Incubator aixLAB
Batch 2027 · January to April 2027
aixLAB: Incubator for Digital, Robotics and 3D Printing
In three months, you take your startup in digital, robotics or 3D printing to the next level: with dedicated sessions for your track, coaches and experienced mentors, and direct access to the digitalHUB Aachen network. You sharpen your product-market fit, develop your sales and go-to-market strategy and get ready for your first funding round. This is not about theory. It’s about doing.
Application deadline: 15 November 2026
- Tracks: Digital, Robotics and 3D Printing
- Format: Tuesday afternoons, mostly online
- Duration: Three months, January to April 2027
- Cost: Free of charge
Is aixLAB right for you?
aixLAB is for early-stage startups building a scalable product in one of three areas. Each track has its own sessions on product-market fit, B2B sales and go-to-market.
Track 01 – Digital
Software, platforms and data-driven business models, for example SaaS for industry and SMEs.
Track 02 – Robotics
Hardware and software for automation, from gripping technology to autonomous systems.
Track 03 – 3D Printing
Additive manufacturing, new materials and applications, and services around 3D printing.
What you bring
- You have an innovative and scalable business idea in one of the three tracks.
- You have the ambition to take the next step within three months, and you are open to discussing and developing your idea with others.
- An idea is enough to apply. You don’t need to have founded a company yet.
- Solo founders and students are welcome too.
How aixLAB works
Most sessions take place online on Tuesday afternoons. At the kick-off and on selected on-site days, you meet the other teams in person.
- January – Kick-off: Founder mindset and networking at the digitalCHURCH
- February – Deep dives by track: Product-market fit, B2B sales and go-to-market for Digital, Robotics and 3D Printing
- March – Organisation & governance: People operations, term sheets and ESOPs
- March to April – Fundraising & investors: Pitch deck, investor landscape and due diligence
- April – Pitching to the jury: Pitch training and final pitches to the jury
- May to June: Break
- July – demoDAY: The best teams pitch for prize money in front of a large audience
Three months, three phases: first you sharpen your product and market within your track, then you set up your startup organisationally and legally, and finally you prepare for investors. The programme ends with the demoDAY in July.
Support: Alongside the sessions, you have a personal coach, one-on-one coaching with your mentor and regular peer reviews with the other teams.
What you take away
- A sharper product-market fit and a clear go-to-market strategy
- The organisational and legal foundations for your team and funding
- An investor-ready pitch deck and pitching experience in front of a jury
Our speakers
In the sessions, founders, investors and practitioners share their knowledge. Speakers for Batch 2027 include representatives of these companies and institutions:
HTGF · FibreCoat · Robotics Collective · caesar · RWTH Aachen University
More speakers will be announced soon.
Impressions from Batch 2026
How to apply
- Apply via the portal: You apply online with your contact details and a short description of your idea.
- Selection pitch: Shortlisted teams present their idea to a jury in a short pitch.
- Confirmation: You receive your acceptance and start in January with the kick-off at the digitalCHURCH.
Application deadline: 15 November 2026
Questions before you apply? Book a short call with us in advance.
The application form is provided via monday.com. You can find information on how we process your data in our privacy policy.
What we offer
- Enterprise membership: Free Enterprise membership of the digitalHUB Aachen for six months
- Peer reviews and mentoring: Regular peer reviews with other startups and one-on-one coaching with mentors
- Personal coach: Individual support from your personal coach
- Expert feedback: Feedback from alumni and experienced entrepreneurs
- Workshops and matchmaking: Exclusive offers on finance, recruiting, pitching and marketing
- demoDAY: Visibility and prize money for the best teams at the big demoDAY
Additional benefits as an Enterprise member
A strong network
- Access to more than 200 established companies from SMEs and industry
- Exchange with other founders in the HUB community
- Contacts to investors and advisors
- Access to the NRW-wide network of NRW HUBs in Bonn, Düsseldorf, Duisburg, Münsterland and Cologne
- Euregio: access to coworking spaces in Hasselt, Belgium (Corda Campus) and in the Netherlands (Brightlands und Qeske) plus networking at joint events
Also included
- Coworking at the digitalCHURCH: Desks and meeting rooms for the entire startup team
- Full media presence: Visibility through our marketing campaigns
- And much more: All services for startups at the digitalHUB
digitalHUB Aachen in numbers
More than 350 startups and over 200 established companies from SMEs and industry, connected with 5 other NRW HUBs.
- 550+ member companies
- €500m in funding raised by the HUB community since 2017
- 1,800+ direct matchings
- 1,300+ coaching sessions
- 96 founder scholarships
- 100+ (networking) events per year
Our Incubation Program is implemented in close collaboration with European Digital Innovation Hub Rheinland (EDIH), Aachen University of Applied Sciences, RWTH Innovation, the TIME Chair at RWTH, the DAP Chair at RWTH, and the Rhineland Mining Region, and is funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Climate Protection, and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the European Union, and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.