EWOR Unveils $68M Founder Fellowship Program to Empower Aspiring Entrepreneurs
In recent years, the spotlight on supporting early-stage entrepreneurs has grown significantly across Europe. Notably, initiatives like “Project Europe” and the newly launched EWOR fellowship are paving the way for young innovators by providing substantial funding and support.
Introducing EWOR and Its Vision for Young Founders
EWOR, which stands for “entrepreneurship without risk,” has introduced an ambitious founder fellowship with a commitment of €60 million aimed at fostering the growth of emerging entrepreneurs. Unlike its predecessor, Project Europe, which offers €200,000 for a 6.66% stake, EWOR provides a more generous investment of €500,000 for a 7% stake.
Key Features of the EWOR Fellowship
- Investment Amount: Each selected founder receives €500,000.
- Mentorship: Participants have access to one-on-one mentorship, including 1 to 5 hours weekly with a seasoned unicorn founder.
- Networking: Fellows can connect with a vast network of 2,000 mentors, VCs, and industry experts.
- Funding Structure: The €500,000 investment includes €110,000 from EWOR GmbH and €390,000 from an investment fund through an uncapped convertible note.
Each year, EWOR selects 35 entrepreneurs who embody the spirit of visionaries, technical prodigies, and serial entrepreneurs. The fellowship aims to support founders at various stages, including those with just an idea or even those starting from inception.
The Team Behind EWOR
Founded in 2021, EWOR is led by a team of six experienced entrepreneurs: Daniel Dippold, Alexander Grots, Florian Huber, Petter Made, Quinten Selhorst, and Paul Müller. Their backgrounds include roles at prominent companies such as SumUp, Adjust, and ProGlove.
EWOR’s Unique Approach
In a recent interview with TechCrunch, Dippold highlighted the differences between EWOR and Project Europe, emphasizing that EWOR’s flexibility allows for support of founders at any stage of their entrepreneurial journey. He stated, “We run EWOR like a software company — build, measure, learn. The only thing that matters is it needs to be the most useful thing any founder can possibly do.”
Successful Participants and Alumni
This year, ten founders have already been accepted into the EWOR fellowship. Noteworthy participants include:
- Mark Golab: A U.K.-based 3D printing specialist focused on organ transplants through Cambridge Surgical Models.
- Viktoria Izdebezka: Based in Vienna, she is innovating lead generation with her startup, Salesy.
Notable alumni from previous cohorts include Ricky Knox, who achieved significant exits with Azimo and Tandem Bank, and Tim Seithe, who led Tillhub to an exit valued at nearly €100 million.
As the landscape for early-stage entrepreneurship evolves, initiatives like EWOR are crucial in nurturing the next generation of innovative leaders. For more insights and updates on entrepreneurship, visit our entrepreneurship news page.
