Our Summer School for Diverse Startups is back with a new batch. Powered by SpinLab and HHL Digital Space, the programme is dedicated to advancing inclusion and equal opportunities within the startup ecosystem. It supports founders from underrepresented backgrounds in overcoming structural barriers, strengthening their visibility, expanding their networks, and bringing their ideas to a wider audience across Germany. This year’s edition is backed by a strong network of partners, including EDIH Saxony, the City of Leipzig, Ostwerk, TGFS, S-Beteiligungen, and Germany Trade & Invest.
Skillence bridges the gap between external hiring and internal talent mobility by decoding core skills and identifying where employees can best contribute and grow. Its AI-powered SaaS platform combines technical and soft skill assessments, using NLP to analyze data from technical tests and social skills interviews to create a holistic view of talent. By enabling smarter applicant screening and data-driven talent management, Skillence helps organizations make better hiring decisions, unlock hidden potential, and build future-ready teams.
Ideeval is a personal growth and development platform from Berlin, that combines social networking, journaling, coaching, and goal management to help users turn ambitions into meaningful progress. Built around its proprietary GIRA framework (Goal, Identity, Reflection, Actions), Ideeval guides users through structured self-development, helping them define goals, strengthen their identity, reflect on progress, and take actionable steps. Through workshops, community engagement, and personalized growth tools, Ideeval empowers individuals to build better habits, achieve goals, and unlock their potential.
Pharen IT replaces disconnected tools with an AI-powered workspace where communication, workflows, data, and internal applications come together in one secure operational system. Its agentic execution platform unifies tools such as Mail, Lists, Agents, Workflows, App Builder, and Docs, enabling teams to automate processes, streamline operations, and execute tasks from a single intelligent workspace.
ReSelf Cosmetics is redefining sustainable hospitality by replacing plastic shampoo bottles with shampoo bubbles that dissolve in seconds when rubbed under water. The company develops hygienic, plastic-free alternatives to help hotels reduce waste and lower their operational costs while delivering a premium guest experience. Focusing on sustainability, efficiency and smart product design, ReSelf is helping the hospitality industry move towards a more environmentally responsible future.
EunoiaQuest bridges the gap in mental healthcare by replacing static, lengthy questionnaires with interactive “Serious Games” and AI-driven behavioral analysis. Its pre-diagnostic screening platform transforms traditional mental health assessments into gamified experiences that generate deeper behavioral insights. By combining psychology, game design, and artificial intelligence, EunoiaQuest aims to make early mental health screening more accessible, user-friendly, and meaningful.
Graini turns brewer’s spent grain into tasty, high-fiber, vegan crisps, giving a brewing by-product a second life instead of letting it go to waste. By working directly with local craft breweries, the startup creates sustainable snacks while helping breweries reduce waste and reach customers through co-branded products sold in taprooms. Graini makes it easier to enjoy a healthy snack while supporting a more circular food system.
FOUNTN is making free drinking water more accessible with a smart public water dispenser that funds its own operation through digital advertising and smart city integrations. By combining innovative technology with a self-financing model, the startup helps cities provide clean drinking water in public spaces while supporting sustainability and creating long-term value for municipalities.
Valueverde makes it easier to invest in the energy transition by providing digital infrastructure for cooperative investments. Through its platform, private and institutional investors can invest directly in energy cooperatives and municipal utilities, receiving real cooperative shares with ownership and voting rights. By digitizing the investment process and working with B2B2C partners, Valueverde helps make sustainable energy projects more accessible and community-driven.