GROwing your business
Customers are the most important element in attaining growth. It is crucial that you have access to local, national and international markets. As Founded in Groningen, we collaborate with multiple parties and programs that can support you in accelerating your (international) business growth.
Finding the right market fit
If you think about why startups fail, in a way it’s very simple: startups fail because they run out of money before achieving Product-Market Fit (PMF). That’s why it’s crucial to find your Product-Market fit when you’re developing your product. There’s no point in pushing a product which brings no real sustainable value to customers. By constantly researching potential target groups, you are able to develop you startup customer oriented. Once you have found the PMF, it’s important to convert this into the right value propositions for your customers.
Who can Support you?
Support Programs
Startupleap. Whether you want to find out if your idea is ripe yet, if you wish to develop your entrepreneurial skills & knowledge, or if you just seek to expand your network in the Dutch startup world, StartupLeap is the right place to start your journey
Venturelab North. VentureLab North offers a cohesive one-year business development programme linked to the University of Groningen.
Learning experience at Venture Lab is served by two key programs. Business Development Program is a long duration course for anyone with ideas looking for a team, problem validation, solution fit, market fit and leadership skills, to become an entrepreneur. We have this simple-to-use online platform to share their motivation, after a through screening we offer a seat in Venture Lab G17. Application for October program is due in September. Another program called Growth Engine is aimed at scale ups to build their second engine by leveraging their core competence. Often, we receive applications from small and medium scale enterprises who are looking for building new capabilities, for which they need case studies, business planning, innovation models and related go-to market tools. Growth Engine program is a tailored program to fit the needs of an industry sector or organization.
Friesland Squared. Your next step starts now with Friesland Squared. Your online guide to grow and accelerate your business with our digital tools and acceleration process. Friesland Squared supports entrepreneurs with their founder’s journey, consisting of many steps, from idea, to founding the business, building it, scaling it and to possible exit.
Facilities
5G lab. 5Groningen is the northern testing ground for 5G, the next generation of wireless technology. Entrepreneurs and non-profit organizations have joined forces with experts to test applications of 5G, 5Groningen tests applications which use 5G – so not the 5G technology itself, but what you can do with it.
Network
YES DIGITAL! Young founders of digital companies who have joined in Groningen.
JCC. A network club from Groningen. A active network of young entrepreneurs.
What can Founded do for you?
Founded in Groningen tries to make the scaling-up process and network transparent. Next to this, we offer articles and information on our website and portal about access to markets. We also support missions abroad like CES Las Vegas or Slush. If you have any questions, you can also email markets@foundedingronigen.com
Growing your business
So you reached Product Market Fit! Congratulations! New you can start optimizing your core product, hiring specialists to increase your efficiency, and make strategic investments. Also, you’ve made it further than most startups ever dream. To support you with your (international) growth there are several options:
YCombinator, Collider, Startup in Residence, Groningen Open
Missions
Sometimes, it is easy to forget about the world outside the Groningen ecosystem. These trade missions are organised to serve entrepreneurs. Participating in a trade mission provides you with many benefits in a short period of time:
- you meet potential business partners;
- your international network grows;
- you have a better view of market opportunities in a country;
- you can exchange knowledge;
- you increase the brand awareness of your company;
- When ministers and diplomats go on missions, they open doors that would otherwise remain closed. They can also raise trade barriers.
Check out these trade missions:
TNW Programs drive custom and game-changing tech partnerships across startups, corporations, governments, cities, and funding providers. We provide cutting-edge solutions that spark collaborative innovation across the industry, boosting all actors in the global tech ecosystem. Using our unmatched platforming tools and global tech community, we create impactful media that grow your brand, present you with networking opportunities, and shape collaborations left, right, and center
Slush is a student-driven, not-for-profit movement on a mission to create and help the next generation of groundbreaking entrepreneurs, originally founded to change attitudes toward entrepreneurship. The Slush 2021 event features two days full of stage programs in addition to several side events, roundtable discussions, and facilitated workshops. Our speaker line-up includes successful founders, top-notch investors, and other startup and tech influencers.
Slush has grown from a single event in Helsinki to a one-of-a-kind community and series of events organized all around the world.
CES is the most influential tech event in the world — the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where the world's biggest brands do business and meet new partners, and the sharpest innovators hit the stage. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), CES features every aspect of the tech sector.
Our programs
Founded In Groningen offers programs to help you find your PMF or your launching costumer.
Startup in Residence?
Finding a launching costumer can be challenging and having a government organization as a launching costumer is almost impossible. Startup in Residence is a 6 month program where you’ll get intensive coaching and training, and our partners and challenge owners will act as launching customers for the most promising solutions. This challenge owner is a government organization like the Province of Friesland or the Hanzehogeschool Find your challenge, pitch your fix and we’ll help you kickstart and launch it with our Startup in Residence Program.
Founder Factory
Founder Factory is a series of workshops from various Groningen initiatives and companies, specifically for young entrepreneurs. Check the event page to see when the next Founder Factory is organized. Nothing on there? Keep an eye on the page, we’ll organize the next one soon!