What Decelera does

Decelera is a Spain-based venture capital fund that operates the world's first 'startup decelerator,' a programmatic alternative to conventional accelerators. Founded in 2014 and legally structured as Sancus Capital SGEIC SA (registered in Madrid), the firm has secured €38 million in capital and targets sustainable startups with unicorn potential, with a stated goal of investing in 50+ companies over the fund's lifecycle. Its core offering combines equity investment with a structured three-phase support methodology — 'Breathe, Focus, Grow' — delivered through a cohort-based retreat in Menorca, Spain. Selection is highly competitive, with an acceptance rate of approximately 0.3% from 3,600+ applications down to roughly 12 founders per cohort.

Decelera's 'product' is therefore not a technology platform but a curated program-plus-capital bundle aimed at pre-seed and seed-stage European technology startups with mission-driven founders. Revenue mechanics follow the standard venture fund model: management fees on committed capital and carried interest from portfolio exits, with returns realized through equity stakes rather than service fees. Distribution and deal sourcing run primarily through a direct online application portal, supported by a content-driven blog, a monthly email newsletter, and earned media coverage in Spanish and international publications.

Portfolio activity indicates active deployment: the Menorca program's first cohort received an initial €1.5 million across four startups (HeyDiga, FlipFlow, Mathew AI, Ruit), and Decelera has co-invested in additional rounds across verticals including healthtech (Trak, €3.7M round), home services marketplaces (Webel, €4.3M pre-Series A), Latin American AI accounting (Cifrato, $1M+ seed alongside Y Combinator), and Latin American fintech (Quipu, $300K bridge). The firm is recognized by the Financial Times as one of the 50 most influential players in the European entrepreneurial landscape, and operates with a small team of 11-50 employees, including founding partners such as Martin Varsavsky, Manel Adell, and Antonio Baselga.

Name

Decelera

Legal name

Sancus Capital SGEIC SA

Website

https://decelera.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Decelera is a Spain-based venture capital fund operating the world's first startup decelerator program in Menorca, combining equity investment with a selective three-phase 'Breathe, Focus, Grow' founder support methodology targeting early-stage European tech startups with unicorn potential from a €38M fund vehicle.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Venture Capital / Startup Investment

NAICS

Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

Keywords

• Venture capital funding
• Startup decelerator program
• Pre-seed investment
• Founder mentorship
• Early-stage capital

Headquarters

HQ city

Mahón

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Portfolio equity returns: Decelera generates returns through equity ownership in early-stage startups. The fund deploys capital in exchange for equity stakes, aiming to realize gains through exits (acquisitions or IPOs) from portfolio companies. As a high-conviction investor, the fund takes meaningful ownership positions to generate venture-level returns.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Decelera combines a venture capital fund (€38 million) with a three-phase startup decelerator program ('Breathe, Focus, Grow') delivered in Menorca, Spain. It invests equity capital directly into pre-seed and seed-stage technology startups in exchange for ownership stakes, while providing founders with a structured, retreat-style support framework focused on business model validation, team readiness, and personal development. The fund accepts applications globally, selects ~12 founders per cohort from 3,600+ applicants, and targets 50+ portfolio companies.

Product overview

Decelera is the world's first startup decelerator and venture capital fund. It operates as a unified offering combining an innovative support program with capital investment. The core offering is the three-phase 'Breathe, Focus, Grow' program, which provides founders with personal and professional development support to validate their business models and prepare for scaling. The fund targets sustainable startups with unicorn potential, investing capital alongside its programmatic support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Decelera Program (Breathe, Focus, Grow) A three-phase startup decelerator program (Breathe, Focus, Grow) delivered in Menorca, Spain, for pre-seed and seed-stage technology startup founders. The program combines structured personal and professional development with business model validation, team readiness assessment, and peer network building. It accepts ~12 founders per cohort from 3,600+ applicants.
• Decelera Venture Capital Fund A €38 million venture capital fund that deploys direct equity investments into pre-seed and seed-stage technology startups, targeting 50+ portfolio companies with sustainable, mission-driven business models and unicorn potential. Investments are made as part of the Menorca decelerator program and through co-investor syndicate participation.

Quantifiable outcome

• €38M capital deployed across a target of 50+ companies
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sancus Capital SGEIC SAcoreOthersSancus Capital SGEIC SA is the registered legal entity operating under the Decelera Ventures brand. The company is registered at Calle José Ortega y Gasset 20, 3ª planta, 28006 Madrid, with C.I.F. A-42904276. This entity manages the €38 million venture fund and the Menorca decelerator program.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Y Combinator: Y Combinator is the world's preeminent startup accelerator, deploying seed capital into cohorts of early-stage startups in exchange for equity and providing structured mentorship — the direct functional analog to Decelera's Menorca decelerator program. Decelera even co-invests alongside Y Combinator (e.g., Cifrato round).
• Techstars: Techstars runs a global network of equity-backed, cohort-based startup accelerator programs with mentorship and follow-on capital support. It is the closest functional competitor to Decelera's structured, cohort-based decelerator model serving pre-seed startups.
• Antler: Antler is a global early-stage venture firm and accelerator that backs founders from day zero through cohorts of pre-seed and seed investments. It is a direct peer to Decelera in operating a cohort-based, hands-on founder support program with equity investment.
• Lanzadera: Lanzadera is a leading Spanish startup accelerator based in Valencia, run by Juan Roig. As a Spain-based cohort accelerator that invests equity and provides structured support to early-stage startups, it is the most direct domestic peer to Decelera.
• SeedRocket: SeedRocket is a Barcelona-based seed accelerator program and fund that invests in early-stage Spanish and European tech startups. As a Spanish-language, equity-backed accelerator targeting similar founder profiles, it is a direct local peer to Decelera.
• Startupbootcamp: Startupbootcamp is a global network of industry-specific startup accelerators operating across multiple European cities. Its cohort-based, equity-backed, mentorship-driven model directly parallels Decelera's Menorca decelerator.

Broad incumbents

• Wayra (Telefónica): Wayra is the corporate venture capital and accelerator arm of Telefónica, operating multiple hubs across Spain and Latin America. It is a broader incumbent player in the Spanish and European startup ecosystem, with a similar equity-for-support model but a much larger corporate backing.
• 500 Global (500 Startups): 500 Global is a large, established global venture firm and accelerator running cohort-based programs and seed funds across multiple geographies. As a broad incumbent with a much larger AUM and program footprint, it competes for the same founder talent pool as Decelera.
• Speedinvest: Speedinvest is a Vienna-based European venture capital firm with early-stage funds that provide capital and operational support to seed-stage startups. As a broader incumbent European seed investor, it competes with Decelera for the same pre-seed/seed deal flow across Europe.

Emerging players

• Entrepreneurs First: Entrepreneurs First is a UK- and global-based talent-first investor that finds and backs founders before they form companies, running structured cohort programs. It overlaps with Decelera in the pre-company, founder-development category, though with a stronger deep-tech and technical-talent focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/decelera_com
• Facebookfacebook.com/decelera

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments28 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Decelera