Program

Media Lift Batch 3

Content & Tech Incubator:
Turning ideas into innovation

We’re here to support your innovative business ideas in the area of content and technology. Whether you are a student, founder or employee of a large media and digital company, whether you’re working this out on your own or as a team – we’ll take your idea to the next level.

In a three-phase approach, we provide support and mentoring as well as workshops and professional coaching tailored to your needs. Further, we make work space and financial support available to you, so that you can fully concentrate on your project. And although the program has guidelines, we make sure the respective timetable and contact person fits your needs.

And needless to say: Your ideas are yours! After the incubator you are free to roll out your project as a start-up, develop it further within the Hamburg start-up ecosystem, or integrate it into your company without having to give up a stake in your business.

The application period for Batch 3 is over.

Phase 0

Matching

Putting the team together – finding the right people to pursue your idea:

You work for a media or digital company?
We support teams who want to implement their ideas outside their usual business environment.
Maybe your company already knows the MEDIA LIFT program. If not, we will provide you and your superiors with more information.

Our Matching Partners

Application

Spin-off, student project, start-up plans? Your innovative business ideas in content & technology are important to us. We are looking for teams with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, ideally interdisciplinary teams of students or employees of established media and digital companies – the more diverse the better.

Our program is your fast track to the content and tech world. It enables you to understand this world, to prototype and validate your ideas, to pick the brains of industry experts, and to meet motivators, facilitators and decision makers.

  • Financial funding: up to €15,000 per team
  • Office and creative spaces
  • Methodological, technical and market knowledge
  • Personal coaching & teambuilding
  • Product testing and feedback
  • Two individual mentors for your team
  • Access to experts within the MEDIA LIFT community
  • Exchange with our incubator graduates
  • Chance to participate in further funding programs from our partners
  • Visibility through editorial coverage
  • Participation in events
  • Public presentation at our big graduation pitch
  • You are an interdisciplinary team made up of two to five people
  • You are developing an innovative business idea in the area of ​​content, and your idea has a tech component
  • Your idea could be turned into a viable business, but it is still in the pre-start or project start phase
  • Your idea is not pure product development

You still have questions about the incubator? Check out our FAQs and factsheet for entrepreneurs:

Application

Spin-off, student project, start-up plans? Your innovative business ideas in content & technology are important to us. We are looking for teams with a strong entrepreneurial spirit, ideally interdisciplinary teams of students or employees of established media and digital companies – the more diverse the better.

Got an idea but don’t have a team yet?
Starting in January, we will offer different matching formats like hackathons, a start-up weekend, and much more. We will keep you posted here.

Our program is your fast track to the content and tech world. It enables you to understand this world, to prototype and validate your ideas, to pick the brains of industry experts, and to meet motivators, facilitators and decision makers.

  • Financial support for your project: up to €15,000 per team
  • Customized competence transfer through workshops and professional coaching
  • Work space and creativity rooms
  • Mentoring
  • Introduction to important decision makers
  • Access to various events in Hamburg
  • Inclusion in the nextMedia.Hamburg network
  • Post-incubator support & access to the next media accelerator program
  • You are an interdisciplinary team made up of two to five people
  • You are developing an innovative business idea in the area of ​​content, and your idea has a tech component
  • Your idea could be turned into a viable business, but it is still in the pre-start or project start phase
  • Your idea is not pure product development

The application phase is completed.

The Jury

In the selection process for Batch 1/2019 and in the pitches, this is the jury you and your team have to win over with your idea:

Selection phase

Pre-Pitch

You got an invitation to the second round of the selection process? Not bad, but there is still one hurdle to overcome: Convince us in a pre-pitch why your idea should be supported by MEDIA LIFT. If you get our “Go!” on 22 May, you have three weeks to prepare yourself and then things really get started.

Mentors & Experts

Look forward to learning from the best:

Phase 2

MVP

Prototyping, testing, marketing – with our coaching and support, you will present your MVP at the end of MEDIA LIFT’s second phase.

Pitch II

How far have you and your idea matured? Prove to the jury that you are ready for the final incubation phase.
Phase 3

Develop

The teams that make it to the final phase of the incubator will receive coaching on investment, business modelling, resources, and legal issues.

Here, it is all about the question: What comes next?

Final Pitch

The big finale: If you succesfully convince the jury, you are ready to start your own company, to continue your project with follow-up support (e.g. in the next media accelerator, or integrate it into your company. Who knows who in the meantime got wind of your innovative idea.

Preview

Batch 2

The incubator has successfully come to an end? Then it’s time for the next – with new teams and new ideas MEDIA LIFT starts the second batch in January 2020. Who is in?

You can’t wait? Tell us about your plans.

Get in touch

Nextmedia_Icons_
As program manager, Bruno is the contact person for the incubator Media Lift. He studied political science and cultural studies in Leipzig as well as management, organization and culture at the University of St. Gallen. During his studies, he gained experience in public relations and marketing at a PR agency, Finanztip and the Executive School St. Gallen. After working for SAP and a digital agency, he most recently worked as an innovation scout for a Hamburg-based science platform.

Bruno Marks

Program Manager
T +49 40 / 23 72 435 67

bruno.marks@nextmedia-hamburg.de