What >SMART> GREEN ACCELERATOR does

smart green is a specialized GreenTech startup hub and accelerator based in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, operated as an offering of Grünhof GmbH. Founded in 2014, the organization serves four distinct customer segments: early-to-scale-up GreenTech startups seeking capital, know-how, and corporate partnerships; German Mittelstand SMEs pursuing innovation through startup collaboration; venture capital, corporate venture, and angel investors seeking curated GreenTech deal flow; and university and applied research institutions (including Fraunhofer and Hahn-Schickard) commercializing technology through spin-offs and EXIST-funded ventures. Since inception, smart green claims to have accompanied 430 teams, supported startups that raised €550 million in venture capital, facilitated 800+ startup-SME connections, and helped create 2,400 jobs.

The organization's core service portfolio spans five categories: startup programs (Sales Masterclass, VC Masterclass, business model consulting, early-stage financing up to €400,000, market traction support, and the MakeItMatter Award of €32,500), corporate innovation services (venture clienting, CONNECT networking events, ecosystem partnerships), investor services (curated deal flow and co-investment facilitation through Start-up BW Pre-Seed with convertible loans of €40,000-€160,000), research services (EXIST coaching, technology transfer, venture building), and physical infrastructure (coworking, meeting rooms, and event spaces across three Freiburg locations totaling 3,400 square meters with 600+ members). The flagship GreenTech Capital Forum connects 100+ GreenTech startups with 60+ investors through curated 1:1 matchmaking. smart green is not a technology developer; rather it functions as a curated intermediary combining professional services, events, subscription-based coworking, and public funding (EU ESF/HORIZON-EIE and Baden-Württemberg state programs) into a multi-sided platform.

The business model is a hybrid of professional services fees (consulting, coaching, event participation), recurring coworking/event-space subscriptions, and publicly co-financed programming. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and pricing is "upon request." The organization is partially funded by the European Social Fund and HORIZON-EIE-2024 CONNECT calls, supplemented by state-level grants from the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economics and FWTM, which materially de-risks the P&L and suggests a quasi-public-benefit operating structure rather than a venture-backed commercial model.

Name

>SMART> GREEN ACCELERATOR

Legal name

Grünhof GmbH

Website

https://smartgreen-tech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

smart green is a Freiburg-based GreenTech startup hub and accelerator operated by Grünhof GmbH, serving startups, Mittelstand SMEs, investors, and research institutions through consulting, events, coworking, and venture clienting services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Startup Accelerator / Business Incubation

akta.pro primary industry

Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC)

Keywords

• Startup accelerator services
• Greentech incubation programs
• Venture clienting services
• Startup consulting services
• Coworking space rentals

Headquarters

HQ city

Freiburg Im Breisgau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Startup Consulting & Acceleration Services: Revenue generated from consulting services provided to startups including business model development, funding support, and market traction assistance. Services span from problem-solution fit through product-market fit to financing rounds.
2. Coworking & Event Space Rental: Revenue from flexible coworking spaces (day tickets, flexdesks, fixdesks, teamspaces), meeting rooms, and event spaces. The Spaces offering includes venues for up to 200 guests with three locations, 600+ members, and 3,400 square meters.
3. Event Participation Fees: Revenue from event formats including the GreenTech Capital Forum, Sales Masterclass, VC Masterclass, and CONNECT themed events. Events bring together startups, investors, SMEs, and research institutions for networking and deal-making.
4. Venture Clienting for SMEs: Revenue from matching established companies with startup solutions for innovation challenges in energy transition, providing structured venture clienting and implementation support.
5. EXIST Coaching & Technology Transfer: Revenue from coaching services for research teams receiving EXIST funding, helping them navigate from laboratory to market through venture building and team complementation.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Smart green operates a specialized GreenTech startup hub and accelerator in Germany that bundles business model consulting, masterclasses (Sales, Venture Capital), early-stage financing facilitation, venture clienting for SMEs, curated investor deal flow, and EXIST coaching for research teams. It also runs the GreenTech Capital Forum investment event and operates coworking, meeting, and event spaces through the Grünhof network across three Freiburg locations totaling 3,400 square meters and 600+ members.

Product overview

smart green is a specialized GreenTech startup hub in Germany offering a comprehensive ecosystem of programs and services across five categories: Startups (accelerator programs, masterclasses, funding, awards, and market access), SMEs (venture clienting and innovation partnerships), Investors (deal flow and co-investment opportunities), Academia (technology transfer support including EXIST programs and venture building), and Spaces (coworking, meeting rooms, and event venues through the Grünhof network). The portfolio includes named programs like the Sales Masterclass, Venture Capital Masterclass, GreenTech Capital Forum with its MakeItMatter-Award, EXIST Coaching, and various coworking offerings spanning flex desks to eventspaces for up to 200 people.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GreenTech Capital Forum: Curated European investment event connecting GreenTech startups with specialized investors from Energy, Construction and Industrial Tech sectors
• Sales Masterclass
• Venture Clienting
• Spaces
• EXIST Coaching

Products and services

• Sales Masterclass A four-module online masterclass for GreenTech founders developing B2B sales expertise, covering fundamentals, market understanding, sales processes, and scaling strategies, taught with practical frameworks and templates.
• GreenTech Capital Forum Curated European investment platform connecting pre-seed to Series A GreenTech startups with specialized investors from Energy, Construction, and Industrial Tech sectors through structured 1:1 matchmaking, pitch sessions, and the MakeItMatter Award.
• Business Model Consulting Targeted advisory services for GreenTech startups covering business model development, testing, vision, strategy, marketing, sales, financing, organization, and processes.
• Venture Capital Masterclass Online masterclass preparing GreenTech founders for their first major financing round, covering fundraising fundamentals, investor targeting, and termsheet negotiation.
• Early-Stage Financing Facilitation Facilitation of risk-free startup capital up to €400,000 for early-stage GreenTech startups, including access to state funding programs like Start-up BW Pre-Seed with convertible loans from €40,000 to €160,000.
• Market Traction Service Service helping GreenTech startups find pilot customers or strategic partnerships through smart green's industry network of SMEs, energy utilities, and corporate partners.
• Ecosystem Partnership Program for SMEs Targeted networking and curated startup flow program for SMEs seeking customized innovation partnerships with GreenTech startups.
• CONNECT Themed Networking Events Themed networking events connecting startups, scaleups, and established companies for peer-to-peer exchange and collaboration opportunities.
• Startup-Kooperationen (Venture Clienting) for SMEs Venture clienting program providing SMEs with tailored startup solutions for specific corporate challenges, delivering fast, low-risk, and actionable innovation projects through structured startup matching and implementation support.
• Curated Deal Flow for Investors Investment matching service connecting VCs, CVCs, strategic investors, and business angels with validated GreenTech startups that have proven business models, market-oriented solutions, and clear investment readiness.
• EXIST Coaching Intensive 1:1 coaching for teams with EXIST grants (EXIST-Gründerstipendium or EXIST-Forschungstransfer) from application through founding or first financing round, with support leveraging Hahn-Schickard and Fraunhofer networks.
• EXIST Application Support Application assistance for teams from Baden-Württemberg seeking EXIST funding, covering market exploration through Berlin pitch preparation, with experience from 10+ supported teams.
• Partner for Technology Transfer Partnership service bringing research technologies to market and creating societal added value, enabling successful technology transfer with results-oriented support for research institutions.
• Pre-Incubation Forschungstransfer External partnership for GreenTech research projects, providing market-oriented, co-creative support from research through commercialization.
• Venture Building with Research Institutions Joint startup creation with research institutions based on innovative technologies, building new ventures from the ground up through collaborative venture building.
• Coworking Spaces (Day Ticket, Flexdesk, Fixdesk) Flexible coworking options including Day tickets, Flexdesk (open space), and Fixdesk (dedicated desk) at three locations in Freiburg with over 600 members, operated as part of the Grünhof network.
• Teamspace (Private Office) Private office spaces for teams within a creative entrepreneurial community, offering external visibility and a collaborative atmosphere at Grünhof locations.
• Meeting Rooms Professional meeting spaces available for creative workshops or individual coaching sessions, with multiple rooms across Grünhof locations.
• Eventspace (Lokhalle Freiburg) Large event venue at Lokhalle Freiburg accommodating up to 200 guests for daytime events or evening gatherings, with combinable spaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• 430 teams accompanied since inception
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, strategic and minor.

• Grünhof GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSmart green is an offering of Grünhof GmbH, which operates coworking and event spaces, a social innovation lab, and an innovation agency for SMEs. Grünhof provides the physical infrastructure and organizational backing for smart green programs.
• European Union (ESF, HORIZON-EIE)coreOthersSmart green is funded by EU through the European Social Fund (ESF) and HORIZON-EIE-2024 CONNECT Call. Funding supports startups from across Europe and develops Europe's innovative capacity.
• Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism Baden-WürttembergcoreOthersThrough the THE STARTUP LÄND campaign, smart green positions Baden-Württemberg nationally and internationally as a startup hotspot for DeepTech startups with a focus on sustainability.
• FWTM FreiburgcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFWTM (Freiburg Wirtschaft, Touristik und Messe) as the city's economic development agency partnered with Grünhof to create smart green as a public-private partnership, leveraging Freiburg's position as a European sustainability pioneer region.
• Hahn-Schickard-GesellschaftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institution with multiple institutes including Freiburg location. Actively collaborates with smart green for technology transfer, with Ionysis and EvoMip benefiting from smart green support.
• EWS Elektrizitätswerke SchönaustrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenewable energy provider co-hosts the Make It Matter Award at GreenTech Capital Forum and collaborates on innovation projects with startups in the network.
• BadencampusstrategicTechnology or IntegrationEnergy and IndustryTech partner supporting the GreenTech Capital Forum with expertise and network access.
• GroundbreakersstrategicTechnology or IntegrationConTech and PropTech partner enhancing the GreenTech Capital Forum with expertise and network connections.
• Friedrich Graf von WestphalenstrategicImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLaw firm providing legal expertise; Dr. Raphael Klesen speaks at GreenTech Capital Forum on topics including investor termsheet negotiation.
• Fraunhofer-GesellschaftstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerGermany's leading applied research organization; multiple institutes in Freiburg region collaborate on technology transfer with smart green.
• KIT (Karlsruhe Institute of Technology)strategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeading German technical university with strong research output; part of smart green's academic network for technology transfer.
• Innovate EUcoreOthersEU initiative supporting the GreenTech Capital Forum as a network partner.
• BRYCKminorGTM or Marketing PartnerInnovation ecosystem partner supporting the GreenTech Capital Forum.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• EIT InnoEnergy: European innovation engine for sustainable energy, running accelerator and venture-building programs across Europe. Highly comparable to smart green's Energy Tech vertical and venture building from research institutions.
• Startupbootcamp: Global accelerator network with vertical-specific programs including Energy & Sustainability. Comparable multi-stakeholder model connecting startups with corporates and investors, though with broader geographic footprint.
• Greentown Labs: US-based cleantech incubator and coworking hub supporting energy and sustainability startups. Comparable as a specialized cleantech accelerator with physical infrastructure and corporate-startup matching, though regional to the US.
• Impact Hub: Global network of impact-focused coworking and innovation hubs with accelerator programming. Comparable as a community-led sustainability/impact hub with coworking and events, though broader in scope beyond pure GreenTech.
• EIT Climate-KIC: EU-backed climate innovation accelerator operating across Europe with deep focus on sustainability and cleantech startups. Direct comparable to smart green's GreenTech acceleration model, with broader geographic reach and larger institutional backing.

Broad incumbents

• Station F: World's largest startup campus based in Paris, hosting multiple accelerator programs and providing coworking/event spaces. Comparable as a hub-and-accelerator hybrid with event programming, but with substantially larger physical footprint and brand.
• Wayra (Telefónica): Corporate accelerator operated by Telefónica across multiple geographies. Comparable accelerator model targeting tech startups including sustainability verticals, with corporate backing and curated investor networks.
• Plug and Play Tech Center: Global innovation platform with a dedicated Sustainability program and corporate venture clienting model. Comparable in offering corporate-startup matching and accelerator services, with substantially larger scale and global brand.
• Techstars: Global accelerator network with energy and sustainability-themed programs. Comparable accelerator model and investor network access, though operates at much larger scale across multiple geographies.

Emerging players

• HTGF (High-Tech Gründerfonds): Germany's leading early-stage deep-tech investor, actively partnering with smart green. Comparable as a German deep-tech funding entity, though structured as a fund-of-funds/seed investor rather than an operating accelerator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smartgreen-accelerator/posts/?feedView=all

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 >SMART> GREEN ACCELERATOR