Business Incubator: Funding Pathway Registration closes: 25-08-2026 17.30

Join our 6-week Business Incubator designed specifically for Ukrainian entrepreneurs in Denmark who want to better understand how to find, plan, and secure funding for their business ideas or existing ventures.

This program is created to help you navigate the Danish and European funding ecosystem, identify relevant grant and investment opportunities, and develop practical materials needed to apply for funding with greater confidence. Rather than focusing only on theory, the incubator is built around hands-on learning, practical assignments, and real business cases. 

Duration: 25 August 2026 – 29 September 2026, 17:30-20:30, 6 weeks  

Format: Online  

Language: English

Structure: 6 practical modules 

Certificate of completion: who attend at least 5 out of 6 modules and successfully complete all homework assignments will receive a certificate of completion.

This program is for you if you:

- are a Ukrainian entrepreneur living in Denmark;

- are planning to start a business or grow an existing one;

- want to understand what funding opportunities exist in Denmark and the EU;

- need a clearer strategy for combining grants, private investment, and other funding sources;

- want to learn how to prepare a strong funding application, budget, and pitch;

- are looking for practical tools and expert guidance to make your business more financially sustainable. 

What you will work on during the program

Throughout the incubator, you will gradually build a practical understanding of how to access funding and how to prepare your business or idea for funding opportunities. The program covers:

- defining business needs and building a Funding Strategy Canvas;

- identifying funding opportunities in Denmark, the EU, and internationally;

- understanding the role of private investment, including angel investors, venture capital, and crowdfunding;

- learning how to write a competitive funding application;

- preparing a budget, implementation plan, and timeline;

- strengthening pitching skills and presenting a funding roadmap for the business. 

Program Schedule

Modul 1 – Funding Strategy & Needs Definition (Facilitator: Sissi Bak)

📅 25 August 2026, 17:30-20:30 (online)

Participants will gain an overview of the funding landscape in Denmark and Europe, including grants, investors, crowdfunding, and soft funding opportunities. Through a Funding Strategy Canvas exercise, participants will define their funding needs, funding objectives, timeline, business stage, and the most appropriate funding path for their business. 

Workshop Outcome:

• Funding Strategy Canvas
• Defined funding objectives
• Initial funding direction 

Modul 2 – Funding Opportunities in Denmark and EU & International Opportunities (Facilitator: Sissi Bak)

📅 1 September 2026, 17:30-20:30 (online)

This session focuses on helping participants identify relevant Danish, European, and international funding opportunities. Participants will learn where to find funding calls, evaluate eligibility criteria, compare opportunities, and prioritize funding sources that best match their business needs and growth plans. 

Workshop Outcome:

• Danish funding opportunity list
• EU funding opportunity list
• Priority funding opportunities
• Eligibility overview 
   

Modul 3 – Writing the Funding Application (Facilitator: Narcis George Matache)

📅 8 September 2026, 17:30-20:30 (online)

Participants will learn how funding evaluators assess applications and what makes a strong proposal. The session will focus on structuring applications, defining business challenges and solutions, demonstrating impact, and aligning proposals with funding objectives. Participants will begin drafting their own funding applications during the workshop. 

Workshop Outcome:

• Draft funding application
• Problem and solution definition
• Impact and implementation outline 
   

Modul 4 – Private Investment & Funding Mix Strategy  (Facilitator: Sissi Bak + Guest Speaker)

📅 15 September 2026, 17:30-20:30 (online)

This workshop focuses on private funding sources including angel investors, venture capital, accelerators, and crowdfunding. Participants will explore how grants and private investment can be combined into a realistic funding strategy and learn what investors look for when assessing startup opportunities. 

The guest speaker for this session is expected to be Travis James Mathers, entrepreneur and founder within the drone and technology sector. Travis has successfully raised significant investment and funding for the development and scaling of his company and has extensive experience advising startups on fundraising, investor readiness, and growth strategies. He will share practical insights into raising capital, approaching investors, building investment readiness, and avoiding common fundraising mistakes. 

Workshop Outcome:

• Funding mix strategy
• Defined funding ask
• Investment readiness overview 

Modul 5 – Final Application & Budget Development (Facilitator: Monika Elend)

📅 22 September 2026, 17:30-20:30 (online)

Participants will refine their funding applications while developing realistic budgets, workplans, timelines, and implementation plans. The session will also cover common application mistakes and practical methods for improving funding proposals before submission. 

Workshop Outcome:

• Improved funding application draft
• Budget draft
• Workplan and implementation timeline 
   

Modul 6 – Pitching (Facilitator: Narcis George Matache)

📅 29 September 2026, 17:30-20:30 (online)

The final session focuses on communicating funding requests effectively. Participants will learn pitching techniques relevant to grant evaluators, investors, and funding organizations and will practice presenting their business, funding need, and expected impact. Individual feedback will be provided to help participants strengthen their presentations and funding communication skills. 

Workshop Outcome:

• Pitch outline
• Funding presentation structure
• Final funding roadmap 

Speakers

Sissi Bak
Entrepreneurship, Business Development & Funding Expert

Sissi Bak is an entrepreneur, business consultant, and educator with extensive experience supporting startups, SMEs, and international entrepreneurs in Denmark and across Europe. She specializes in entrepreneurship, business development, and funding strategies, helping businesses identify and access public and private funding opportunities, including Danish grants, EU funding, soft funding, and startup financing.

As Founder and CEO of the Aalborg Institute for Development, Sissi has designed and delivered numerous workshops, incubator programs, and training courses focused on entrepreneurship, business growth, funding opportunities, digitalisation, and innovation. She has supported hundreds of entrepreneurs in developing business models, growth strategies, funding applications, and investment-ready ventures.

Sissi was a lead speaker and mentor in the Keys to Europe’s Money project, guiding entrepreneurs and organizations on funding opportunities in Denmark and Europe, proposal development, and funding strategies. She is also actively engaged in entrepreneurial and investor networks across the Nordics, collaborating with founders, investors, accelerators, and innovation ecosystems.

Her expertise includes entrepreneurship education, business development, funding advisory, startup mentoring, investment readiness, grant applications, and SME growth, with a practical focus on helping entrepreneurs build sustainable and scalable businesses.

Narcis George Matache
SME Development, Funding & Public Speaking Expert

Narcis George Matache is a business consultant, SME advisor, trainer, and public speaking coach with extensive experience supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly businesses founded and operated by international entrepreneurs in Denmark. His work focuses on business development, funding opportunities, entrepreneurship support, and helping companies navigate the Danish business ecosystem.

Over the years, Narcis has advised SMEs across sectors including services, construction, retail, hospitality, and digital businesses, supporting them in identifying growth opportunities, accessing funding schemes, and developing sustainable business strategies. His experience includes guiding companies through Danish funding programs such as SMV, digitalisation grants, innovation support schemes, and other public funding opportunities, as well as exploring relevant European funding programs for SMEs and entrepreneurs.

In addition to his business advisory work, Narcis is an experienced public speaker, trainer, and pitching mentor. He has delivered workshops and training sessions on communication, presentation skills, pitching, confidence building, and public speaking, helping entrepreneurs and business owners effectively communicate their ideas to customers, partners, investors, and stakeholders.

As a co-founder of the Aalborg Institute for Development, Narcis has contributed to entrepreneurship and SME development initiatives focused on business growth, funding access, capacity building, and international entrepreneurship. His expertise includes business development, funding advisory, public speaking, pitching, communication training, entrepreneurship mentoring, and SME growth strategies, with a practical approach focused on helping businesses become more visible, confident, and growth-ready.

Monika Elend
Project Design & EU Proposal Development Expert

Monika Elend is a project development and project management professional with strong experience in drafting, coordinating, and implementing international and EU-funded projects, particularly in the fields of education, entrepreneurship, sustainability, digital skills, inclusion, and civic engagement.

She holds a Master’s degree in Development and International Relations from Aalborg University, which supports her analytical approach to project design, international cooperation, and sustainable development. Her work focuses on turning project ideas into clear and fundable applications by developing project concepts, structuring objectives and activities, preparing work packages, coordinating partner input, and ensuring that proposals are aligned with call priorities and expected impact.

Monika currently leads the Project Department at Aalborg Institute for Development, where she is responsible for identifying funding opportunities, developing project ideas, building partnerships, coordinating proposal preparation, and supporting the implementation of awarded projects. Her role includes application writing, consortium communication, internal planning, budget coordination, reporting, dissemination planning, and quality assurance across the project lifecycle.

Previously, as a Project Consultant at NTU International, Monika contributed to international consultancy projects and tenders by supporting research, proposal preparation, partner and expert coordination, quality control, and project backstopping. This experience strengthened her understanding of donor requirements, technical proposal development, and the practical management of complex international assignments.

Monika is also active in civil society through AMIS, where she supports project implementation, activity planning, budget follow-up, reporting, and initiatives focused on democratic participation, inclusion, and youth engagement. Her earlier involvement in European Youth North Denmark and participation in international forums, including the EU-Western Balkans Youth Forum, the Euro-Arab Youth Forum, the World Forum for Democracy, and Model European Union, further reflect her long-standing interest in international cooperation, democratic values, and youth participation.

Her core strengths include project design, application drafting, work package development, partner coordination, project implementation, reporting, stakeholder communication, and financial and administrative follow-up. She brings a practical, structured, and impact-oriented approach to helping organisations develop strong project applications and deliver funded initiatives effectively.

Travis James Mathers
Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Fundraising Expert

Travis James Mathers is an entrepreneur, fundraising specialist, and innovation consultant with extensive experience supporting startups and innovation-driven companies in securing investment and scaling their businesses. He currently serves as Special Consultant in Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Aalborg University (AAU INNOVATE), where he develops entrepreneurship education initiatives, facilitates innovation workshops, and mentors entrepreneurs, researchers, and students in commercialization and fundraising.

As Founder of the Elite Fundraising Protocol, Travis helps entrepreneurs become investor-ready through fundraising strategies, coaching, and business development support. He has guided numerous founders through pre-seed and seed fundraising processes and developed practical tools, resources, and training programs focused on investment readiness.

Previously, as a founding partner and Chief Commercial Officer of Airflight ApS, Travis played a key role in raising approximately USD 4 million through investors and grants, including securing investment through the international startup competition Meet the Drapers and winning multiple pitching events across Europe and the United States.

Scheduled activities

Participants will gain an overview of the funding landscape in Denmark and Europe, including grants, investors, crowdfunding, and soft funding opportunities. Through a Funding Strategy Canvas exercise, participants will define their funding needs, funding objectives, timeline, business stage, and the most appropriate funding path for their business. 

Workshop Outcome:

- Funding Strategy Canvas
- Defined funding objectives
- Initial funding direction

This session focuses on helping participants identify relevant Danish, European, and international funding opportunities. Participants will learn where to find funding calls, evaluate eligibility criteria, compare opportunities, and prioritize funding sources that best match their business needs and growth plans. 

Workshop Outcome:

- Danish funding opportunity list
- EU funding opportunity list
- Priority funding opportunities
- Eligibility overview

Participants will learn how funding evaluators assess applications and what makes a strong proposal. The session will focus on structuring applications, defining business challenges and solutions, demonstrating impact, and aligning proposals with funding objectives. Participants will begin drafting their own funding applications during the workshop. 

Workshop Outcome:

- Draft funding application
- Problem and solution definition
- Impact and implementation outline

This workshop focuses on private funding sources including angel investors, venture capital, accelerators, and crowdfunding. Participants will explore how grants and private investment can be combined into a realistic funding strategy and learn what investors look for when assessing startup opportunities. 

The guest speaker for this session is expected to be Travis James Mathers, entrepreneur and founder within the drone and technology sector. Travis has successfully raised significant investment and funding for the development and scaling of his company and has extensive experience advising startups on fundraising, investor readiness, and growth strategies. He will share practical insights into raising capital, approaching investors, building investment readiness, and avoiding common fundraising mistakes. 

Workshop Outcome:

- Funding mix strategy
- Defined funding ask
- Investment readiness overview

Participants will refine their funding applications while developing realistic budgets, workplans, timelines, and implementation plans. The session will also cover common application mistakes and practical methods for improving funding proposals before submission. 

Workshop Outcome:

- Improved funding application draft
- Budget draft
- Workplan and implementation timeline

The final session focuses on communicating funding requests effectively. Participants will learn pitching techniques relevant to grant evaluators, investors, and funding organizations and will practice presenting their business, funding need, and expected impact. Individual feedback will be provided to help participants strengthen their presentations and funding communication skills. 

Workshop Outcome:

- Pitch outline
- Funding presentation structure
- Final funding roadmap