INTENTIONAL

What’s it like to be part of LEAP FORWARD ? Watch this video to hear from our 2024 participants in Berlin and see what’s waiting for you in the UK next year! 🌱 With personalized advisory, practical masterclasses, and a market visit put together by Sustainable Ventures, Leap Forward 2025 will prepare your startup to scale strategically and sustainably in one of Europe’s most dynamic ecosystems. 👉 Ready to take the leap? Apply now! Link in the first comment. Questions? Reach out to Maria Grabowska at maria@intentional.dk. Tim Lykke Myhrvold (Waitly), Amie N´Dong (Social Vanilla), Paula Petcu (Interhuman AI), Anna Kierkegaard (eXistential AI), Agnieszka Jacobs (SQUARELY COPENHAGEN), Anja Hansen (byoms ApS). Industriens Fond #LeapForward2025 #Startup #UK #Sustainability #CleanTech #AgriTech #CircularEconomy #Entrepreneurship #Innovation

✨ We are thrilled to announce a new talent joining our team at INTENTIONAL. Please welcome Nacho Ferruses, who started with us a month ago as Program Coordinator & Communication Associate for the next six months, stepping in for Andreas while he studies in Berlin. Nacho brings with him a strong background in Journalism and International Studies of Peace, Conflict, and Development, along with hands-on experience in both media and organizational communication, notably his recent work at Copenhagen Pride. His ability to blend impactful storytelling with strategic vision is crucial for our projects, and we’re excited to see the contributions he will make to Leap Forward and our Diversity Commitment, where his focus on gender equality and diversity will help drive meaningful change in the startups we support. Please join us in welcoming Nacho! Together, we are ready to take on new challenges and continue fostering a more inclusive and responsible future 🌍🚀 #intentional #leapforward #dkstartup #diversity Industriens Fond

Are you ready to hit the road to international growth? 🚀 Here's what the journey looks like to LEAP FORWARD in the UK: With personalized advisory, hands-on masterclasses, and a market visit to the UK (put together by Sustainable Ventures), this program will equip you to scale sustainably and strategically. 👉 Apply now and join the first phase of the program. Link in the first comment! Questions? Reach out to Maria Grabowska at maria@intentional.dk. Industriens Fond, Stine Colding Alstrup, Aske Mørkeberg Sørensen, Astrid Balsink (she/her), Nacho Ferruses, #LeapForward #StartupGrowth #UK #Sustainability #CleanTech #AgriTech #CircularEconomy

Are you exploring UK expansion? 🇬🇧 Apply today to join LEAP FORWARD , a growth programme culminating with a tailored market visit in May of 2025! It is your opportunity to scale internationally, especially if sustainability is at the core of your business. With our UK partner, Sustainable Ventures, we'll help you navigate one of Europe's most vibrant startup ecosystems. 📅 Get ahead by applying by 20 December 2024. 🔸 What you will gain: •⁠ ⁠Tailored Advisory: 25 hours of personalised mentorship from experienced founders, investors, and operators. •⁠ ⁠Masterclasses: 5 sessions to prepare your startup for global market expansion. •⁠ ⁠UK Market Visit: Explore London and Manchester with the support of Sustainable Ventures, and other local experts. 🔸 We're looking for startups committed to sustainability within: •⁠ ⁠Clean Energy & Climate Tech •⁠ ⁠Agritech & Food Sustainability •⁠ ⁠Circular Economy •⁠ ⁠Community Empowerment & Environmental Equity •⁠ ⁠Conservation & Biodiversity Don’t miss the chance to expand your impact and grow with expert guidance. Apply today and take your leap forward. Link in the first comment! Have questions? Reach out to Maria Grabowska at maria@intentional.dk. Industriens Fond #LeapForward #UK #StartupGrowth #Sustainability #CleanTech #Agritech #CircularEconomy #ScalingStartups

We are kicking off this Monday with big news: LEAP FORWARD is launching an unforgettable journey for Danish startups. This time, we’re heading to the #UK! 🇬🇧 But hold on—it’s not only London we’re talking about (even though London’s energy is hard to beat). We’re taking things further, heading north to explore the exploding startup scene in Manchester. Because when it comes to the UK, the innovation doesn’t stop at the capital! 🚀 Now, here’s where it gets really exciting: This market visit is all about sustainability. 🌱 We’ve partnered with the incredible team at Sustainable Ventures. They have been a leader in climate tech and sustainability innovation since 2011. They share a bold vision—a world where commercial solutions rise to meet the challenges of climate change and resource scarcity. Sustainable Ventures has built Europe's largest cluster of net-zero, sustainability-focused startups. It has over 700 companies. Its mission is to scale 1,000 climate tech businesses by 2025. And now, you could be part of that story. So, if you’re a Danish startup specialising in one of our target verticals (below) and eager to explore the UK market, this is your moment. Mark your calendars—applications open on November 27th! 📅 Industriens Fond #LeapForward #SustainableVentures #Sustainability #ClimateTech #Innovation #DanishStartups #GreenTech

🌟 A reason to be proud 🌟 We are thrilled to share that The Diversity Commitment has been nominated for the EY Entrepreneur of The Year - Inspiration Prize Special, a recognition awarded among winners from the past five years in Denmark. 🙌 In 2022, The Diversity Commitment was honored as the regional winner in Copenhagen, and now it has the opportunity to inspire on an even larger scale with this special nomination. This year, we are honored to stand alongside incredible leaders and initiatives: - Rikke Wolff Hjorth, Senior Vice President of Matas A/S - Torben Larsen, CEO of Give Steel A/S - Ali E. Cevik, Founder and CEO of HR-ON - Trine Hansen, Founder of Party In A Box The Diversity Commitment represents our strong belief that we get the biggest returns on all levels if we design for #diversity and #inclusion from the get go - values that remain at the core of everything we do at INTENTIONAL. 💡 Access the link in the first comment to learn more about the nominees and this initiative. A big thank you to our team, partners, and everyone who has supported this journey. Congratulations to all of us! Industriens Fond #DiversityCommitment #EYInspirationPrize #INTENTIONAL #DiversityAndInclusion #Entrepreneurship

Day 4: Building Strong Foundations for the Future 🔨 On the final day of our Berlin market visit, the cohort gathered for one last session, hearing firsthand from Benjamin Thym, Co-Founder of Offerista Group. Ben has a unique perspective on the startup journey, having built a company over more than a decade, pivoting and innovating along the way to eventually exit. Ben emphasized the importance of staying opportunistic and being willing to pivot. Starting as a barcode app, Offerista went through several transformations before finding a scalable model. In the session we also talked about founder burnout. Building a startup is an immense challenge, and Ben encouraged founders to stand on “multiple pillars.” Whether that means having supportive co-founders, prioritizing family, staying physically active, or finding moments for mindfulness, these elements are crucial for balancing a life as an entrepreneur. This focus on mental health resonated with us, and links back to the very first virtual session in our accelerator, where we discussed mental health as a foundation for sustainable growth. With new ideas and renewed purpose, our startups are ready to bring this Berlin experience back to Denmark and beyond. THANK YOU  A special thank you to our incredible partner, Berlin Innovation Agency (BIA), for planning and organizing this market visit. Thank you, Florencia Fedel, Lou Kest, Paula Lozek, and the rest of the team for making this experience possible and truly impactful for everyone involved. 📷 Dominic Nemec (he/him) from Chop-Chop Studio GmbH #Intentional #LEAPFORWARD #DKStartups #BerlinEcosystem Industriens Fond Startups: Blåmst, Boogiz Dance App. Maja Juel-Hansen, byoms ApS, Crowd Cph, eXistential AI, Gogsig Barefoot Shoes, Interhuman AI, Social Vanilla, SQUARELY COPENHAGEN, TeleTech, VETiSearch, Waitly, Welldium.

Day 3: Take Your Business to the Next Level 💼 On the third day of the market visit, we delved into the investor landscape and practical strategies for startup growth, focusing on key lessons for navigating sales in Germany and engaging stakeholders. Here's what stood out: 1️⃣ Sales Strategy and Founders’ Dilemmas with Darius Moeini, CEO of Berlin Innovation Agency (BIA) Darius Moeini introduced us to one of the biggest dilemmas faced by any founder: when to stay the course and when to pivot. He highlighted the importance of balancing focus on core goals with seizing new opportunities. According to Darius, focus only works when there is absolute clarity about what your objectives are. Without this clarity, it’s easy to be swayed by opportunities that end up diluting efforts and resources. He also provided a framework for thinking about sales, highlighting that a successful sales process involves structured stages that founders and teams must master: Step 1: Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) – Establish clarity about who your target customers are and what problems you are solving for them.  Step 2: Building Your Funnel – Measure from day one.  Step 3: Relationships Matter – Use the BANT Model (Budget, Authority, Need, and Timing)  Step 4: Capitalize on Opportunities – Turn every relationship and engagement into actionable growth steps. 2️⃣Support for Startups by Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie GmbH During the session, we explored the role of Berlin Partner in supporting startups looking to establish themselves in the city. This organization offers a comprehensive range of services, including office location support, talent recruitment services, and guidance on financing, helping startups navigate the complex financial landscape of the region. 3️⃣Pitching Session at Ahoy! Berlin In this session, the startups got to put all their previously gained knowledge into action as they each pitched for 5 minutes in front of investors and industry stakeholders. Thank you for taking the time to come and give feedback Christoph Raethke, Alena Redeker, Jessica Wimalasooriyar, Francesca Baillieu, Isabelle Thierfelder, Fabian Koenig, Miguel Encarnacion, Kasia Zalewska 4️⃣ Evening Networking at Ahoy with Danish Industry & Scandinavian Business Hub The day concluded with a networking event that brought together the Nordic tech community in Berlin. Anna Boss, Head of Sales DACH at Too Good To Go, shared her inspiring journey, providing practical insights on how to successfully scale a business in Germany. We also heard from Dipl. -Ing.Norhan Othman from Startup Migrants , who discussed the many funding options available for students and how his organization has helped launch over 80 companies. Thank you so much to the speakers and participants for this day: your stories are key to laying the foundations in the German market! 📷 Dominic Nemec (he/him) from Chop-Chop Studio #Intentional #LEAPFORWARD #DKStartups #BerlinEcosystem Industriens Fond

📣 Calling all Nordic startups! This is an opportunity to shine as one of the Nordics' fastest-growing startups on Sifted's leaderboard for the region. We’re looking for startups in the Nordics with a strong track record of revenue generation to feature on our inaugural leaderboard — a ranking celebrating the region’s successful startups. The deadline is EOD on November 13. Details and applications are here: https://lnkd.in/dn7CcQjD If you require any further information, feel free to message me.

Day 2: Key Steps for Successful Market Entry 🇩🇪 On the second day we dove into legal aspects, impactful business models, and networking in Berlin's vibrant ecosystem. Here are the key highlights: 1️⃣ Legal Aspects of Doing Business in Germany with The Startup ☕ We started with a session on the legal aspects of doing business in Germany, led by Vittorio De Vecchi Lajolo. We learned that it’s not mandatory to establish an entity in Germany to operate; however, Germans prefer to work with local entities, especially when it comes to public funding access. 2️⃣ Innovative Business Models with Fred Henderson from Ecosia 🌍 At Ecosia, Fred introduced us to the business model of Europe’s largest nonprofit search engine and the first B Corp in Germany. Ecosia donates 100% of its profits to climate causes and has already planted over 250 million trees. Its structure ensures it cannot be sold, securing its ecological mission for the long term and reinforcing user trust. 3️⃣ How to Do Business in Germany with Maciej Matti Kawecki from the Scandinavian Business Hub 🌐 Maciej shared insights on how Nordic companies adjust their strategies to enter the German market. Each region has unique characteristics, so adapting sales channels is essential for effective expansion. 4️⃣ Financing in Germany vs. the Nordic Countries with Natalie Milde from Future Energy Ventures  💸 Natalie provided key advice on fundraising in Germany, highlighting that, as an Article 9 fund, their investments must have a positive impact. She recommended having clear and direct communication, and not burning top contacts early in the process. Her final tip: “be the one in the yellow shirt” to stand out in a competitive market. 5️⃣ Impact Hub Berlin: Networking 🤝 We wrapped up the day at Impact Hub Berlin, connecting with entrepreneurs and sharing ideas. Thanks to all speakers and participants for the insights shared yesterday, which will be instrumental for our next steps in Germany! #Intentional #LEAPFORWARD #DKStartups #BerlinEcosystem #Sustainability #MarketVisit Industriens Fond Blåmst, Boogiz Dance App. Maja Juel-Hansen, byoms ApS, Crowd Cph, eXistential AI, Gogsig Barefoot Shoes, Interhuman AI, Social Vanilla, SQUARELY COPENHAGEN, TeleTech, VETiSearch, Waitly, Welldium.