soulincubator: Farewell to the project teams
The project teams from the first phase of the soulincubator have reached the end of the program. We say goodbye, review the last eight months and tell you what's next for our funding program for sustainable startups.
People wave to each other on screens in small squares. The pre-Christmas atmosphere is festive, champagne glasses are raised, and you can see smiles on smiling faces. And yet there is also a touch of melancholy about the whole thing, because this is not just another video call. It is the final act, the grand finale of the first soulincubator batch, the last time that the founders of our funding program against the plastic crisis meet.
The soulincubator celebrates farewell – unfortunately only digitally
This is more or less how you can describe our final event that we held last week. Everything was digital, of course, Corona doesn't allow for real hugs at the moment. Nevertheless, it was nice, nevertheless there was love. After eight months, the first run of the soulincubator is now coming to an end. Eight months in which a pandemic caught us off guard and everything somehow went completely differently than expected. But also eight months in which we grew together and achieved a lot together, in which our teams were able to further develop their business ideas and thus came a big step closer to their goal of creating a more plastic-free environment.
"Our Kornwerk team has become extremely professional during their time in the soulincubator. We particularly enjoyed the welcoming openness of the other participants and the soulincubator team. With the help of experts and our coach in the incubator, we were able to build a brand, better structure our growth plans and gain experience in sales and management." - Swenja, Kornwerk
Eight months of soulincubator – the teams’ conclusion
Despite sometimes adverse circumstances, the soulincubator has achieved the anticipated effect. At least that is what our project teams say. Through our training program, we were able to support the teams in developing their skills and thus help them to find suitable answers to the wide-ranging and difficult questions that come with starting a business.
"The workshops were great. The incubator and soulbottles were really welcoming and it was fun to be there. A great community and very good support for prospective and existing startups." - Felix, Foldie
"It was fulfilling for us to see so many different projects with the same vision. That really sets the soulincubator apart from others. We have found an incredible amount of support in the purpose-driven network. Everyone helps each other because everyone shares the same vision. Thank you for everything!" - Jan, Avoidwaste | Crafting Future GmbH
With the help of our awesome startup partner ProjectTogether, our founders gained access to a network of experts they could turn to with all their questions.
"Being part of the soulincubator has helped us to develop our project further, not only with the financial support but also through the network we have been able to access. The opportunity to connect with a wide network of impact entrepreneurs is what makes the Zero Waste Berlin Festival possible..." - Coral, Zero Waste Berlin Festival
What happens next?
Even if the teams are now continuing on their way, that doesn't mean that we're going to sit back and relax. Our soulincubator team is doing everything they can to ensure that we can welcome new startups to our coworking space at the soulbottles headquarters next year. But to be honest: It's not easy. We're not making any profits with this program. In order to support startups, we need to be supported ourselves. The virus is putting a strain on the search for funding right now. That's why we can use your help: If you know of companies, foundations, funding pots, etc. that are interested in promoting entrepreneurship for a clean and sustainable planet, we look forward to hearing from you.
