November is for Oceans
30.11.2021MAZE has been accelerating and investing in solutions contributing to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) since our foundation in 2013. To get a macro overview of our work, we will write about how some of the startups we work with are positively contributing to a specific UN SDG. In November, we delve […]
Meet Maze X new cohort
22.03.2021Maze X’s third edition is going live, remotely, on April 19th. The third cohort was selected in a thorough assessment that ended with the final selection committee comprised of MAZE, the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, the Edmond de Rothschild Foundations, PLMJ, BNP Paribas and Hospital da Luz Learning Health.
Four growing impact businesses that were accelerated by Maze X Startup Accelerator
10.11.2020Last year, EU-Startups posted an article with 4 recommendations to help you get into Maze X. In 2020, it shared four success stories of four Maze X alumni, why they were chosen and how the programme helped them boost their impact. We are resharing it here too. Vytal, a smart reusable packaging-as-a-service for takeaway Convenient […]
10 ways to keep your online community engaged (or to throw a great house party)
08.09.2020There’s nothing like a good house party, right? You’re not alone. I feel you.
Well, let me tell you there are at least 10 ways a good online community is somewhat like a good house party. For clarity, and as program manager, I will use the example of Maze X, an impact startup accelerator based in Lisbon, Portugal, to explain how we have succeeded in getting the party started and going. I hope these action-oriented tips help you to create great community engagement — or throw an amazing house party after the pandemic.
How to set the scene for a successful Corporate Startup pilot
29.07.2020I’ve always been a believer in the value of Corporate/Startup relationships. Today, I am lucky enough to witness the synergies of such partnerships at MAZE, and we’ve compiled a few tips on how to set the scene for successful Corporate/Startup pilots.
5 tips for shifting a startup accelerator programme to online
04.06.2020Confronted with COVID-19, my team and I had to move the accelerator to online ASAP. Here are some of the main lessons we’ve learned throughout the preparation process.
How to find the best impact startups across Europe: 3 guiding steps
03.06.2020Scouting is a fancy word that usually refers to the activity of “looking for people with particular skills”. In the case of Maze X and in this article, this definition is somehow incomplete for us. The way we look at scouting is more on building a relationship with extraordinary founders that are solving the most pressing social and environmental issues.
Meet the second cohort of Maze X
11.05.202010 innovative solutions that range from clean electricity, sustainable fishing, and the inclusion of dyslexic people.
How are Maze X startups dealing with the current crisis?
30.04.2020While it is still a hard task to predict the level of change we are facing in the many socioeconomic pillars that rule our society, we are certain that challenging times lie ahead for most of us. The impact investing ecosystem is no exception to what is coming.
Maze X at Change NOW with EdRF
14.02.2020The first cohort of Maze X ended their acceleration experience at the Change NOW summit in Paris, a 3-day conference where the most promising impact entrepreneurs, investors, corporates and decision-makers meet. Maze X was hosted by its founding partner, the Edmond de Rothschild Foundations and was featured in an exhibition booth, two roundtables and pop-up events.
Interview with Bernardo from MyPolis
12.02.2020MAZE sat down with Bernardo, founder and CEO of MyPolis, to learn how it all came to be.
Interview with Udai from Tuki
06.02.2020MAZE sat down with Udai D., founder and CEO of Tuki, to learn how it all came to be.
Interview with Reinaldo from Springkode
22.01.2020MAZE sat down with Reinaldo Moreira, co-founder of Springkode, to learn how it all came to be.
Learnings from AMPLIFICA, the early-stage impact startup accelerator in Oporto
13.01.2020The Área Metropolitana do Porto (AMP), along with MAZE and the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, completed the third edition of AMPLIFICA, a capacity building program, that accelerated 38 impact projects since 2017 tackling areas such as at-risk youth, the inclusion of people with disabilities and the empowerment of informal caregivers. With the program, we have learned that: the selection process and stakeholder engagement are critical success factor as well as continuous mentorship support.
Interview with Todor from Goodbag
10.12.2019MAZE sat down with Todor Lazov, CTO of Goodbag, to learn how it all came to be.
Interview with RNTERS
04.12.2019MAZE sat down with Guilherme Guerra, co-founder of RNTERS, to learn how it all came to be.
Interview with Sara Gonçalves from Trigger Systems
22.11.2019MAZE sat down with Sara Gonçalves, co-founder of Trigger Systems, to learn how it all came to be.
Interview with Mursal Hedayat from Chatterbox
29.10.2019MAZE sat down with Mursal Hedayat, co-founder of Chatterbox, to learn how it all came to be.
Maze X startup accelerator – Week 12
07.08.2019On week 12 of Maze X, we invested our time in acknowledging and celebrating our work throughout acceleration and in planning the months ahead.
Maze X startup accelerator – Week 11
29.07.2019On week 11, the founders renewed their hope on entrepreneurship with a breakfast with the fearless impact entrepreneur Domingos Guimarães and sat down for a second round of meetings with investors. Adding on to that, the founders benefited from 1-to-1 meetings with Google Adwords expert Sebastian Bartling.
Interview with Michael from Bios
26.07.2019MAZE sat down with Micahel Parkes, Founder and CEO of Bios, to learn how it all came to be.
Maze X startup accelerator – Week 10
23.07.2019On week 10 of Maze X, the founders learned to see GDPR as an opportunity with PLMJ. They also learned the first-hand experience from Diogo Cruz getting to Silicon valley at the age of 21.
Maze X startup accelerator – Week 9
15.07.2019On week 9 of Maze X, the founders overcame the fear of selling, My Polis and PLMJ accelerated the corporate pilot and the reminiscent founders met with investors from MAZE network.
Maze X startup accelerator – Week 8
11.07.2019On week 8 of Maze X, the founders pitched to an audience of investors, corporates and partners at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, a founding member of this startup accelerator.
Maze X startup accelerator – Week 7
02.07.2019On week 7 of Maze X, we celebrated Maze X partner and host Casa do Impacto and learn valuable tips on raising investment with Valerie Konde, our entrepreneur-in-residence.
Interview with Anna-Lena Gerber from SitEinander
28.06.2019MAZE sat down with Mursal Hedayat, co-founder of Chatterbox, to learn how it all came to be.
Hospital da Luz Learning Health joins Maze X
25.06.2019Hospital da Luz Learning Health is Maze X second edition new partner. Maze X is an impact acceleration programme based in Lisbon that works exclusively with tech-based startups whose solutions are contributing to the resolution of social and environmental challenges.
Maze X startup accelerator – Week 6
24.06.2019On week 6 of Maze X, the founder hustled at Pitch Practice, a 48-hour event to master the pitch to the Demo Day happening on July 4th at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
Maze X startup accelerator – Week 5
18.06.2019On week 5 of Maze X, MyPolis kicked-off the corporate pilot with PLMJ and Eric Chan, founder of Chargebee, shared a few insider tips for a successful subscription model.
Maze X startup accelerator – Week 4
10.06.2019On week 4 of Maze X, Chatterbox kicked-off the corporate pilot with BNP Paribas and Alexandra Monteiro, VP of People at Outsystems, shared some of the strategies that supported the growth of this Portuguese unicorn.
Maze X startup accelerator – Week 3
04.06.2019On week 3 of Maze X, we had two sessions with experts to talk about recruitment and culture, one of the crucial startups’ success factors and one of the most difficult to get right.
Maze X startup accelerator – Week 2
27.05.2019After diagnostic and goal-setting, in the second week of Maze X, founders invested their time in office hours with mentors and experts to sprint towards their weekly goals. Given the diversity of the cohort, the sessions were tailored around specific topics, such as product, comms, funding, tech and strategy.
AMPLIFICA announces the final cohort of its second edition
22.05.2019Meet the final cohort of AMPLIFICA’s second edition. The 9 selected projects will participate in the 6-week pre-acceleration programme focused on tech-based ideas that address social and environmental challenges.
Maze X startup accelerator – Week 1
17.05.2019The first week of a startup accelerator is crucial to align expectations towards the program. Thus, the goals were set, and they were accomplished.
Meet the first cohort of Maze X
07.05.20199 innovative solutions that range from water- and energy-saving, sustainable fashion, sharing economy and the inclusion of migrants and refugees.
Demo Day of AMPLIFICA’s First Edition
25.04.2019On AMPLIFICA’s first edition Demo Day, the 9 selected startups presented the work developed to the several partner entities that attended the event at Fábrica de Santo Thyrso.
Why participate in a Startup Accelerator?
14.03.2019A few things to consider before applying to a startup accelerator.
AMPLIFICA announces the 9 participants for its first edition
08.03.2019AMPLIFICA selected the final cohort of 9 projects for its first edition. The 6-week pre-acceleration program focused on tech-based ideas focused on solving social and environmental problems was launched on March 8th