AI Founder Fellowship: Mid-Term Pitch Day Marks Halfway Milestone
On July 10, 2025, the AI Founder Fellowship held its Mid-Term Pitch Day at the Innovations- und Qualitätszentrum (IQZ) in Berlin. Six teams presented their AI startup projects to investors, venture builders, and tech transfer experts.
The Fellowship targets PhD candidates aiming to transform their research into scalable startups. Unlike classic accelerator programs, it addresses the specific challenges of scientific ventures: IP negotiations, compliance requirements, access to high-performance computing, and securing first pilot customers – all supported by an experienced venture development team.
The program provides a clear roadmap: bootcamps, mid-term pitch, and demo day. It offers compute resources, funding, coaching, and a strong network.
Guests included representatives from Fraunhofer HHI / Silicon Allee, The Delta, Stryber, xPRENEURS / UnternehmerTUM, Merantix, Heluma Ventures, and SPRIND. They gave teams valuable feedback on market opportunities, business model viability, and technological feasibility.
For the Fellows, this was a crucial milestone. They received validation, but also clear indications of where their projects need refinement – in areas such as go-to-market strategy, value capture mechanisms, and regulatory pathways. By demo day in autumn, they aim to turn prototypes into market-ready products, establish concrete partnerships, and secure follow-up funding before the program concludes.
