Design your start-up journey your way! If you're an early-stage team with an innovative tech idea, XPLORE Freerider offers the flexibility, expert support, and community to help you tackle challenges. Choose from diverse modules like storytelling and financing, and start growing with us!
Why Join?
Shape your own path to success! XPLORE Freerider is perfect for early-stage teams with big ideas, offering flexible support and guidance from experienced trainers and experts to help you overcome entrepreneurial challenges.
What Awaits You?
Join live online trainings tailored to your early stage. Choose from five modules, get personalized feedback, and refine your skills through coaching and pitch sessions.
By the end, you'll have:
- defined your target market
- clarified your value propositions
- gained funding insights
- built a foundation for your MVP
Who Should Apply?
You, if you are a start-up which
- consists of minimum 2 team members,
- has a tech idea, that longs to take it to the next level,
- has an identified problem scenario which is worthwhile solving.
Moreover, you
- want to successfully align your idea to customer needs,
- aim to develop convincing and sustainable business models,
- are a founding team which values flexibility and self-driven venture development,
- are committed to actively participate in the XPLORE Freerider offerings.
This Program Is for You If You Are Like...
Team BIOEXOTEC
BIOEXOTEC joined XPLORE Freerider for their first steps into entrepreneurship. Thanks to the flexible format, they attended seminars and trainings at their own pace. Alongside gaining valuable insights and contacts within the UnternehmerTUM ecosystem, they completed the Customer Discovery and Business Creation modules, preparing them for the Market Pioneer program. They continue to benefit from Freerider's additional sessions on patenting, fundraising, and more.
"XPLORE Freerider boosted our confidence in starting a business, sharpened our pitching skills, and guided us in shaping our business model. It's perfect for those with busy schedules, offering flexibility and opportunities to connect online."
How Does Your Training Journey Look Like?
Shape your own start-up journey with XPLORE Freerider! Craft a path tailored to your needs by selecting from our flexible training calendar. After being accepted for the program, you begin with Jumpstart, our onboarding session, where we guide you through the program and prepare you for what’s ahead. Choose from five core modules: Customer Discovery, Business Creation, Legal & Finance, PowerUp Skills, and PowerUp Team. Each module builds on the last, ensuring a comprehensive foundation. Along the way, enjoy access to inspiring trainings, workshops, and coaching sessions. Active and engaged participants can qualify for our exclusive on-site coaching and pitching event Pitch & Polish, offering hands-on advice to elevate your start-up.
- Jumpstart
This is your first step into the Freerider journey. This online session is mandatory in order to access all trainings. You will get to know other start-ups and get a detailed overview of our online training platform Cirqus. Moreover, you can ask all your questions before getting started.
- PowerUp Skills
Entrepreneurial skills are crucial when engaging in innovation and developing your start-up idea. Within this module we offer a variety of training sessions to improve your entrepreneurial skills. Learn how to effectively tell your own start-up story, that evokes powerful emotions and how to convince your audience with the right pitches.
- Customer Discovery
Build a solution that solves a customer's problem. Our sessions around Value Proposition, Persona Development, and Customer Interviews are the cornerstones for any desirable, marketable product. The Customer Discovery module is a perfect start to lay the foundation for your start-up journey. This module consists of six sessions and an individual office hour.
- Business Creation
After validating your problem-solution fit, and setting the frame for your venture, you should take a deeper look on your market, competitor analysis, and pricing in order to set the scene for your viable business model. This module consists of three different sessions and an individual office hour.
- Legal & Finance
Every organization and business operates in a legal framework. Acknowledging that every industry has different regulatory rules, there is a foundational perspective on funding, financing, and legal requirements of start-ups. Not every approach is right for every organization, but in this module, we try to convey the basics and notions which shape the possibility of creating a business through strong legal support and background on funding and financing. Moreover, you have individual counsel hours with our expert to address your specific legal questions.
- PowerUp Team
Your team is everything. In this module we'll train you for what it takes to build a high-performing group of individuals with our team development, talent recruiting, and leadership training sessions. This module consists of two training sessions and an individual review session.
- Specials
Discover hot topics and hit upon new exciting and current insights, such as Cold Calling, Prototyping, Sustainable and Circular Models and many more!
- Pitch & Polish
Great effort must be rewarded. Everyone proceeds in their own speed - that's what Freerider stands for. However, we want to give those who are actively working on their start-up's success a little sweetener. Once a month you have the opportunity to apply for our exclusive Pitch & Polish session, where you pitch directly in front of our coaches and receive an in-person expert feedback as well as focus on the key milestones that will drive your start-up forward. The more trainings you attend the higher are your chances of accessing this invaluable hands-on coaching!
Don't miss the opportunity to polish up your pitching skills!
1. Introductory Video
Your video should be concise yet comprehensive, ideally lasting 90 seconds but not exceeding 180 seconds. Ensure that it includes the following elements from our video checklist.
2. Pitch Deck
Your pitch deck should comprehensively cover all aspects of your start-up. Please download and use our Pitch Checklist to ensure you include all necessary information.
3. OnePager
Your OnePager should briefly describe your idea, value proposition, market, and team members. Use the attached template, rename the file with your start-up name, and upload it as a PDF.
4. Fill in the form!
Your Next Steps
After XPLORE Freerider, take these steps to advance your start-up.
XPLORE Market Pioneer
XPRENEURS
Get all the latest updates on when our training modules start by subscribing to our XPLORE Freerider Training Overview!
FAQs
- Is having a team absolutely necessary to join XPLORE Freerider?
Well… yes and no.
You can always join the XPLORE Home Base with a fine selection of our training sessions, regardless of your team status. All other sessions are addressing early-stage start-up teams and their challenges, which is why a team is required for those. - I have three team members in my start-up. Do all of us need to join all sessions?
We of course love to get to know the team during the Onboarding Session - or as many members as possible. Some of our training sessions do require team participation, but that will be stated in the training description. For all other sessions, we are happy for every person joining but do not require each team member to be present. If you feel the topic can be valuable for all of you - then join the session with the full team.
- Are the training sessions on-demand videos or live sessions?
Currently, all our training sessions are conducted online and live by our Trainers. Our sessions are conducted on a regular basis, so you can easily sign up for the upcoming sessions of your preferred training. This is why we at XPLORE Freerider do not have a time limit for your stay with us. Whenever you need training, you sign up for it.
- What are the Coaches going to do? Are they obligated to maintain confidentiality about our start-up?
Important things first. All our Coaches are obliged to keep all confidential information secret. This obligation extends beyond the duration of your stay with XPLORE Freerider. The purpose of the sessions with a Coach is to help you navigate through our offers and support you along your unique XPLORE Freerider journey. Also, they are your connecting dot to the UnternehmerTUM ecosystem and will share any additional suitable offerings to make you hit the next stage.
Contact
Any questions about XPLORE Freerider?
Reach out to us at xplore.freerider@unternehmertum.de