A curated circle for women turning ambitious ideas, research and technology into companies in Berlin.
Launching in Q4 2026 in partnership with the IHK Berlin, the Female Founder Growth Circle brings together aspiring and early-stage female founders - with a particular focus on DeepTech, science and technology-driven ventures - for three months of peer exchange and practical guidance.
What to expect
- Small peer circles: Around 7 participants, matched by founding stage for relevant and personal exchange.
- Practical sparring: Work through the challenges you are actually facing - from validating technology and finding first customers to leadership and fundraising.
- 6 expert sessions: A 50/50 mix of DeepTech venture building and the personal side of being a female founder.
- Experienced voices: Learn directly from founders, investors and operators with relevant startup and DeepTech experience.
Topics we'll explore
Building a DeepTech venture: Technology & market validation · first customers & pilots · VC vs. public funding · investor readiness · access to labs, infrastructure and other resources
Growing as a founder: Confidence & positioning · leadership · setting boundaries · difficult conversations · navigating investor and partner relationships
Who it's for
Women who are exploring a concrete technology- or research-driven startup idea or already building an early-stage venture, particularly across DeepTech, Life Sciences, AI, Climate and other science-driven fields.
The first cohort starts in Q4 2026. Join the waitlist to hear when applications open.
JUNI Team-Up Challenge - GreenTech Batch
Great climate tech starts with the right team.
Breakthrough GreenTech ideas often stay in the lab because the right people never meet. The JUNI Team-Up Challenge changes that. For six weeks, scientists with their own GreenTech idea team up with experienced venture builders and industry experts in Berlin-Brandenburg. Together, you turn a research topic into a validated venture concept with a clear path to market. That's your first step towards funding routes like EXIST and the Berlin Startup Scholarship (BSS).
We work with a small, curated cohort, so every team gets the right mix of science, business and industry know-how, and the attention it deserves.
At a glance
- When: 11 January – 19 February 2027
- Time commitment: Part-time, at least 15 hours per week
- Where: On-site in weeks 1, 2 and 6 (incl. Demo Day on 19 February), hybrid in weeks 3–5
- Locations: JUNI Campus (Berlin-Mitte) and NLND (Berlin-Neukölln)
Who should apply
Apply as an individual, with or without your own idea:
- Science Lead: You're a scientist with a research-based GreenTech idea, with or without IP. You don't need to be at a university right now.
- Venture Builder: You bring a business or product background and first entrepreneurial experience, and you're ready to build a venture around science.
- Industry Expert: You know a GreenTech-relevant industry inside out and bring the network and market insight that research teams often lack.
What we look for
Ideas that drive at least one of these areas:
- Decarbonization & clean energy
- Resource efficiency & circular economy
- Climate adaptation & resilience
- Pollution prevention, water & soil protection
- Biodiversity & ecosystem protection
This includes enabling technologies such as environmental sensing, monitoring and data. Your idea can make an impact in energy, mobility, industrial production, construction, food & agriculture, or any industry where science can speed up the green transition.
Our focus areas are aligned with the environmental objectives of the EU Taxonomy.
What you get
- Your co-founders: Meet people with complementary skills, and explore before you commit.
- A validated concept: Sharpen the problem, talk to real customers and map your route to market.
- IP support: Get clarity on IP ownership and how to bring your research into a startup.
- Your funding path: Individual support for your next step, e.g. EXIST or BSS.
- 1:1 mentoring: Experienced coaches by your side throughout the program.
- A strong network: Access to the JUNI community of 40 Science Partners and 14 Business Partners - during the program and beyond.
- Space to build: Get a desk at the JUNI Campus in Berlin-Mitte and NLND in Berlin-Neukölln, right in the middle of Berlin's startup scene.
How it works
- Check your eligibility: takes one minute.
- Apply: tell us who you are and what drives you.
- Review: we carefully pre-select candidates for each profile.
- Interview: a 20-minute conversation with our team.
- Welcome to the cohort: we put together balanced teams.
Ready to turn research into impact? Start your application now.
Questions? Reach out to Dialina Kotlerova (dialina.kotlerova@juni.science).
S2V Launchpad - Mentored by the Champions League
The Hard Facts:
- Duration: 6 Months of tactical venture building.
- Commitment: 1 In-Person Deep-Dive per month + virtual strategic check-ins.
- Mentorship: On-demand guidance from our 80+ founder network.
The 3 Phases of Execution:
Phase 1: Foundation & Team Architecture Focus on leadership resilience and a strong co-founding team. We nurture your resilience and support you to integrate entrepreneurial or business expertise into the team as requirements arise.
Phase 2: Radical Market Validation From lab-prototype to MVP. We stress-test your tech against real-world industry pain points and regulatory hurdles (MDR, AI Act).
Phase 3: Investor Readiness & Scale Hardening your business case. We align your milestones with VC requirements and unlock direct access to our elite investor network for your next funding round.
The Unfair Advantage: Our Ecosystem
- Vertical Deep-Dives: Specialized tracks for Life Science & BioTech and AI & Industrial Tech.
- Outside-In Events: Exclusive matchmaking sessions where research meets entrepreneurial "hustle."
- Founder-Led: Every session is led by someone who has successfully scaled and exited a deep-tech company.