Business Model Development
Sharpen the model, value proposition and commercial logic behind the venture.
FIALI · FRANKFURT 2026Female Innovation
Afropean Leadership
Initiative
Empowering international female founders in Frankfurt through intensive business development, AI and digitalization, mentorship, matchmaking and ecosystem access.
10-15founders cohort
02programme stages
2x €500Grants
Frankfurt · Afropean leadershipBuild the venture. Expand the network.
FIALI · FRANKFURT 2026Frankfurt am Main
About FIALIBuild stronger.
Build stronger.
Scale with context.
A two-event pilot programme bringing together 10-15 international female founders from Frankfurt am Main to strengthen business models and connect directly with the city's business and innovation ecosystem.
FIALI is designed to highlight entrepreneurial potential, build stronger ventures through hands-on workshops and expert support, and create concrete connections to corporates, investors, business angels and strategic partners. The programme is led by Harmonie Essome and centres Afropean leadership, inclusive innovation and international female entrepreneurship.
Programme LeadHarmonie Essome
Cohort MissionAfropean Female Leadership
Core curriculumFour pillars.
Four pillars.
One stronger venture.
Leadership & Positioning
Strengthen founder positioning, leadership presence and strategic narrative.
AI & Digitalization
Turn AI and digital tools into practical leverage for execution and growth.
Go-to-Market Strategy
Build a clearer route to customers, partnerships and market traction.
The journeyYour FIALI
Your FIALI
growth journey.
A carefully sequenced two-stage programme: first sharpen the business fundamentals and AI execution in an intensive lab, then put your venture in the room with Frankfurt’s investors, corporates and ecosystem leaders.
01Stage 1
Female Innovation Growth Lab
Intensive 1-Day Workshop · External AI Specialist · 90-Day Growth Plan
A full-day intensive workshop supported by an external AI expert and startup specialist. Each participant builds an individual 90-day growth plan.
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02Stage 2
Female Founder Business Networking Summit
Corporate & Investor Access · Pitch Sessions · Matchmaking
An exclusive evening ecosystem summit connecting cohort founders directly with Frankfurt corporates, investors, business angels, and institutional innovators.
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Tangible outcomesWhat you gain from
What you gain from
event.benefitsTitle2
A 90-day growth plan
Leave the Growth Lab with a practical individual roadmap for the next stage of your business.
Expert founder support
Work through business, positioning, digitalization and growth questions with specialist input.
Frankfurt ecosystem access
Build direct connections with corporates, investors, business angels and strategic partners.
Founder visibility
Pitch, present and position your venture in front of people who can open relevant doors.
AI that is useful now
Explore concrete ways to apply AI and digital tools to your operating model and growth.
Innovation grant opportunity
Eligible early-stage founders can be considered for one of two €500 Startup Innovation Grants.
Founder support fund2 × €500
Startup Innovation Grants
Two grants of €500 each support early-stage founders developing digital or technical solutions, including prototyping, product development, branding, market entry, initial marketing and sales, and eligible incorporation expenses.
Prototyping & MVP buildProduct developmentBrand & identity designGo-to-market testingInitial marketing & salesEssential incorporation expenses
Ecosystem & SupportersPartners &
Partners &
ecosystem network.
FIALI is delivered in strategic collaboration with community champions, innovation networks and partners bridging Frankfurt with the international diaspora.
ABCN (Afropean Business & Culture Network)
DIVOC Rising
Kompass Frankfurt
Black Women in Tech DACH
EquiNet
Flourish & Prosper
FIALI · FRANKFURT 2026Frankfurt am Main
Ecosystem impactValue addition for
Value addition for
the Frankfurt ecosystem.
FIALI strengthens Frankfurt as a premier international hub for diverse, high-growth entrepreneurship, connecting the diaspora with Germany’s financial capital.
Female Entrepreneurship
Empowers diverse female leadership and drives sustainable business growth across Frankfurt and the wider Rhine-Main metropolitan region.
Global Ecosystem Advantage
Leverages founders' international networks and intercultural skills to position Frankfurt as an open, globally connected startup destination.
Innovation & AI Competency
Delivers hands-on digital skills and practical AI expertise so founders can innovate, automate and scale their operating models.
Visibility & Matchmaking
Showcases founders directly to corporates, institutional partners, investors and business angels through curated networking rooms.
COHORT IN MOTION · AUTHENTIC MOMENTSEmpowering international
Empowering international
female founders in Frankfurt.
Moments from the FIALI initiative, ABCN founder growth labs, and international summits bridging diaspora enterprise with Frankfurt’s innovation economy.
STAGE 2 SUMMIT & MATCHMAKINGFounder Pitches & Corporate Alliances
STAGE 1 GROWTH LABHands-on AI & Business Models
DIGITALIZATION & TOOLSPrototyping & Market Scaling
STRATEGIC POSITIONINGFounder Narrative & Leadership
COMMUNITY & PEERSFrankfurt Founder Collaboration
Cohort criteriaBuilt for founders
Built for founders
with room to scale.
FIALI is designed for ambitious international female founders in Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main region, particularly with an Afropean or immigrant diaspora background, scalable commercial models, and active interest in digitalization and AI.
Cohort Fit Self-Assessment0 of 5 criteria met
Select the criteria above that describe your venture to test your cohort fit.
Go to application ↓01International female founders in Frankfurt and Rhine-Main
02African / Afropean diaspora background strongly welcome
03Innovative or scalable business model
04High interest in AI and digitalization
05Growth potential within Frankfurt
Limited cohort10-15 founders.
10-15 founders.
One focused room.
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis · limited cohort of 10-15 founders
Apply for FIALI →Before you applyThe questions
The questions
founders actually ask.
Do I need to be incorporated already?
No. FIALI is open to founders who have already incorporated and to those on the verge of doing so. The grants can even cover essential incorporation costs.
How many places are there?
Between 10 and 15. It is deliberately small - the point is a room where you are known, not an audience you sit in.
What do I actually leave with?
An individual 90-day growth plan built during the Growth Lab, practical AI and digitalisation training, and a pitch in front of Frankfurt corporates, investors and business angels at the Summit.
Is there funding attached?
Two Startup Innovation Grants of €500 each. They cover prototyping and product development, branding and market entry, first marketing and sales activity, and incorporation costs. Two founders are selected on the growth potential and innovation of their model.
Do I need to be an AI company?
No, but you should have genuine interest in digitalisation and AI, and a business model that can scale. The programme is built around applying those tools to whatever you are building.
Where do I need to be based?
Frankfurt and the Rhine-Main region. There is a particular focus on founders from the city's Afropean, immigrant and international diaspora communities.
Express your interestJoin the FIALI
Join the FIALI
founder cohort.
Tell us about yourself, what you are building and where you want to go next. Places are intentionally limited to 10-15 founders so every participant receives high-touch guidance and direct ecosystem access.
FrankfurtRhine-Main location
10-15Founders cohort
2 stagesGrowth lab + summit
Harmonie EssomeLead, FIALI Frankfurt 2026 · Founder & CEO, SoftXcloud GmbH