What RESPOND Accelerator does

RESPOND Accelerator is a Munich-based, non-profit accelerator program operated by BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, launched in 2020 to support clean-technology and regenerative-economy ventures. The platform runs two interconnected programs: the six-month RESPOND Accelerator for early-stage deep-tech startups with high-impact solutions, and RESPOND Scaleup for late-stage clean-technology companies ready for commercial deployment. RESPOND provides dedicated mentorship, access to BMW Foundation's global network across business, policy, science, and civil society, and visibility through flagship events such as the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin. The program does not charge participating startups and is funded through foundation grants and organizational resources rather than revenue-generating activities.

The core offering targets two specific "valleys of death" in clean-tech innovation: when breakthrough products struggle to reach market deployment, and when proven technologies fail to scale due to capital intensity, fragmented ecosystems, or slow market uptake. Services are delivered cohort-style, with six cohorts completed to date (Cohort #1 through Cohort #6) and a published five-year Impact Analysis. RESPOND claims 98% of its portfolio startups recommend the program to fellow entrepreneurs, indicating strong participant-side satisfaction.

RESPOND has run cohorts with portfolio companies located in at least 19 countries across Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, including USA, Germany, Colombia, New Zealand, Luxembourg, Denmark, Nigeria, Australia, Israel, UK, Switzerland, Belgium, Finland, Chile, Ukraine, Bahrain, France, Hungary, and India. Headcount is 11-50 employees. Beyond program delivery, RESPOND operates as a curated visibility and network platform with distribution channels spanning LinkedIn, Instagram, the BMW Foundation website, press/earned media, and event partnerships (notably Falling Walls Venture).

Name

RESPOND Accelerator

Legal name

BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt

Website

https://respond-accelerator.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

RESPOND Accelerator is a Munich-based non-profit accelerator operated by BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, running a six-month program for early-stage deep-tech clean-tech startups and a Scaleup track for late-stage ventures. It has supported six cohorts across 19+ countries since 2020.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grant Funding: RESPOND is part of the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt, a non-profit organization. The program provides support services to startups at no cost, funded through foundation grants and organizational resources rather than revenue-generating activities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RESPOND is the BMW Foundation Herbert Quandt's global platform for entrepreneurs developing clean-tech and deep-tech solutions with environmental, economic, and societal impact. It runs a six-month RESPOND Accelerator program for early-stage startups and a RESPOND Scaleup program for late-stage ventures with advanced clean-technologies ready for commercial deployment. The platform provides dedicated mentorship, trusted networks, and global visibility at no cost to participating startups.

Product overview

RESPOND is BMW Foundation's global platform consisting of two interconnected programs: the RESPOND Accelerator (a six-month program for early-stage startups) and RESPOND Scaleup (for late-stage startups ready for commercial deployment). Together, these programs support entrepreneurs throughout the innovation lifecycle, addressing critical gaps that prevent clean-tech innovations from reaching market deployment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RESPOND Accelerator: Six-month accelerator program for early-stage ventures developing clean-tech solutions with high-impact potential.
• RESPOND Scaleup

Products and services

• RESPOND Accelerator

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% of startups recommend the program to fellow entrepreneurs

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Falling Walls VenturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026RESPOND Accelerator partners with Falling Walls Venture to recommend exceptional startups from its portfolio for the TOP 100 Science Startups competition. LINEA Innovation, recommended by RESPOND, was selected and will compete for a position among 25 finalists at the Falling Walls Science Summit in Berlin from November 6-9, 2026.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Activate (formerly Cyclotron Road): Activate is a US-based non-profit fellowship and accelerator supporting scientists and engineers commercializing hard-tech climate solutions. It is a direct peer because both target early-stage deep-tech founders with high-impact clean technologies, providing mentorship, network access, and non-dilutive support.
• Climate-KIC: Climate-KIC is a European knowledge and innovation community supporting climate-tech startups through accelerator programs, innovation grants, and ecosystem partnerships. It is a direct peer because both organizations serve deep-tech climate entrepreneurs across Europe with structured accelerator pathways and policy/industry linkages.
• Greentown Labs: Greentown Labs is a climate-tech startup incubator and accelerator supporting entrepreneurs building energy, mobility, and sustainability solutions. It is a direct peer because both are non-profit climate-tech accelerators focused on hardware and deep-tech founders moving from prototype to market.
• MassChallenge: MassChallenge is a global non-profit accelerator running equity-free programs for early-stage startups across multiple verticals including cleantech and sustainability. It is a direct peer because both organizations provide equity-free accelerator support, mentorship, and global networks to early-stage impact-driven founders.
• Elemental Excelerator: Elemental Excelerator is a non-profit accelerator funding and supporting climate-tech startups from prototype to deployment across energy, transportation, and circular economy. It is a direct peer because both RESPOND and Elemental deploy non-dilutive capital and operational support to early- and late-stage climate ventures.
• New Energy Nexus: New Energy Nexus runs a global network of climate startup accelerators supporting clean-energy entrepreneurs, particularly across Asia and emerging markets. It is a direct peer because both organizations operate non-profit accelerator networks for climate and clean-tech founders worldwide.

Broad incumbents

• Antler: Antler is a global early-stage venture capital firm and accelerator backing founders from day zero across sectors including climate-tech and deep-tech. It is a broad incumbent because, like RESPOND, it runs structured cohort programs worldwide, but it deploys venture capital rather than foundation grants and operates across many verticals.
• SOSV (incl. HAX): SOSV is a multi-stage venture fund running vertical accelerator programs including HAX for hardware and climate-tech startups. It is a broad incumbent because, like RESPOND, it supports deep-tech hardware founders through accelerator cohorts, but it provides venture capital in exchange for equity across a broader portfolio.
• Plug and Play Tech Center: Plug and Play is a global accelerator and venture platform running industry-specific programs including sustainability, mobility, and deep-tech. It is a broad incumbent because it overlaps with RESPOND's deep-tech and clean-tech verticals but operates a much larger, equity-taking model with corporate partnerships spanning multiple industries.

Emerging players

• BMW Startup Garage: BMW Startup Garage is BMW Group's internal startup collaboration platform connecting entrepreneurial innovators with BMW business units. It is an emerging player / adjacent peer because it shares the BMW family affiliation with RESPOND and engages deep-tech founders, but operates as a corporate venture program rather than an independent foundation accelerator.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/respond-accelerator
• Instagraminstagram.com/respond_accelerator
• Xx.com/respond_acc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about RESPOND Accelerator