We give startups a start. Right here on the Mittelrhein.
€20,000 grant, six months of programming, mentoring from founders who built companies themselves. You keep your equity.
A program that lasts six months and holds.
Structured support with one clear goal: making you fundable. From first capital to follow-on financing through the ISB, business angels and our own investor network.
No equity, no payback. You stay the owner.
Rolling admission. We start as soon as we agree.
With entrepreneurs who built their own companies.
Three teams sit in the Villa. Twelve seats wait for the next cohort.
Who fits us.
We are not looking for finished unicorns. We are looking for teams who understand their problem and want to solve it honestly.
Pre-seed to early stage
You have a tested product, ideally already in a pilot or with first paying customers. We meet you where you are.
2 to 5 people
The sweet spot is two to five people, ten at most. What matters is your commitment.
Open Germany-wide
applications are open Germany-wide. Requirement on admission: relocation of registered office or new incorporation in Rheinland-Pfalz within six months.
How we work together.
The exact program flow is currently being finalized with the team and will follow shortly.
In three steps in.
Application, pitch, admission. Personal.
Application
Brief introduction via the form. Idea, status, why you. Two sentences per point is enough.
Pitch and conversation
If the idea convinces us, we talk live. 15 minutes pitch, 15 minutes exchange. Clarity counts more than slides.
Admission
After acceptance, it begins. Capital, office, mentoring, network. You start in the Villa, we start together.
Who is already in.
Three teams we are currently supporting. Room for twelve more.
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What founders from earlier cohorts say.
Funding, network and access to decision-makers work very well together.
3B thinks like an entrepreneur and supports where it matters for startups.
Frequent questions.
What founders want to know before applying. Honest, no marketing speak.
Really no equity? What does 3B get in return?
The €20,000 grant comes without equity and without repayment. You remain the owner of your startup.
If you raise a financing round later, 3B has a First-right-of-refusal with ten percent discount on valuation. This rests on transparency and regular updates during the program. An investment only happens when both sides agree.
Do we have to move to Andernach?
You can apply from anywhere in Germany. On admission you commit to register your startup in Rheinland-Pfalz within six months, meaning relocation of the registered office or a new incorporation.
During the program the teams work at the Villa Michels in Andernach. Where you live privately is up to you. Andernach is twenty minutes from Koblenz, an hour from Cologne and Frankfurt.
How does the application work?
Three steps: fill in the form, a pitch and get-to-know call, admission. No long application process, no mandatory pitch deck.
We answer within ten days. In the call you have fifteen minutes to present, then fifteen minutes for questions in both directions. Clarity counts more than slides.
What does the mentoring include?
Over the six months you get 60 hours of structured mentoring: two hours per week of regular sparring, one day deep dive, three hours pitch day.
Topics: business model, team, product development, market and competitive analysis, go-to-market, pitch training, venture clienting for pilot projects with regional companies, preparation for follow-on financing.
Can we apply as a solo founder?
Yes. We accept teams of two to five people, up to ten in exceptions. For solo founders we look closely at commitment and at the plan for how the team will grow in the short term.
What happens after the six months?
After the program ends you are not on your own. You keep access to the mentor pool and the network. We actively support follow-on financing through Sparkasse, ISB, Business Angels Rheinland-Pfalz and our own investor network.
If you raise a financing round, 3B can join with a ten percent discount on the valuation. It is not mandatory.
Do we fit you industry-wise?
Our focus areas are Real Estate, Construction, ESG, IT, Pharma, Health, Sports and Food. This is where we have the deepest mentor pool and the strongest regional network.
Applications from other industries are welcome when the business model is convincing and connects to the region.
Early tickets. Clear cases.
Direct access to pre-seed startups from the region. Before they show up on the big platforms.
We curate the deal flow. You only see teams we have vetted and supported ourselves.
Typical rounds of 300,000 to 800,000 euros come together with the ISB, with 3B contributing around 40,000 euros and holding a first-right-of-refusal. The ten percent discount on the valuation applies to board members.
All startups are based in Rheinland-Pfalz. Quarterly meetings in the Villa, direct contact with founders and mentors.
"We are looking for investors who want more than a cap-table entry. Whoever invests with us has a seat at the table."
Request a conversationIn three steps introduced.
From first contact to co-investment in under six weeks.
First contact
Short message to Marc. Who you are, ticket volume, which industries.
Deal flow briefing
Marc walks you through current cases, 45-minute Q&A. In person at the Villa or remote.
Co-investment
You invest in a case together with the ISB and with first-right-of-refusal.
What investors say.
First co-investors join in 2026. Until then: personal reference calls.
Investor statements will follow.
Once the first co-investors are ready to speak publicly, they will land here. Until then Marc Buchholz is available for personal reference calls.
Request a reference callMore than Investment.
More than capital: access to corporates and SMEs for real pilot projects and venture clienting, to universities and an active mentor pool. This is where the infrastructure forms that lets startups grow faster.
For SMEs and corporates: concrete pilot projects with our startups instead of long innovation consulting. Short paths, clear outcomes.
For universities and institutes: access to industry-near use cases. Students and researchers meet real startup problems.
For entrepreneurs, lawyers, advisors: pass on your knowledge. Eight hours per quarter is enough to leave a mark.
"We are not building a network on business cards but one that works. One call, one answer, in person."
Become part of the networkIn three steps connected.
Introduction, format, engagement. Eight hours a quarter is enough.
Introduction
Write us briefly what you bring. Mentor, patent know-how, pilot project need, research topic.
Pick a format
Rubén suggests the format that fits: mentor slot, pilot project, workshop or a casual lunch.
Get active
Eight hours per quarter is enough. You become part of the network and meet founders who actually build something.
A network that holds.
Mockup display. Real logos will be embedded once cleared with each institution.
What happens next.
Open Days, Pitch Days, investor roundtables, mentor lunches. What matters is listed here.
Marc presents current investment cases, Q&A in a small circle. For business angels and co-investors.
Open lunch for mentors, patent lawyers and advisors. No program, good conversations.
If you are wrestling with the application: 30-minute 1-on-1 slots, honest feedback before you submit.
No events for this audience right now. Reach out directly and we will find a slot.
Dates are placeholders and will be finalized in coordination with the team.
A villa.
No coworking.
The Villa Michels is a historic building in Andernach we have carefully opened for startups. High ceilings, old wooden floors, modern workspaces.
Here our teams sit shoulder to shoulder with their mentors for six months. No headset, no Slack channel, no bullshit. Whoever works here is seen and heard.
Andernach is twenty minutes from Koblenz, an hour from Cologne and Frankfurt. Close enough to reach customers. Far enough to work with focus.
Who is behind it.
A small team that knows everyone personally. No helpdesk, no ticket system.
Stands behind the accelerator as initiator and financial backbone. Responsible for strategic direction.
Keeps daily program life running. First stop for organizational questions around the cohort and the Villa.
Drives the network in the region. Contact for mentors, investors and regional companies.
Have you founded yourself?
We are growing the mentor pool. Entrepreneurs from the region who founded, scaled or sold their own companies are welcome.
Request a conversationLet us talk.
Pick your path. We read every inquiry ourselves and answer personally.
All fields except those marked (optional) are required.
Brief introduction via the form. Reply within ten days.
Marc gets back to you within three business days. Personally, no pitch-deck theater.
Rubén gets back to you within a week. Tell us how you want to contribute.