The Scale Program for business growth

Your bridge builder for business-to-business innovation.

Ask our experts

Stephan Hofnagel & Jannis Grube

Stephan Hofnagel
Scale Co-Lead | Corporates at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 160 2575625
Email
LinkedIn

Jannis Grube
Scale Co-Lead | Startups at PwC Germany
Tel: +49 171 9168330
Email
LinkedIn

Become part of the innovation ecosystem

With our Scale Program, we bring the innovation ecosystem together and create a platform for exchange, innovation, and growth between startups, corporates, and investors.

“PwC’s Scale Program is a great opportunity for a young company to get in touch with many stakeholders in the startup ecosystem. For me, as a serial entrepreneur and angel investor, it’s always exciting to see and hear about new ideas out there and the challenges faced by the founders.”

Christian Vollmann,Serial Entrepreneur, Investor, Chairman of The Board at nebenan.de

Our approach to collaboration and growth

The Scale Program connects startups, corporates, and investors to learn, grow and discover innovation and collaboration opportunities.  

Infographics: Our approach to collaboration and growth

Our Scale Programs

Scale Underrepresented Founders Program

What is the Underrepresented Founders (URF) program?

Dedicated to fostering innovation and diversity, we believe diverse minds drive creativity by bringing varied perspectives and ideas to the table.

However, underrepresented founders – such as female founders* – often encounter heightened challenges, encompassing biases and limited access to (financial) opportunities in their entrepreneurial journey.

Teaming up with Amazon Web Services, our goal is to empower underrepresented founders in Europe by offering the necessary support to scale and grow their businesses.

What awaits you?

During our three month program we work closely with an exclusive cohort of B2B or B2B2C tech-startups. Within our broad network of investors, VC’s, serial entrepreneurs, business angels and corporates the participating startups make 100+ qualified touchpoints.

The program encompasses masterclasses, networking, personalized 1:1 expert sessions, and go-to-market opportunities. It features deep-dive sessions covering various aspects such as founding, negotiation, marketing, legal matters, pricing strategies, and sales, all tailored to meet your specific needs.

Please find more information about the focus areas and criteria for the program in the application sheet.

Application form

Don’t just take our word and check out the video with the inspiring women from our last Female Founders Program:

Watch video

(*German Startup Monitor ‘23)

Scale B2B Tech

Our Scale Startup Program supports you with various components for scaling and innovation. We support B2B startups from the DACH region for six months. The program includes masterclasses, network sessions and 1:1 sparring – tailored to your needs!

You will benefit from sustainable knowledge sharing together with our experts and external partners, such as serial entrepreneurs, business angels and VCs. We support you with the next qualified leads and give you the opportunity to present your B2B startup to potential customers and investors.

The B2B Tech programs are cross-industry and take place in individual cohorts of eight to twelve startups. In addition to a physical kick-off and an in person startup event, the content can be integrated virtually and into the full working schedule of startups. The commitment of the founders is the key to success for us!

Apply for free

Scale Industry

The world is in a state of constant change: we are always striving to create new programs. With our Scale Industry Programs, we are addressing the topics of the future and supporting startups in scaling in close cooperation with PwC experts. 

Startups with exciting B2B technologies will be accompanied in this program by masterclasses, network sessions and 1:1 sparring – tailored to the founders’ individual key topics and needs. 

You will benefit from industry-specific knowledge sharing with our experts and the PwC Next Level Network for investors and corporates. We will help you win the next qualified lead.

Our topics change from quarter to quarter, following the agility of innovation. In recent years, we have successfully supported the following topics:

  • Sustainability
  • Female Founders
  • Green Tech
  • Artificial intelligence
  • New Work & Culture 
  • Finance Transformation 
  • Legal Tech
  • B2B Tech 
  • Logistics
  • Trust & Transparency
  • Sports & Media Tech
  • Digital Health 
  • Regional

Scale Exclusive

For the Scale Exclusive Program, we collaborate with exclusive partners who love and live innovation like us. Every corporate, every organisation and even state institutions pursue strategies together with us: to support founders in a specific subject area or with a specific market or technology challenge.

The focus may be on the corporate’s areas of activity identified for the future or the desire to accelerate an individual area in the startup ecosystem. 

One key example is the Scale URF Program we created with Amazon Web Services. Underrepresented entrepreneurs are supported and accompanied in scaling their business during our program. The program aims to create more visibility and contribute to the diversity of the startup ecosystem.

Let’s get in touch

Scale International

From our point of view, scaling goes beyond national borders. With our Scale International Programs, we support startups in their expansion and offer the ideal flywheel for entering the German market in particular.

Apply for free

Scale Spotlight

Our Scale Spotlight format puts Series A B2B startups in the spotlight. What does this mean for you? We provide targeted support with individual help on network access and successful conversion of qualified leads. Interested? Apply now, and we will get in touch with you!

Apply for free

Our Scale Team

Through our Scale Program, we bring the innovation ecosystem together and create a platform for exchange between startups, corporates and investors.

Our experience in the innovation ecosystem

+100

Every year, we act as an accelerator of growth, supporting 100+ startups in their success through the Scale Program.

+1.000

We facilitate 1000+ placements of startups with corporates & investors every year.

+15.000

German corporates are supported by experts from PwC Germany.

+70%

of German unicorns rely on the expertise and resources of PwC Germany.

Build your success story with us

11th German Startup Monitor

We publish the study German Startup Monitor once a year. Check out the latest trends.

Learn more

“The Scale Program is a great opportunity to exchange ideas in an uncomplicated and informal way and to make valuable strategic contacts.”

Philip Brandecker, Head of M&A, Director Corporate Development at New Work SE
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Contact us

Stephan Hofnagel

Stephan Hofnagel

Scale Co-Lead | Corporates, PwC Germany

Tel: +49 160 2575625

Jannis Grube

Jannis Grube

Scale Co-Lead | Startups, PwC Germany

Tel: +49 171 9168330

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