The accelerator program IMPACT Growth selects Bookingabus.com (DK) and Clarity (ES) as top startups to receive an additional €150,000 equity-free

• Both startups, selected among 14 on the first batch, will be awarded a total of €250,000 equity-free funding
• The IMPACT Growth programme, funded by the European Commission, aims to accelerate disruptive projects focused in the fields of smart cities and infrastructures, digital content, agrifood and manufacturing
• The second acceleration round of IMPACT Growth is already ongoing, funding and supporting another group of 14 European startups

May 8, 2018

IMPACT Growth, the startup acceleration programme funded by the European Commission, coordinated by FundingBox and backed by leading accelerators, venture capital entities and global brands, has announced Bookingabus.com (Denmark) and Clarity (Spain) as the best projects from its first open call. Both startups were selected among the 14 companies that took part in the first acceleration round, which received 1,900 applicants to join the programme. Their projects will be awarded €150,000 equity-free, on top of the €100,000 funding received when they first entered the IMPACT Growth acceleration programme.

Based in Denmark, Bookingabus.com is an independent online portal for coach and bus rental with a driver, helping people find chartered bus services. It provides an easy overview of the market, including prices, from all relevant bus operators. Since 2015, the company has provided thousands of coach transfers across Europe, to clients ranging from private groups to large corporations and public institutions.

Clarity is a social-as-a-service software solution that allows investors and companies to measure and optimise the social impact of investment portfolios without having to compromise returns or risk values. This technological solution enables the measurement of social impact for all stakeholders such as investors, consumers, governments, etc. It does so by estimating users’ needs, following a “bottom-up” approach, and classifying all types of companies, organisations and governments using Big Data and AI algorithms.

Both startups are part of the digital content vertical, which is led by DOCOMO Digital and focuses on growth-stage startups working to address the content needs presented by electronic media, telecommunication, culture and social networks, among others issues.

Programme partners

Like all the startups participating in the IMPACT Growth acceleration programme, Clarity and Bookingabus.com attended a face-to-face training programme organized by Accelerace and ISDI featuring experts and entrepreneurs, and subsequently had access to an international network of over 100 esteemed mentors, founders and investors. In addition, they had the option to get private investment from the partner investors and VCs, Kibo Ventures and Invesdor.

ISDI and Accelerace are leading the acceleration process and the FIWARE Foundation is powering the projects through the integration of its technology into the development process. MWCapital is responsible for featuring innovative startups at world class events.

The IMPACT Growth programme is de-localized, meaning that startups can receive training, mentoring and funding without having to move to another city or country. Startups can focus their efforts on expanding their business, whilst attending the world’s top startup events, training camps, and networking events in Madrid, Porto, Copenhagen, London, Tel Aviv, and others.

Second acceleration batch

IMPACT Growths second and final acceleration round, including 14 startups, was launched in April at ISDI’s headquarters in Madrid. Following the initial acceleration phase, IMPACT Growth will announce two additional top performing startups, to join Bookingabus.com and Clarity and receive additional funds.