DEEP Ecosystems invests in entrepreneurs who build ecosystems
The 2-year ecosystem acceleration and the DEEPSEA program enable entrepreneurs to develop world-class innovation systems and to raise funds for their activities via public funding applications and the development of own business models.
Ecosystem Acceleration
We Accelerate Membership-Driven Coalitions for Ecosystem Growth
Startup Heatmap Europe Report 2025 is Out Now
Discover the Top 50 Startup Cities and the Trends Shaping Europe’s Innovation Future
DownloadData & Intelligence
Work with the Startup Heatmap data and research team to become a thought leader.
Global Network
A global partner network, access to global tech events and you can run your own ecosystem conference.
Innovation Scouting
Get our database with 500+ new startups every quarter and you learn how to scout yourself.
Ecosystem Growth
Blueprints for workshops and hub memberships to bring in institutional players.
Public Funding
Opportunities of >120mn € per year, help with consortium building and unique concepts that win
Our Track Record
Ecosystem Hubs
67
Countries
36
Funding
>5mn €
Start Building with our Blueprints
Create Your Own Venture Studio
The venture studio model is an innovative approach to entrepreneurship that involves creating and launching multiple businesses within a single entity.
Unlike traditional incubators or accelerators, venture studios leverage their resources and experience to launch multiple businesses in a shorter time frame, thereby increasing efficiency, economies of scale, and potential for cross-collaboration.
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to establish and operate a successful venture studio in your region.
Check Your Ecosystem's Health
Science-based methodology to analyse the ecosystem you are operating in and defining system-wide KPIs to monitor or impact its performance.
- Scientifically-based Ecosystem Health Check with 8 metrics covering the startup community, the entrepreneurship support network, social capital as well as governance.
- Balanced analysis of quantitative and qualitative assessments
- Benchmark analysis with interantional peers
- Development of recommendations for improvement
Host Your Own Ecosystem Conference
Bring DEEP's global community of influential ecosystem leaders to your city and invite your local actors to initiate moonshot collaborations for exponential growth.
- Host the DEEP Ecosystems Conference in your city & brainstorm project ideas
- Define challenges & publish a call for the most promising project ideas
- Offer a multi-week support in form of the DEEP Startup Ecosystem Accelerator in the setup of new innovation projects in all stages from incubation to scale-up phase
- Access to international partnerships & connection to world-renown entrepreneurs
Setup an Innovation Sandbox
An innovation sandbox allows the co-creation of innovative solutions by technology providers and procurers with the potential involvement of users or resource providers in a multi-stakeholder environment.
Sandboxes are a very early-stage tool to explore the feasibility of new solutions and create “acceptance” among potential procurers and users prior to a potential procurement process. The innovation sandbox is delimited from the real market environment and operates under multiple safeguards. An innovation sandbox is open to host multiple solutions and requires solution providers to iteratively adapt their solution to the needs discovered in the process.
Consult Government with an Entrepreneurial Advisory Board
An Entrepreneurial Advisory Board brings together top entrepreneurs from your vertical and region to foster innovation, share insights, and drive the strategic development of your local startup ecosystem. Below is a comprehensive framework to help you establish and manage this board effectively.
- Target Profile:
- Leading entrepreneurs active in your vertical and region.
- Successful startup founders, corporate C-level executives, venture capitalists, and representatives from industry-leading organizations.
- Selection Criteria:
- Reputation, thought leadership, network strength, and a demonstrated commitment to regional innovation.
Become an Innovation Scout
Offer startup scouting with the help of our venture experts who have over 10 years of scouting experience, working with innovation units of global corporates as well as VC firms.
- A clear scouting strategy aligned with specific goals.
- Defined search profile based on geography, stage, revenue sums, and team composition.
- Access to network of local startup experts across Europe.
- Longlist with potential matches.
- Detailed company profiles of shortlisted companies based on research and interviews.
- Warm introduction where there is mutual interest.
I feel empowered by the tools I have learnt here, because they allow me to set up new goals and find a way to actually achieve them.
____ Lisa Spöck, Standort Tirol, Innsbruck, Austria
DEEP Ecosystems skyrocketed me to a whole new level of understanding in a 3-week program.
____ Alexis Pospekhov, Latvian Startup Ecosystem Builder
I needed this reflection time to think about why we are doing things and how we are thinking we can achieve our goals as ecosystem builders. This workshop was incredibly helpful .
____ Estefania Escobar, InsurLab, Cologne, Germany
The Heatmap Team is just amazing. We were thrilled by all the effort they are putting in the report.
____ Diane, Balderton Capital
A Co-Investment for Growth
- No upfront cost for participants
- Complete alignment of interest based on revenue share
- Run an Ecosystem Hack in your City to get guaranteed seats
Explore our Topical Groups:
Blue Economy
Do not miss the opportunity to create a vibrant blue economy ecosystem in your region.
Your own Topic
Create an ecosystem under your own terms and find others to build it with you.
Our Ecosystem Hub Model
Become an Institutional Partner
Support DEEP Ecosystems and connect with emerging hub leaders early-on and get up to speed on the latest vertical and regional trends in the startup industry.
Benefits include:
- Access to Ecosystem Leader Network
- Tickets to DEEP Ecosystems Conference and Partner Events
- Join Data Collabs with Ecosystem Leaders to create co-branded reports and content
- Tailor-made social media posts promoting your ecosystem
- Full data access and tailor-made analysis in quarterly reports
- Quarterly 1:1 sessions with data analyst
- Access Premium Publications
- Access to DEEP Academy Online Courses
- Promotion of your Startup Opportunities in social media, newsletter and website
- Customized presentation on Startup Heatmap Platform as city, accelerator or topical landing page.
- Monthly Public Funding Monitor
- Consortium Building for Public Funding Applications
Speak to us to learn more
Collaborate with the hottest emerging ecosystems around the globe and access their insights, startups, and networks.
We won't send spam. Unsubscribe at any time.