Supporting the Green and Digital Transformation through Individualized Startup-Grownup Pilots - 4 Years of A² Accelerator

The digital transformation and the acceleration of technological innovations in the energy sector are vital measures to counteract the acute effects of climate change. 

Established organizational structures impede energy companies from developing new business models in-house. In-house innovations are mostly limited to incremental improvements of existing solutions. To scale, startups seek funding and strategic alliances. In return, they exhibit unique capabilities, such as deploying agile, creative practices and accomplishing considerable performance with limited resources. In this regard, the interplay of respective strengths and needs within an innovation project benefits both: the externalization of innovation for established and the market expertise for young companies. Targeting these benefits, WISTA developed and operated the A² accelerator: a topicspecific, customized, and non-commercial program that fosters collaborations between startups and grownups through curated pilots.

 This paper demonstrates the design of the A² accelerator, intending to share relevant insights and know-how with fellow STPs and AOIs