Data Pitch

Data Pitch was a unique European accelerator program, not a traditional venture capital firm, that operated from July 2017 to December 2019. Funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, it aimed to foster innovation in data utilization. The program was managed by the Open Data Institute (ODI) in London, in collaboration with partners like the University of Southampton. Its core mission was to connect startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with established organizations to address specific data-related challenges, leveraging open data and big data technologies.

Unlike typical equity investors, Data Pitch provided equity-free grants to its participating companies. These grants were designed to support the development of innovative solutions to the posed data challenges. Each selected startup or SME could receive up to €100,000 in funding, which was approximately $108,000 at the time of the program, to help them develop and scale their data-driven products and services. This non-dilutive funding model was a key differentiator, allowing companies to retain full ownership while benefiting from significant financial support.

Over its operational period, Data Pitch successfully supported 49 startups and SMEs from across Europe. Beyond financial assistance, the program offered comprehensive business support, mentorship from industry experts, and crucial access to large datasets provided by the challenge owners. The accelerator facilitated a collaborative environment, enabling participants to refine their solutions, gain market traction, and build valuable partnerships within the data ecosystem. Its focus was on practical application and commercialization of data insights, contributing to the broader European data economy.