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Deep Tech Incubators in Europe (2027): 14 Incubators, Venture Builders and Fellowships for Scientists and Engineers

Deep Tech Incubators and Venture Builders in Europe: Where Scientists and Engineers Build Companies

Deep tech startups need more than a desk and a demo day. They need lab or workshop access, time to get from research to a prototype, help with IP, and money that does not force a pivot after three months. This guide covers 14 incubators, venture builders and fellowships in Europe built for that: programmes that create companies from science (Deep Science Ventures, Conception X, HighTechXL), university and research-institute routes (ETH Zurich, UnternehmerTUM, Oxford, imec), and EU-level programmes such as the ESA Business Incubation Centres and EIT. We checked every programme on its own website in October 2026, took equity, fees, money and next intakes from those pages only, and moved the incubators from the old list that closed, changed or never were incubators into a separate section.
Quick answer: if you are a scientist without an idea or team yet, look at Deep Science Ventures, Entrepreneurs First or, during a PhD, Conception X. If you have a prototype and want to keep your equity, apply to the UnternehmerTUM Incubator (Munich, free), YES!Delft (no equity, a fee and a success fee) or an ESA Business Incubation Centre (€50,000 equity-free for space-related startups). If you want cash in return for a convertible loan, imec.istart invests €100,000 in Belgium; for life science, the BioInnovation Institute in Denmark offers up to DKK 4 million. Upcoming deadlines: Conception X (6 December 2026), imec.istart Belgium (1 to 31 January 2027) and YES!Delft (1 March 2027).
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Deep Tech Incubators in Europe Compared

ProgrammeWhereWho it is forWhat it gives (official page)Equity or feeNext intake
Deep Science VenturesUKScientists, before an idea or teamUp to 18 months to form a company, funded for the full duration, pre-scoped opportunitiesNot publishedOpen to founders year-round
Entrepreneurs FirstLondon; residency for EuropeansIndividuals before a co-founder or ideaEquity-free grant, then up to $250K investment, 12 weeks in San FranciscoYes, on the investmentRolling applications
Conception X15 countriesTechnical PhD researchers9-month Venture Scientist 100 fellowship alongside the PhDNot publishedApply by 6 December 2026
ETH Pioneer FellowshipZurich, SwitzerlandYoung scientists at ETH ZurichStarting capital, coaching and access to infrastructure, 10 to 15 fellows a yearNot publishedSee ETH Zurich
UnternehmerTUM Incubator and AcceleratorMunich, GermanyDeep tech teams, idea to market10 to 12 weeks (Incubator) or 3 months (Accelerator), MakerSpace, creditsNo equity, freeIncubator applications open in December
ESA Business Incubation CentresCentres across EuropeSpace-related startupsUp to 2 years of incubation, €50K equity-free fundingNoSet by each centre
EIT Jumpstarter and EIT programmesEU and associated countriesIdea-stage teamsTraining, mentoring, prizes of €2,500 to €10,000None stated2026 call closed
BioInnovation InstituteDenmarkLife science, biosolutions, quantumVenture Lab: 1 year, up to DKK 4MNot publishedSee bii.dk
AgoranovParis, FranceScience and tech foundersIncubation, a business adviser, acceleration programmeNot publishedApplications on its site
Station FParis, FranceEarly-stage tech; deep tech via partner programmesFounders Program 3 to 18 months; Marble and Lab Quantique on campusDesk from €259 a monthRolling (Founders Program)
YES!Delft AcceleratorDelft, NetherlandsTech startups with a prototype and traction3 months plus at least 5 years of supportNo equity; €3,500 fee, €25K success feeDeadline 1 March 2027
HighTechXLEindhoven, NetherlandsFounders joining a hardware deep tech venture12-month venture building programmeShares split, e.g. 70% foundersStarts February and October
imec.istartBelgium, Netherlands, Spain and moreTech startups with a working proof of concept€100K convertible loan, up to €300K, 12 to 18 monthsConvertible loanBelgium: 1 to 31 January 2027
Oxford University Innovation IncubatorOxford, UKOxford students, staff and alumniSupport for ideas not based on University-owned IPNot publishedApply on its site
Sources: each programme's official website, checked 30 October 2026. Terms change between cohorts; read the current application guidelines before you apply.

The 14 Best Deep Tech Incubators and Venture Builders in Europe for 2027

1. Deep Science Ventures (United Kingdom): a venture creator for scientists

Deep Science Ventures describes itself as a venture creator that combines available scientific knowledge with founder-type scientists. Instead of waiting for you to bring an idea, it pre-scopes opportunities in agriculture, climate, computation and pharma, and recruits scientists to work on them. According to its founders page, founders get up to 18 months to form a company, are funded for the full duration, work with a sector specialist team and can form more than one company during that time. It also runs a Venture Science Doctorate for researchers who want to learn venture creation during a PhD. It does not publish equity terms or intake dates; it says it is always open to meeting new founders.

2. Entrepreneurs First (London): find a co-founder before you have a company

Entrepreneurs First (EF) invests in individuals before they have a team or an idea, and its portfolio includes deep tech companies such as underwater robotics and satellite propulsion. Its FAQ describes an equity-free grant to cover living costs while you look for a co-founder, then up to $250,000 of equity investment for teams that pass its investment committee, with local terms per hub. The programme is a 12-week FORM phase followed by a 12-week LAUNCH programme in San Francisco. EF's hubs are now London, the US and Bangalore; Europeans can apply to the London programme or to its residency programmes for Europeans. EF no longer lists Paris or Berlin offices, which the 2025 version of this article mentioned. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

3. Conception X (pan-European): a venture fellowship for PhD researchers

Conception X helps technical PhD researchers find out whether their research can become a company. Its flagship Venture Scientist 100 is a 9-month fellowship for a cohort of about 100 researchers, designed to run alongside the PhD, and the organisation says it covers 15 countries. A separate 10-week programme called Raise prepares science teams for investment, and top teams can receive investment. The page does not publish equity terms. Applications for the spring 2027 cohorts close on 6 December 2026.

4. ETH Pioneer Fellowship (Zurich, Switzerland): starting capital for ETH researchers

The Pioneer Fellowship is ETH Zurich's route from research to a product. According to the ETH Zurich Foundation, around 10 to 15 Pioneer Fellowships are awarded each year by an expert panel, and fellows receive starting capital, coaching and access to infrastructure. The foundation does not state the amount; Startupticker.ch lists it as CHF 150,000. There is also a Social Impact Pioneer Fellowship. The programme is only open to the ETH Zurich community, so check eligibility and call dates with ETH before you plan around it.

5. UnternehmerTUM Incubator and Accelerator (Munich, Germany): free, no equity

The UnternehmerTUM Incubator at the Technical University of Munich supports deep tech startups from a validated idea to market and investment readiness, with a focus on co-founder matching. It names software and AI, robotics, quantum, aerospace, energy, healthcare and additive manufacturing among its focus areas, lasts 10 to 12 weeks in a hybrid format and starts in March and September. It is free, and UnternehmerTUM says it does not take any equity. Teams get coaches, the MakerSpace high-tech workshop, software and cloud credits and access to UnternehmerTUM's funding and venture capital arms. Its site says the next application phase starts in December. For teams closer to market, the UnternehmerTUM Accelerator is a free three-month programme with two batches a year, and founders keep 100% of their equity. According to Munich Startup, the Accelerator is the programme formerly called XPRENEURS, renamed in June 2026.

6. ESA Business Incubation Centres (across Europe): €50,000 equity-free for space-related startups

The ESA Business Incubation Centres (ESA BICs) are, in ESA's words, the largest network of incubators supporting space-related startups in Europe. They take startups that use space-based systems such as satellite navigation, Earth observation or satellite communication, use space technology in a non-space domain, or build products for the space sector. ESA offers up to two years of incubation at the centre of your choice and €50,000 in equity-free funding for product and IP development. You apply through the local centre, which sets its own cut-off dates, and the incubation contract is signed with a company, so you register one before you sign.
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7. EIT Jumpstarter and EIT business creation programmes (EU-wide)

EIT Jumpstarter is the European Institute of Innovation and Technology's pre-acceleration programme for idea-stage teams: training, mentoring and prizes of €2,500, €5,000 or €10,000, plus a travel budget. At least one team member must be a citizen of an eligible EU or Horizon Europe associated country. The 2026 call is closed, so watch the site for the next edition. Beyond Jumpstarter, the EIT business creation programmes run through its communities, including Climate-KIC, EIT Health and 28DIGITAL (formerly EIT Digital), and its Supernovas programmes are designed for women in tech.

8. BioInnovation Institute (Denmark): funded programmes for life science and quantum

The BioInnovation Institute (BII) runs three programmes. Venture Lab is a one-year programme for early-stage start-ups with up to DKK 4 million in funding, scientific maturation, team development and an anchor who guides the team. Bio Studio is a three-year programme for academic researchers with up to DKK 5.35 million in funding per year, and Quantum Lab is a six-month programme for early-stage quantum technology start-ups run with NATO DIANA. BII's own pages do not state the equity or loan terms; read its applicant guidelines before you apply.

9. Agoranov (Paris, France): the science and tech incubator

Agoranov calls itself the sciences and tech incubator of Paris. Its incubation programme has three verticals, industry and greentech, digital, and health, and gives founders a dedicated business adviser, turnkey office space and an acceleration programme of workshops and office hours with experts, industry partners and alumni. It says its alumni community counts more than 1,000 entrepreneurs, and it also runs a Young Entrepreneurs in Residence programme in which people work for 6 to 12 months alongside its deep tech startups. Terms and fees are not published on its homepage.

10. Station F (Paris, France): a campus with deep tech partner programmes

Station F is a general startup campus rather than a deep tech incubator, but deep tech founders use it through partner programmes such as Marble, a climate tech startup studio that brings scientists, engineers and operators together, and Lab Quantique for quantum computing. Its own Founders Program lasts 3 to 18 months, offers mentoring, a fast track to VCs and a chance of Station F funding, and costs from €259 per desk per month; applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. For the wider list of general incubators, including Station F's other programmes, see our guide to startup incubators in Europe.

11. YES!Delft (Delft, Netherlands): no equity, a success fee instead

YES!Delft describes itself as one of the leading tech incubators in Europe. Its Accelerator is a three-month programme followed by at least five years of support with access to funding, talent, market and facilities. It does not take equity: the participation fee is €3,500 excluding VAT per team, plus a €25,000 success fee triggered at €1 million in additional annual revenue. The next deadline is 1 March 2027, for a programme that runs from 7 April to 25 June 2027.
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12. HighTechXL (Eindhoven, Netherlands): join a hardware deep tech venture as a co-founder

HighTechXL calls itself the Netherlands' deep tech venture builder. It scouts hardware-based technologies from industry and research partners and matches them with founders, and you can also bring your own idea or co-founder. Its 12-month Venture Building Program (9 to 12 months in its FAQ) runs in three phases, from validation to an investor-ready startup, and starts twice a year, in February and October. Know the deal before you apply: founders are not paid to join, once a month all co-founders must attend a Sprint Week in Eindhoven, and the shares are split, for example 70% for the co-founders and 30% for HighTechXL and the technology partner. Graduates finalise a first investment round with HighTechXL, which also runs the PreSeedXL Fund. See also our list of Eindhoven startups to watch.

13. imec.istart (Belgium and beyond): €100,000 for tech startups with a proof of concept

imec.istart, the accelerator and fund of the research centre imec, backs founders with a working proof of concept who are building their business in Belgium. It invests €100,000 through one convertible loan agreement, with follow-up investment possible up to €300,000 in total, and gives 12 to 18 months of hands-on support, including a biannual Investors Day with more than 100 investors. The next Belgian call, Spring 2027, runs from 1 to 31 January 2027. imec.istart also runs calls in other countries, including the Netherlands and Spain, each with its own focus and dates.

14. Oxford University Innovation Incubator (Oxford, United Kingdom)

Oxford University Innovation (OUI) is the University of Oxford's innovation company: it protects IP, licenses technologies and creates spinouts. Its Incubator is for ventures that do not rely on University-owned IP and need technical or commercial development; at least one founder must be an Oxford student, staff member or fully matriculated alum. OUI says the Incubator has supported around 50 startups a year. If your idea is based on University research, OUI's spinout route applies instead.

Deep Tech Incubators From Older Lists That Closed or Changed

The 2025 version of this article listed 15 programmes. Only Entrepreneurs First, HighTechXL, Station F, Oxford University Innovation and UnternehmerTUM are still in the list above. The others:
  • DeepTech Alliance still runs, but as corporate matchmaking programmes (manufacturing, utility, energy and buildings in 2026), not as an incubator. We removed its unsourced numbers.
  • Seedcamp is a seed investor, not an incubator, and its site does not publish the old €100,000 for 7.5% terms.
  • Techstars no longer lists London or Berlin accelerators; the old $100,000 for 6% figure was removed.
  • Startupbootcamp still lists a Deeptech and Robotics cohort, but not the €15,000 figure from the old list.
  • Katapult is now katapult.vc, an Oslo-based family of impact funds and accelerators rather than a deep tech incubator.
  • NUMA and Lighthouse: their websites no longer load. Launchpad: launchpad.com redirects to a web hosting company.
  • Greenhouse: we could not confirm a current programme behind greenhouseaccelerator.com, so we removed it.
  • Analytics Vidhya is an Indian data science community, not a European incubator.

Which Deep Tech Incubator Should You Choose?

  • You are a scientist with no idea or team yet: Deep Science Ventures, Entrepreneurs First, or HighTechXL if you want to join a hardware venture as a co-founder.
  • You are doing a PhD: Conception X runs alongside it; at ETH Zurich, apply for a Pioneer Fellowship; at Oxford, talk to OUI.
  • You want to keep 100% of your equity: the UnternehmerTUM Incubator or Accelerator, an ESA BIC, or YES!Delft (no equity, but a fee and a success fee).
  • You need cash now: imec.istart (€100,000 convertible loan), the BioInnovation Institute for life science, or the ESA BICs' €50,000 for space.
  • You build space, quantum or climate tech: an ESA BIC for space, BII Quantum Lab or Station F's Lab Quantique for quantum, Marble at Station F for climate.
  • You are at the idea stage anywhere in the EU: EIT Jumpstarter's next edition.
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How Deep Tech Founders Use These Programmes

A deep tech incubator works best when you arrive with a clear problem and a first customer conversation, not just a paper. Test demand with our 30-day validation sprint before you apply, and read terms like an investor: a convertible loan, a success fee and a 70/30 share split all cost you something later, which our guide to term sheet negotiation explains. Location matters for hardware and lab work, so compare the best deep tech cities in Europe and the best countries for startups in Europe. If you build AI rather than hardware or science, our list of AI startup incubators in Europe and accelerators for AI startups fit better.
Most deep tech companies combine an incubator with non-dilutive money. Start with our guides to grants for early-stage startups in Europe, European funds for startups and grants for female entrepreneurs in Europe; our sister site grant-grants.com explains the EIC Accelerator and German startup grants such as EXIST. When you are ready to raise, see our lists of deep tech VCs in Europe, deep tech angel investors in Europe and pre-seed VCs in Europe, and pitch at startup competitions in Europe.

FAQ About Deep Tech Incubators in Europe

What is a deep tech incubator?

A deep tech incubator supports startups built on scientific or engineering breakthroughs, such as new materials, biotech, quantum, space or robotics. Compared with a general incubator, it usually offers longer support, access to labs or workshops, and help with IP and technical risk.

What is the difference between a deep tech incubator and a venture builder?

An incubator supports a startup you bring. A venture builder or venture creator, such as Deep Science Ventures or HighTechXL, starts from a technology or a pre-scoped problem and recruits founders to build a company around it, usually keeping a larger share.

Which deep tech incubators in Europe take no equity?

The UnternehmerTUM Incubator and Accelerator are free and take no equity, the ESA Business Incubation Centres give €50,000 equity-free, and YES!Delft takes no equity but charges a €3,500 fee and a €25,000 success fee once you add €1 million in annual revenue.

Which programmes fund scientists before they have a company?

Deep Science Ventures funds founders for up to 18 months while they form a company, Entrepreneurs First gives an equity-free grant while you look for a co-founder, and ETH Zurich's Pioneer Fellowship gives starting capital to ETH researchers.

Can I join a deep tech programme during my PhD?

Yes. Conception X's Venture Scientist 100 is a 9-month fellowship designed to run alongside a PhD. Applications for the spring 2027 cohorts close on 6 December 2026.

How much does imec.istart invest?

imec.istart invests €100,000 through a convertible loan agreement, with follow-up investment possible up to €300,000 in total, for startups with a working proof of concept. The next Belgian call runs from 1 to 31 January 2027.

Is XPRENEURS still running?

Yes, under a new name. According to Munich Startup, UnternehmerTUM renamed XPRENEURS the UnternehmerTUM Accelerator in June 2026, and its earlier Xplore programme became the UnternehmerTUM Incubator.

Are there deep tech incubators for space startups?

Yes. The ESA Business Incubation Centres offer up to two years of incubation and €50,000 in equity-free funding for startups that use space technology or build for the space sector. You apply through your local centre.

Are there programmes for women in deep tech?

The EIT runs Supernovas programmes designed for women in tech, and many deep tech incubators run women founder tracks; UnternehmerTUM, for example, has a Women Startup community. Our guide to grants for female entrepreneurs in Europe lists funding you can combine with them.

Where can I get a backlink by writing about my deep tech startup?

You can publish a guest post in one of the Fe/male Switch startup blogs, which rank in Google and in AI tools. Get a quality backlink.

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
2026-10-30 19:53 Top 15