Rockstart news

29 NOVEMBER, 2018

Meet the second batch of startups from Europe's first AI accelerator

Rockstart has selected the startups for its 2nd AI accelerator program located in Den Bosch, the Netherlands. Talented women and men from eight different countries will spend the next 180 days building and refining their products, talking to mentors, and connecting to potential investors and customers. The first AI program is already showing how successful it was, with three alumni raising a total of €1.2 million within the first 6 months after the program ended and a vast range of technology...

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November 2018

26 Nov

Smart Energy Demo Day 2018: the Next Level

In a packed house, Rockstart presented its latest accelerator batch of nine startups in smart energy. Halfway through the accelerator program, these startups have demonstrated to be more mature, scalable, and investible than previous ventures. This batch of startups are engaging faster with industry players, growing their revenues quickly, and raising more interest from investors. The nine startups took the stage to present their business and investment requirements to investors, mentors, an...

May 2018

09 May

Rockstart announces startups in Web & Mobile 2018 program

Rockstart has announced a new batch of ten startups in this year's Web & Mobile program in Amsterdam. Coming from eight different countries, the teams are working on products ranging from a new way of publishing books to corporate ride-sharing to communications systems for websites.

April 2018

17 Apr

Rockstart looks for startups to tackle global food loss in partnership with A.P. Moller - Maersk

FoodTrack by Maersk is a new partnership between Rockstart, one of Europe’s first multi-vertical startup accelerators, and A.P. Moller - Maersk, a global end-to-end operator in the food value chain. The programme aims to cease global food loss.

04 Apr

Rockstart, YES!Delft, and InnoEnergy join forces to launch EnergyXL

In what could be the strongest joint acceleration proposition in Europe, EnergyXL unites Rockstart, YES!Delft, and InnoEnergy to make a difference. We’re working together on preparing sustainable solution-oriented startups to take on climate change and advance the energy transition.

March 2018

16 Mar

Rockstart holds the Demo Day of Europe's first AI accelerator

Rockstart has held the Demo Day of Europe's first AI acceleration program that will come to an end with the AI Summit on May 23. The startups took the stage to show off their progress and fundraising roadmap to an audience of investors, mentors, and other members of the Rockstart AI ecosystem.

February 2018

21 Feb

Innovation through empowerment: Meet the Digital Health 2018 startups

Twenty-five talented men and women will spend most of the next six months in the Health Valley, working on their products that are aimed at improving all aspects of healthcare. From the new generation of walkers to early diagnoses of eye diseases, the teams come in different stages of business maturity and reflect some of the most important trends in health innovation.

January 2018

18 Jan

Rockstart Digital Health partners with Briskr, IKONE, and In4Care to spark the Health Valley ecosystem

Startups joining Rockstart’s Digital Health program will get Briskr’s business support in Health Valley and direct access to IKONE’s patient experts. In4Care will organize a matchmaking event for 400 health organizations in Belgium and Rockstart’s Digital Health alumni.

November 2017

08 Nov

Meet the inaugural batch of startups in Europe's first AI accelerator

The startups selected for the AI accelerator will receive €20,000 cash and €80,000 of in-kind funding, office space in Den Bosch for the duration of the program, support from mentors from relevant industries, as well as more than 50 perks and deals worth some €600,000.

August 2017

02 Aug

Launchtrack AI, a pre-acceleration program for technical founders, opens in Amsterdam

Rockstart's new pre-acceleration program is dedicated to supporting talented individuals with deep technical knowledge. The equity-free program will run from August 29 to September 28, 2017. It aims to empower first-time founders, guide them through validating business opportunities for their technologies and give the best guidance to ensure that their products solve real-world problems and become viable businesses. The founders and teams participating in Launchtrack AI will have a chance to ...

July 2017

19 Jul

Rockstart teams up with NVIDIA, Atlassian, Volksbank, and others for Europe’s first AI accelerator

NVIDIA, the leader in GPU-powered deep learning, has offered Rockstart startups professional guidance at every step of their journey. Atlassian has committed to sharing its knowledge around engineering best practices and providing startups with any guidance that they require.

June 2017

07 Jun

Rockstart opens applications for Europe’s first AI accelerator with a guaranteed €200,000 investment for one alum

AI startups working in any industry have until mid-July to apply for Rockstart AI acceleration program that will start in October 2017. The ten best startups chosen for the program will get access to the market, capital, community, and expertise through Rockstart's extensive network of investors, mentors, partners, and alumni.

May 2017

17 May

Rockstart Colombia launches its first Web & Mobile accelerator program

Rockstart Colombia will be accepting applications until July 2nd, 2017 and the program begins in October 2017 in Bogotá. Founders from all over the world are invited to apply to this program that helps startups fine-tune their businesses and prepare for international scaling through mentoring, workspace and access to capital.

April 2017

19 Apr

Rockstart Presents 2017 Batch of Smart Energy Startups

From Australia to Nigeria, the fresh Smart Energy startups in Rockstart's program are working on building a digital, decentralized, and decarbonized energy system.

13 Apr

Microsoft, Shell, Gasunie, and Volksbank team up with Rockstart to expand the Smart Energy ecosystem

The investor ranks of Engie, ČEZ group, DOEN Participaties BV, and informal investors have now been joined by Shell Technology Ventures. Gasunie, de Volksbank, and Microsoft are providing sponsorship and numerous in-kind and engagement investments to support the Smart Energy accelerator.

12 Apr

Europe’s First AI Accelerator by Rockstart Launches in The Netherlands

Applications open in May 2017, with the program itself kicking off on September 1. The ten AI startups chosen for the program will spend six months in s’Hertogenbosch, working along with mentors and partners, including the locally-based Jheronimus Academy of Data Science (JADS).

March 2016

23 Mar

The DOEN Foundation Joins Rockstart as a Strategic Shareholder in Global Expansion

As a new shareholder in Rockstart’s holding company, DOEN’s investment provides the means to roll out and scale up Rockstart’s ambitious growth plans and capitalize on a number of global opportunities.

10 Mar

Rockstart’s Digital Health Accelerator Presents First Cohort of Startups at Demo Day

In 2015 Rockstart initiated its very first Digital Health program, together with strategic partners in Nijmegen. The 10 startups display the full range of digital health: from medical devices to robotics, from mobile prevention programs to online booking platforms.

Rockstart Accelerator presenteert eerste lichting Digital Health startups op Demo Day

Rockstart, de Global Startup Machine, heeft vandaag haar tien Digital Health startups geïntroduceerd aan meer dan zestig internationale investeerders. In totaal waren vandaag bijna 250 geïnteresseerden in digitale zorg aanwezig in Cultuurspinnerij Vasim in Nijmegen.

February 2016

19 Feb

Rockstart introduces participants of 2016 Smart Energy Accelerator

Ten startups from 11 countries arrive in Amsterdam to start work on "internet of energy things" businesses.

December 2015

10 Dec

Bookarang winnaar van Renew the Book-wedstrijd Groep Algemene Uitgevers

AMSTERDAM - 9 december 2015 - De Groep Algemene Uitgevers (GAU), de toonaangevende belangenbehartiger van de Nederlandse boekenuitgevers, heeft vandaag Bookarang uitgeroepen als winnaar van de Renew the Book-startupwedstrijd bij Rockstart. In het unieke vijf weken durende programma, het eerste in zijn soort in Nederland, streden vijf teams om de titel. Het doel: innovatieve oplossingen om boeken te financieren, te ontdekken en te gebruiken. De winnaar, Bookarang, is gespecialiseerd in lit...

General Publishers Association Awards Bookarang, Winner of Renew the Book competition

AMSTERDAM - 9 December 2015 - The General Publishers Association (GAU), the leading representative voice for books in the Netherlands, today announced Bookarang winner of the Renew the Book startup competition at Rockstart. 5 teams competed in the unique 5-week program, the first of its kind in the Netherlands, to pitch and build innovative solutions for the publishing industry with ideas that spanned new ways to fund, discover and consume books. The winner, Bookarang, specializes in litera...

November 2015

05 Nov

General Publishers Association picks 5 startups for Renew the Book competition General Publishers Association picks 5 startups for Renew the Book competition

The General Publishers Association (GAU), the leading representative voice for books in the Netherlands, today announced the 5 startups chosen to participate in the Renew the Book startup competition. The program, the first of its kind for the Netherlands, is focused on identifying and advancing inventive technologies and ideas for the publishing business.

October 2015

20 Oct

Rockstart launches 3rd Smart Energy Accelerator Program Rockstart launches 3rd Smart Energy Accelerator Program

Rockstart, the Global Startup Machine, today announced their 2016 Smart Energy Accelerator is taking applications. The program, driven by Freerk Bisschop, a seasoned venture developer in sustainable energy and cleantech, will incorporate an extensive network of over 75 smart energy mentors, investors and energy partners to lead 10 startups with the goal of making a sustainable impact on global energy systems. Bisschop says, “We’re looking for energy startups who are employing web, mobi...

06 Oct

Rockstart introduces the Netherlands's First Digital Health Accelerator 10 international startups head to Nijmegen to focus on #patientsincluded solutions Rockstart introduces the Netherland’s First Digital Health Accelerato

AMSTERDAM - 6 October 2015 - Rockstart, the Global Startup Machine, today announced the first 10 participants of its new Digital Health Accelerator. The accelerator is the first of its kind in the Netherlands and will be taking place in Nijmegen to take full advantage of the highly innovative healthcare ecosystem that exists there. The unique program is patient-focused, includes global ambassadors and mentors and will integrate field labs to quickly validate and scale.

ABOUT ROCKSTART

Rockstart, one of Europe's first multi-vertical startup accelerators, was founded in Amsterdam in 2011 with a goal to provide startups with access to the market, capital, community, and expertise. Since then Rockstart has become the specialist in building entire ecosystems around specific domains—such as Digital Health, Smart Energy, and Artificial Intelligence. Rockstart is actively building up entrepreneurial infrastructures around the world with its acceleration verticals, as well as early-stage startup programs, Rockstart Impact and Rockstart Launchtrack. Since the inception, Rockstart has invested in more than 143 startups and supported them in their journey to raise more than €69 million and hire more than 707 people. Rockstart is an international team of 40+ professionals dedicated to support and empower startups to become scalable and change their world for the better.