving towards empowering humanity & regenerating the earth’s biosphere. They leverage Web3 technologies to achieve a sustainable mindset shift.
Kitekraft Inc/GmbH
Munich, Germany
WebsiteKitekraft builds flying wind turbines, a mixture of rigid-wing kites and drones. The TUM spin-off thus provides a new form of wind energy that reduces the materials needed for wind power by 10 times and drastically reduces cost compared to conventional wind turbines.
Rrreefs
Zurich, Switzerland
WebsiteRrreefs combines marine science with an artistic vision and state-of-the-art technology to restore underwater ecosystems. The ETH spin-off uses 3D printing to develop modular reefs with a structurally complex design and aims to target markets by developing biodiversity credits.
Sinkco Labs
Copenhagen, Denmark
WebsiteSinkco Labs sequesters CO2 in the deep sea permanently by locking organic carbon from algae biomass into the earth’s mantle. At the same time, they use algae by-products to offer carbon-negative commodities such as protein, antioxidants, and ethanol.
Strawcture Eco
New Delhi, India
WebsiteStrawcture Eco manufactures India’s first carbon-negative engineered building panel for furniture, ceilings, and walls to offset the carbon footprint of buildings and discourage biomass burning as the panels are made of 96% agricultural residue.
Strong by Form
Santiago, Chile
WebsiteStrong by Form bonds nature and technology to create lightweight high-performance timber-based composites strong enough to become a sustainable alternative to highly polluting materials such as steel, concrete, aluminum, or fiber-reinforced plastics in industries such as construction and mobility.
Unspun
San Francisco, US
WebsiteUnspun is a robotics and digital apparel company building on-demand jeans. Through 3D printing and additive manufacturing, the tech-style brand crafts customized jeans and develops a technology that can be used by other companies.
AquaFarms Africa
Concular
ConstellR
FACIL'iti
The Live Green Co.
PolyXlabs
Resortecs
Retraced
traceless materials
Village Data Analytics (VIDA)
AquaFarms Africa
Conakry, Guinea
WebsiteAquaFarms Africa’s tech-enabled systems provide a farm-to-table solution to give African youth the opportunity to grow food locally. It is set up as a social franchise to foster local and more sustainable food production. The team partners with top-tier hotels and restaurants across Africa.
Concular
Berlin & Stuttgart, Germany
WebsiteConcular is working towards a resource-efficient and carbon-neutral built environment by creating material loops using digital passports. Concular partners with the largest German project developers, building owners, and manufacturers.
ConstellR
Freiburg, Germany
WebsiteConstellr is harnessing ‘beyond-visual’ earth observation data to drive the agricultural revolution towards a more sustainable food system. ConstellR provides global crop monitoring services to optimize water productivity and improve yield models. A proprietary system in space, it is backed by key European stakeholders.
FACIL'iti
Limoges, France
WebsiteFACIL’iti is on a mission to provide more inclusive access to the digital environment. Its software customizes the display and functionality of online content based on individual user requirements without altering the underlying digital structure or code. Partners include Allianz, LVMH, and BNP.
The Live Green Co.
Santiago, Chile
WebsiteThe Live Green Co. blends ancestral sciences of plant nutrition with biotech and AI-ML for next-gen plant-based food products with their proprietary recommendation engine. They partner with multinational producers such as the Latin-American Sigma Alimentos.
PolyXlabs
Budapest, Hungary
WebsitePolyXlabs produces a biodegradable bioplastic made completely from organic waste. The product is injection moldable, has no toxic additives, and has similar properties to PET, but completely biodegrades in home composting or natural environments.
Resortecs
Waarschoot, Belgium
WebsiteResortecs develops design-for-disassembly solutions in the textile value chain, driving full circularity in fashion with heat-dissolvable stitching threads and thermal disassembly systems that make recycling easy.
Retraced
Düsseldorf, Germany
WebsiteRetraced addresses the high complexity of supply chains in the fashion and textile industry. The platform connects all stakeholders in international supply chains on one platform and ensures efficient data exchange and transparency. Retraced partners with renowned brands such as Marc O’Polo, JOOP!, Strellson, and Windsor, as well as with global suppliers such as Artistic Milliners and Décor Global.
traceless
Hamburg, Germany
WebsiteTraceless has developed the first holistically sustainable alternative material to conventional plastics and bioplastics. The material combines excellent impact potential on all sustainability indicators with quality & price competitiveness and a high scale-up potential.
Village Data Analytics (VIDA)
Munich, Germany
WebsiteVIDA is a location intelligence software to scale investments toward the SDGs. By fusing satellite imagery with additional data sets, VIDA users work on an interactive map to monitor what is happening where target their future investment decisions and measure impact.
Amparo
BOSAQ
Brickify Ltd
goodbag
GOTBAG
Hawa Dawa
Kraftblock
Made of Air
Meersens
Plan A
Amparo
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteAmparo develops prosthetics for amputees using an innovative and direct-mold technology. They are critically contributing to mobility challenges worldwide by providing access to state-of-the-art affordable prosthetics.
BOSAQ
Deinze, Belgium
WebsiteBOSAQ provides decentralized drinking water purification installations for rural areas. The patented technology for water purification is prototyped at the Princess Elizabeth Research Center in Antarctica. Partners include Kruger National Park and international governments.
BOSAQ
Ebutte, Nigeria
WebsiteBrickify recycles plastic waste into building bricks that are water, fire, and heat resistant. Brickify addresses the housing deficit in developing countries and contributes to plastic waste management systems.
goodbag
Vienna, Austria
WebsiteGoodbag promotes behavioral change in consumers by providing a smart reusable shopping bag in cooperation with a wide network of retail partners. The solution enables users to contribute to certified climate action initiatives. Partners include Denner and Migros.
GOT BAG
Mainz, Germany
WebsiteGOT BAG launched the world’s first backpack made from ocean plastic. Building on advanced materials in partnership with Covestro, GOT BAG recovers plastic from the ocean through a network of 1,500 fishermen in Southeast Asia.
Hawa Dawa
Munich, Germany
WebsiteHawa Dawa uses the latest satellite and sensor technology with sophisticated AI modelling, epidemiological, and traffic research to tackle urban air pollution. Partners include the European Space Agency and the City of Munich. Acquired by Bernard Group in 2023.
KRAFTBLOCK
Sulzbach/Saar, Germany
WebsiteKRAFTBLOCK develops affordable, highly efficient, easily scalable, and sustainable multifunctional thermal energy storage systems. They decarbonize industries like steel, glass, or ceramics. It will even help renewables to have their breakthrough in industrial heating.
Made of Air
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteMade of Air is a technology startup that creates patented carbon-negative thermoplastics. It produces alternative materials for a number of applications in industries such as construction, automotive, and furniture.
Meersens
Lyon, France
WebsiteMeersens harnesses the power of environmental intelligence around air pollution, noise, etc. to make smart decisions about improving health & wellbeing. It deploys the most flexible, integrated SaaS/API platform with key corporates such as Véolia, Chanel, and Generali.
Plan A
Berlin, Germany
WebsitePlan A provides a SaaS-based model to monitor, reduce, and offset the environmental impact of corporates. It leverages AI to analyze client data and create tailored action plans.
Amparo
BOSAQ
Brickify Ltd
goodbag
GOTBAG
Hawa Dawa
Kraftblock
Made of Air
Meersens
Plan A
AquaFarms Africa
Concular
ConstellR
FACIL'iti
The Live Green Co.
PolyXlabs
Resortecs
Retraced
traceless materials
Village Data Analytics (VIDA)
Cirplus GmbH
Climate Farmers
Ekolive
Hypha
Kitekraft Inc/GmbH
Strawcture Eco
Strong by Form
Unspun
Biotic
EcoLocked
Goodcarbon
Koralo
NatureDots
Nium
Novobiom
SimplexDNA
Toucan Protocol
tozero
AirSmat
Allegro
BIOSORRA
Cyclize
DaisyLab
Origin by Ocean
Ponda
S.Lab
Sparxell
Symbaiosys
Amparo
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteAmparo develops prosthetics for amputees using an innovative and direct-mold technology. They are critically contributing to mobility challenges worldwide by providing access to state-of-the-art affordable prosthetics.
BOSAQ
Deinze, Belgium
WebsiteBOSAQ provides decentralized drinking water purification installations for rural areas. The patented technology for water purification is prototyped at the Princess Elizabeth Research Center in Antarctica. Partners include Kruger National Park and international governments.
BOSAQ
Ebutte, Nigeria
WebsiteBrickify recycles plastic waste into building bricks that are water, fire, and heat resistant. Brickify addresses the housing deficit in developing countries and contributes to plastic waste management systems.
goodbag
Vienna, Austria
WebsiteGoodbag promotes behavioral change in consumers by providing a smart reusable shopping bag in cooperation with a wide network of retail partners. The solution enables users to contribute to certified climate action initiatives. Partners include Denner and Migros.
GOT BAG
Mainz, Germany
WebsiteGOT BAG launched the world’s first backpack made from ocean plastic. Building on advanced materials in partnership with Covestro, GOT BAG recovers plastic from the ocean through a network of 1,500 fishermen in Southeast Asia.
Hawa Dawa
Munich, Germany
WebsiteHawa Dawa uses the latest satellite and sensor technology with sophisticated AI modelling, epidemiological, and traffic research to tackle urban air pollution. Partners include the European Space Agency and the City of Munich. Acquired by Bernard Group in 2023.
KRAFTBLOCK
Sulzbach/Saar, Germany
WebsiteKRAFTBLOCK develops affordable, highly efficient, easily scalable, and sustainable multifunctional thermal energy storage systems. They decarbonize industries like steel, glass, or ceramics. It will even help renewables to have their breakthrough in industrial heating.
Made of Air
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteMade of Air is a technology startup that creates patented carbon-negative thermoplastics. It produces alternative materials for a number of applications in industries such as construction, automotive, and furniture.
Meersens
Lyon, France
WebsiteMeersens harnesses the power of environmental intelligence around air pollution, noise, etc. to make smart decisions about improving health & wellbeing. It deploys the most flexible, integrated SaaS/API platform with key corporates such as Véolia, Chanel, and Generali.
Plan A
Berlin, Germany
WebsitePlan A provides a SaaS-based model to monitor, reduce, and offset the environmental impact of corporates. It leverages AI to analyze client data and create tailored action plans.
AquaFarms Africa
Conakry, Guinea
WebsiteAquaFarms Africa’s tech-enabled systems provide a farm-to-table solution to give African youth the opportunity to grow food locally. It is set up as a social franchise to foster local and more sustainable food production. The team partners with top-tier hotels and restaurants across Africa.
Concular
Berlin & Stuttgart, Germany
WebsiteConcular is working towards a resource-efficient and carbon-neutral built environment by creating material loops using digital passports. Concular partners with the largest German project developers, building owners, and manufacturers.
ConstellR
Freiburg, Germany
WebsiteConstellr is harnessing ‘beyond-visual’ earth observation data to drive the agricultural revolution towards a more sustainable food system. ConstellR provides global crop monitoring services to optimize water productivity and improve yield models. A proprietary system in space, it is backed by key European stakeholders.
FACIL'iti
Limoges, France
WebsiteFACIL’iti is on a mission to provide more inclusive access to the digital environment. Its software customizes the display and functionality of online content based on individual user requirements without altering the underlying digital structure or code. Partners include Allianz, LVMH, and BNP.
The Live Green Co.
Santiago, Chile
WebsiteThe Live Green Co. blends ancestral sciences of plant nutrition with biotech and AI-ML for next-gen plant-based food products with their proprietary recommendation engine. They partner with multinational producers such as the Latin-American Sigma Alimentos.
PolyXlabs
Budapest, Hungary
WebsitePolyXlabs produces a biodegradable bioplastic made completely from organic waste. The product is injection moldable, has no toxic additives, and has similar properties to PET, but completely biodegrades in home composting or natural environments.
Resortecs
Waarschoot, Belgium
WebsiteResortecs develops design-for-disassembly solutions in the textile value chain, driving full circularity in fashion with heat-dissolvable stitching threads and thermal disassembly systems that make recycling easy.
Retraced
Düsseldorf, Germany
WebsiteRetraced addresses the high complexity of supply chains in the fashion and textile industry. The platform connects all stakeholders in international supply chains on one platform and ensures efficient data exchange and transparency. Retraced partners with renowned brands such as Marc O’Polo, JOOP!, Strellson, and Windsor, as well as with global suppliers such as Artistic Milliners and Décor Global.
traceless
Hamburg, Germany
WebsiteTraceless has developed the first holistically sustainable alternative material to conventional plastics and bioplastics. The material combines excellent impact potential on all sustainability indicators with quality & price competitiveness and a high scale-up potential.
Village Data Analytics (VIDA)
Munich, Germany
WebsiteVIDA is a location intelligence software to scale investments toward the SDGs. By fusing satellite imagery with additional data sets, VIDA users work on an interactive map to monitor what is happening where target their future investment decisions and measure impact.
Cirplus GmbH
Hamburg, Germany
WebsiteCirplus is the global marketplace for circular plastics. Their vision is to end plastic pollution by making it easy, transparent, and cost efficient to use recycled plastics in new products and thus stop the influx of waste into the oceans and the environment at large.
Climate Farmers
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteClimate Farmers builds the infrastructure for scaling regenerative agriculture in Europe by offering a data- and communication platform for farmers, corporates, and regulators. Their first products are carbon credits that generate higher returns per certificate for the farmers.
Ekolive
Paderborn, Germany
WebsiteEkolive is the first and leading provider of a new bioleaching method. Their bacteria-based biological technology turns waste into high-quality raw material and biostimulants for agriculture. The solution is an EU-certified eco-innovation.
Hypha
Wyoming, US
WebsiteHypha builds decentralized tools (DAOs, DHOs) to consolidate the various movements, organizations, and platforms striving towards empowering humanity & regenerating the earth’s biosphere. They leverage Web3 technologies to achieve a sustainable mindset shift.
Kitekraft Inc/GmbH
Munich, Germany
WebsiteKitekraft builds flying wind turbines, a mixture of rigid-wing kites and drones. The TUM spin-off thus provides a new form of wind energy that reduces the materials needed for wind power by 10 times and drastically reduces cost compared to conventional wind turbines.
Strawcture Eco
New Delhi, India
WebsiteStrawcture Eco manufactures India’s first carbon-negative engineered building panel for furniture, ceilings, and walls to offset the carbon footprint of buildings and discourage biomass burning as the panels are made of 96% agricultural residue.
Strong by Form
Santiago, Chile
WebsiteStrong by Form bonds nature and technology to create lightweight high-performance timber-based composites strong enough to become a sustainable alternative to highly polluting materials such as steel, concrete, aluminum, or fiber-reinforced plastics in industries such as construction and mobility.
Unspun
San Francisco, US
WebsiteUnspun is a robotics and digital apparel company building on-demand jeans. Through 3D printing and additive manufacturing, the tech-style brand crafts customized jeans and develops a technology that can be used by other companies.
Biotic
Cesarea, Israel
WebsiteCommodifying biobased and biodegradable polymers to substitute plastic. Biotic is redefining sustainable materials with fully biodegradable polymers made from macroalgae and a secret recipe.
EcoLocked
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteTurning sequestered carbon into a valuable resource for the construction industry. Ecolocked is developing scalable carbon removal and storage solutions by turning biochar into admix materials for concrete, reducing embodied CO2 emissions in concrete, and improving building performance.
goodcarbon
Berlin, Germany
WebsiteIntroducing a Nature-as-a-Service Platform for conscious corporate climate action. Goodcarbon is providing access to high-quality sustainable projects, creating a new market for carbon offsets that empower companies to achieve a climate, nature, and social impact.
Koralo
Munich, Germany
WebsiteCapturing the ocean's nutritional richness for thriving people and oceans. Koralo wants to change the way we think about food production. They capture the ocean's nutritional richness using the co-fermentation of microalgae and mycelium. Harnessing the abundance of the ocean's microbiome, Koralo produces high-quality food products, including microalgae as an ingredient.
NatureDots
New Delhi, India
WebsiteReducing the risks from ecological threats and uncertainties for water ecosystems and inland fish farmers. NatureDots is providing real-time monitoring and insights into the health of water ecosystems, reducing the risks associated with ecological threats and uncertainties for water ecosystems and inland fish farmers.
Nium
London, UK
WebsiteDecarbonizing chemistry with nanotechnology. Nium is delivering energy through nanotechnology, abating agricultural pollution and eliminating emissions through Green Ammonia on Demand.
Novobiom
Ottignies-Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
WebsiteDesigning a regenerative solution to waste by taking inspiration from nature. Novobiom is developing a regenerative solution to waste by using advanced bioengineering, transforming waste into high-value biological compounds, renewable energy and soil regenerative solutions.
SimplexDNA
Winterthur, Switzerland
WebsiteBuilding a biodiversity monitoring system based on environmental DNA. SimplexDNA is building a biodiversity monitoring system based on eDNA, a cost-effective and efficient way to monitor biodiversity, promoting sustainable management practices.
Toucan Protocol
Zurich, Switzerland
WebsiteSupporting the voluntary carbon market to scale in a transparent and high-integrity way. Toucan Protocol is streamlining the carbon trading process with technology to unlock climate action at scale, providing incentives for climate impact projects, and contributing to a greener future.
tozero
Munich, Germany
WebsiteRecycling lithium-ion batteries for the EV industry. Tozero is committed to recycling lithium-ion batteries, recovering essential materials like lithium, nickel, cobalt, and graphite, and reducing the environmental impact of lithium-ion batteries, a major contributor to e-waste.
AirSmat
Lagos, Nigeria
WebsiteRevolutionizing African farming with AI-driven AgTech, AirSmat empowers farmers to optimize yields, combat climate change and earn carbon credits. They do this by integrating AI and farm data, democratising the production of biochar to regenerate the soil and improve farmers’ livelihoods across Africa. 
Allegro
Thornton, Australia
WebsitePioneering sustainable, long-duration energy storage using a new type of flow battery, Allegro Energy addresses the challenges of renewable energy integration by utilizing microemulsion electrolytes. Their approach offers a scalable, cost-effective solution supporting a transition to a more sustainable energy future.
BIOSORRA
North Carolina, US
WebsiteTurning carbon waste into soil-enriching biochar with the aid of their patented pyro reactor, BIOSORRA combats soil degradation and sequesters carbon. By doing so, they are contributing to environmental resilience and sustainable farming. 
Cyclize
Stuttgart, Germany
WebsiteCyclize defossilizes the chemical industry by turning plastic waste and CO2 into syngas with the aid of a novel plasma reactor. This enables the circular economy of carbon, replaces natural gas, and utilizes CO2. 
Daisy Lab
Auckland, New Zealand
WebsiteDaisyLab produces dairy-identical proteins using microbial fermentation, offering sustainable dairy proteins without the need for cows. Their technology addresses the environmental concerns associated with traditional dairy production methods. 
Origin by Ocean
Espoo, Finland
WebsiteBy extracting valuable bio-based chemicals from invasive algae, Origin by Ocean provides a sustainable alternative to conventional oil-based products. They promote biodiversity and contribute to reducing environmental pollution and resource depletion. 
Ponda
Bristol, UK
WebsitePonda creates next-generation textiles, crafted from plants grown on regenerated wetlands. They promote ecosystem restoration and biodiversity conservation while enabling the fashion industry to transition towards healthier materials. 
S.Lab
Kyiv, Ukraine
WebsiteOffering a natural replacement for foamed plastics at an industrial scale, S.Lab's green packaging solution uses agricultural waste and mushroom roots to provide a biodegradable alternative. Their eco-friendly packaging solution reduces environmental pollution and resource depletion in the packaging industry.
Sparxell
London, UK
WebsiteDeveloping bioinspired colorants from plants, Sparxell revolutionizes the colorant industry by making it more sustainable. This is done by creating vibrant structural colors from a single, renewable ingredient, which reduces resource depletion and pollution. 
Symbaiosis
Manama, Bahrain
WebsiteBy building a nature investment database and algorithmic natural capital valuation platform, Symbaiosys unlocks new opportunities for investing in nature, and for quantifying the unpriced value of our planet’s ecosystem services.  

"RESPOND is very unique. It has help me personally as the Founder and CEO of tozero to grow and scale up our team, and think through impactful and responsible strategies for the growth of our company."

Sarah Fleischer

Tozero (Cohort #4)

RESPOND Team

The RESPOND Accelerator is jointly operated by the BMW Foundation and UnternehmerTUM, Europe’s leading innovation ecosystem. Backed by two global brands, RESPOND is uniquely positioned to support founders with strong expertise, a global network of coaches, mentors and investors, as well as access to the most relevant global platforms for sustainability and innovation.BMW FOUNDATION TEAM

Bennet Barth

Managing Director RESPOND

Verena Finkenzeller

Program Manager

Leah Becker

Program Manager Events

Daniel Stark

Working Student RESPOND

Marie-Luise Nau

Communications

UNTERNEHMERTUM TEAM

Laura Wagmann

Program Manager

Moritz Förster

Director Operations for RESPOND

Contact us

Verena Finkenzeller
E-Mail respond@bmw-foundation.org

Verena is the RESPOND program manager at the BMW Foundation since 2020. Contact Verena if you have questions regarding the accelerator program or partnership opportunities.

How will you RESPOND?


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