Accelerace
Accelerace is a Copenhagen-based Nordic pre-seed venture investor and startup accelerator founded in 2008, managing Accelerace Invest II to make ~30 pre-seed investments annually across the Nordics and Baltics while offering mentorship, corporate matchmaking, and the lifelong Accelerace Allstars founder community.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersCopenhagen, Denmark
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Accelerace does
Accelerace is a Nordic pre-seed venture investor and startup accelerator founded in 2008 in Copenhagen, Denmark. The firm operates as a hybrid investment-and-acceleration platform serving first-time founders, university spin-outs, and early-stage startups across the Nordics and Baltics (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania), with a stated model of making approximately 30 pre-seed investments per year through its Accelerace Invest II fund. Notably, Accelerace does not take equity from accelerator-program startups — the program is partly funded by the Danish Government and large Danish and International corporates — which differentiates it from typical equity-heavy accelerators.
Its core product set comprises four pillars: (1) Accelerace Invest II, the pre-seed investment fund described as Denmark's largest by number of investments; (2) Accelerace Allstars, a lifelong founder community that grants portfolio companies ongoing mentorship from alumni founders of Templafy, Penneo, Actimo, Coinify, Densou, Axdraft, Graduateland, and Dreamplan; (3) Corporate Startup Matchmaking, which connects startups with industry-leading corporates including Ørsted, Arla, Tetra Pak, Elia, Bang & Olufsen, Coop, Nordea, Danske Bank, and Aarsleff; and (4) Partner Programs — co-managed accelerator and mentoring programs across Europe (e.g., the Sidel Pilot Project 2025). Supporting platform tools include a 12-question Investment Readiness Test and the 'Tools' online course platform.
The business model rests on three revenue streams: fund management economics from Accelerace Invest II, government and corporate sponsorship of the accelerator program, and corporate matchmaking services (free for startups, paid/sponsored by corporates). The firm is backed by Færchfonden, EIFO (formerly Vaekstfonden), and Symbion, and in October 2024 merged with the BioInnovation Institute (BII), a non-profit foundation, becoming an integrated part of BII's organisation — a structural change that broadens its mandate into biotech, life sciences, tech, AI, and quantum technology.
Accelerace firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Accelerace
- Legal name
- Accelerace
- Website
- https://accelerace.io
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Accelerace is a Copenhagen-based Nordic pre-seed venture investor and startup accelerator founded in 2008, managing Accelerace Invest II to make ~30 pre-seed investments annually across the Nordics and Baltics while offering mentorship, corporate matchmaking, and the lifelong Accelerace Allstars founder community.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Accelerace industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Startup Accelerator & Venture Capital
- NAICS
- Open-End Investment Funds (525910), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs (EDAMAKAK), Corporate Accelerators & Startup Programs (FSANAHAD), Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC)
Keywords
Where Accelerace is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Copenhagen
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Accelerace business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Investment Returns: Accelerace generates returns through equity investments in pre-seed startups via their VC funds (Accelerace Invest II). They make approximately 30 new investments per year and aim to be Denmark's most aggressive early-stage investor.
- Government and Corporate Funding: The accelerator program is partly funded by the Danish Government and leading Danish and International corporates, with the goal to attract startup talents and create growth.
- Corporate Matchmaking Services: Accelerace acts as an intermediary between corporates and startups, facilitating pilot projects and exploration talks. This service is free for startups and provides value to corporate partners seeking innovation solutions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Accelerator Program - No equity taken |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate Matchmaking - Free for startups |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Accelerace product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Accelerace is a Nordic pre-seed investor and startup accelerator that invests in pre-seed stage startups across the Nordics and Baltics through its Accelerace Invest II fund (making ~30 investments/year), without taking equity from accelerator participants. It wraps investment with the Allstars lifelong founder mentorship community, corporate matchmaking with industry-leading partners (Ørsted, Arla, Tetra Pak, Nordea, Danske Bank), and co-managed partner accelerator programs across Europe.
Product overview
Accelerace is a leading Nordic pre-seed investor and startup accelerator offering a comprehensive ecosystem for early-stage startups. The core offerings include Accelerace Allstars (lifelong founder community with mentor access), Accelerace Invest II (pre-seed investment fund making ~30 investments/year), Corporate Startup Matchmaking (connecting startups with corporates like Ørsted, Coop, Nordea), and Partner Programs (accelerator programs across Europe). The portfolio includes diverse AI-powered companies such as MederiAI (medical imaging AI), Jabbr (combat sports computer vision), Hyphen (private personal AI), Lexsee (dyslexia learning AI), Weedbot (agricultural AI robotics), Dermloop (skin diagnostics AI), and IDUN Audio (spatial audio technology). Additional platform tools include an Investment Readiness Test for founders and the Tools Platform for startup development.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Accelerace Allstars: Lifelong community for founders in the Nordics and Baltics, providing mentorship from successful alumni founders including those of Templafy, Penneo, Actimo, Coinify, Densou, Axdraft, Graduateland, and Dreamplan.
- Accelerace Invest II
- NOME (Nordic Mentor Network for Entrepreneurship)
Products and services
- Accelerace Allstars Community A lifelong community for founders in the Nordics and Baltics, providing mentorship from successful alumni founders (Templafy, Penneo, Actimo, Coinify, Densou, Axdraft, Graduateland, Dreamplan), investment program access, investor day events, and ongoing community support.
- Accelerace Invest II Denmark's largest pre-seed investment fund by number of investments, making approximately 30 new investments per year in pre-seed startups based in the Nordics and Baltics. Does not take equity from startups in the accelerator program; equity is taken through direct fund investments.
- Corporate Startup Matchmaking A matchmaking program connecting startups with industry-leading corporate partners (Ørsted, Arla, Tetra Pak, Elia, Bang & Olufsen, Coop, Nordea, Danske Bank, Aarsleff) based on technology fit and business needs, facilitating pilot projects and exploration talks. Free for startups.
- Partner Programs (Co-managed Accelerators) Co-managed accelerator and mentoring programs across Europe for startups in different industries and stages, including industry-specific programs like the Sidel Pilot Project 2025.
- Investment Readiness Test Online 12-question assessment that gives founders instant feedback on their likelihood of getting investment from Accelerace Invest II and what they need to improve, covering team, product, customer insight, and commitment.
- Tools Platform Online platform containing courses and instruments developed through 15 years of accelerator programs, helping early-stage startups reach product-market fit and prepare for their first round of funding.
- NOME (Nordic Mentor Network for Entrepreneurship) Elite mentoring program for Nordic life science startups, managed by Accelerace. Connects life science founders with experienced mentors across the Nordic region.
Quantifiable outcome
- 80%+ survival rate for accelerated startups
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Accelerace
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Accelerace technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability10 records
Accelerace partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- BioInnovation Institute (BII)coreBioInnovation Institute and Accelerace merged in October 2024, with Accelerace becoming an integrated part of BII's organisation. The merger aims to strengthen the Danish innovation ecosystem by supporting university-based startups not only within biotech and life sciences but also in tech, AI, and quantum technology. Together they aim to create Europe's strongest launchpad for startups.
- UniLab (Latvia)flagshipAccelerace entered into collaboration with Latvian UniLab (born out of Riga Technical University and University of Latvia) to expand business opportunities to more universities and students. Accelerace will give UniLab access to proprietary courses and tools for reaching product-market fit or first round of funding. They also plan to apply for Altum's €20.67M ten-year fund.
- Even FounderscoreAccelerace and Even Founders partnered to increase gender diversity in startup founding teams by tackling the issue at the earliest stage. Even Founders provides 6-week startup school for first-time female founders, using Accelerace's courses, tools, and platform.
- CPH LighthousecoreAccelerace onboarded CPH Lighthouse (innovation and entrepreneurship center for University of Copenhagen) onto the online platform 'Tools' containing online courses and instruments for early-stage startups. This was the beginning of stronger focus on university startups.
- ØrstedcoreØrsted is one of the industry-leading corporate partners that Accelerace has matched startups with for innovation and pilot projects.
- ArlacoreArla is one of the leading corporate partners that Accelerace has matched startups with for innovation and pilot projects.
- Tetra PakcoreTetra Pak is one of the industry-leading corporate partners that Accelerace has matched startups with for innovation and pilot projects.
- EliacoreElia is one of the industry-leading corporate partners that Accelerace has matched startups with for innovation and pilot projects.
- AarsleffcoreAarsleff (one of the world's leading contracting companies) is looking for promising ConTech startups with proof of concept for innovative digital solutions for the construction industry through Accelerace's matchmaking program.
- Nykøbing F. HospitalminorNykøbing F. Hospital (NFS) is a development-oriented emergency hospital in Region Zealand, open for pilot proposals that can streamline workflows or prevent accidents.
- QualcommcoreIDUN Audio (Accelerace portfolio company) has engaged in partnerships with Qualcomm, integrating their embedded spatial audio software onto headphone platforms.
- Cadence Design SystemscoreIDUN Audio (Accelerace portfolio company) has partnered with Cadence Design Systems for spatial audio technology integration.
- GreenWaves TechnologiescoreIDUN Audio (Accelerace portfolio company) has partnered with GreenWaves Technologies for spatial audio technology integration.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Accelerace competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Antler: Global pre-seed VC and accelerator with strong Nordic presence (Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo offices). Operates cohort-based programs targeting very early-stage founders, directly comparable to Accelerace's pre-seed acceleration model.
- SeedCapital Denmark: Danish pre-seed fund that provides investment and accelerator support to early-stage Danish startups. Overlaps directly with Accelerace Invest II in geography, stage, and approach.
- Pre Seed Ventures: Denmark-domiciled pre-seed investor targeting Nordic tech startups at the earliest stages. Closely comparable by mandate, geography, and check size to Accelerace Invest II.
- Startupbootcamp: Global startup accelerator with multiple European programs (including Nordics-focused tracks). Comparable accelerator/mentorship model and corporate partnership focus.
- Sting (Stockholm Innovation & Growth): Nordic accelerator and early-stage investor based in Stockholm. Offers coaching, capital and network access to Swedish/Nordic tech startups in a directly comparable model.
- Venture Cup: Nordic startup competition and accelerator program supporting student and early-stage founders across Denmark and Sweden. Closely comparable on founder-development and university-tied deal flow.
Broad incumbents
- Techstars: Global accelerator network with multiple programs and a broad portfolio. Operates at significantly larger scale than Accelerace but shares the accelerator + investment + mentorship model.
- Y Combinator: The benchmark global pre-seed accelerator. While US-anchored, YC's model and outcomes set the standard against which Accelerace's pre-seed acceleration approach is compared.
Regional players
- Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship (CSE): University of Copenhagen-affiliated incubator serving student and academic entrepreneurs. Operates in the same Danish ecosystem with comparable university-startup focus.
Emerging players
- Norrsken Foundation: Nordic impact-focused foundation running startup support programs (Norrsken House, EIR programs). Operates in adjacent Nordic startup support space with growing overlap on early-stage acceleration.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Accelerace social profiles
Digital presenceAccelerace financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Accelerace leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Accelerace funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors4 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Accelerace M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments73 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Accelerace
What does Accelerace do?
Accelerace is a Nordic pre-seed investor and startup accelerator that invests in pre-seed stage startups across the Nordics and Baltics through its Accelerace Invest II fund (making ~30 investments/year), without taking equity from accelerator participants. It wraps investment with the Allstars lifelong founder mentorship community, corporate matchmaking with industry-leading partners (Ørsted, Arla, Tetra Pak, Nordea, Danske Bank), and co-managed partner accelerator programs across Europe.
Is Accelerace a public or private company?
Accelerace is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Accelerace founded?
Accelerace was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Accelerace based?
Accelerace is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does Accelerace make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Investment Returns are the primary driver. The others are government and Corporate Funding and corporate Matchmaking Services.
Who are Accelerace's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Antler, SeedCapital Denmark, Pre Seed Ventures, Startupbootcamp, Sting (Stockholm Innovation & Growth) and Venture Cup. Broad incumbents are Techstars and Y Combinator. Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship (CSE) is listed as a regional player. Norrsken Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does Accelerace have an API?
No public API is recorded for Accelerace.
What industry is Accelerace in?
Accelerace's product category is Startup Accelerator & Venture Capital. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSANAAAM, Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated), with a secondary code of EDAMAKAK, Entrepreneurship, Startup Incubation & Pitch Programs. Its NAICS code is 525910 and its SIC code is 6282.