Startup Program

Startups representatives participate in a course program that provides startup founders the opportunity to learn the key success factors in order to transform a viable idea into a flourishing company. “Best practices“ are the key elements of these course sessions and focus in following three areas:

• Skills & Expertise: Sales, Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain Management and not to forget – pitching to potential investors;
• Concept & Product: Positioning, market research, competitive analysis, go-to-market, offering bundling and pricing;
• Leadership: Team cohesiveness, ability to execute and expand.

The program is a Fast Track path for startups to be successful in their business and learn useful techniques to be smart leaders. Startups having completed this session successfully, will be awarded CERTIFIED - the quality seal „Diplomatic Council Qualified Startup“ as an “entry ticket” to the global investors’ network of the Diplomatic Council. The CERTIFIED status serves as a worldwide proof of quality to approach business angels and investors.

• Seed Phase: Idea (and prototype) existent but no turnover yet APPLY
• Growth Phase: First customers and turnover but limited sales resources APPLY
• Expansion Phase: growing turnover, time to focus on new markets APPLY

• Startups with an idea eligible for international expansion
• Investors (Business Angels, VCs, family offices, corporate offices)
• Companion for industry (Enterprises, TMT (Technology, Media, Telecom), M&A, law firms etc.)

Certification and Course Workshop Module

1. Best Practices Module

2. Fast Track Idea Validation Module

3. Pitching Module

4. Business Planning

5. Go-to-Market Module

6. Scaling – GO BIG! Module

7. Leadership Module

8. Financing

Please see Workshop Modules PDF for more details.

The Diplomatic Council is a community bringing together various business sectors and the diplomatic world. 80% of our members are companies and business leaders while 20% are ambassadors representing their countries. The Diplomatic Council enjoys the consultative status with the United Nations. Thanks to its unique combination of business and diplomacy, the Diplomatic Council is able to make great achievements for its members and in particular represents a growth accelerator for startups like no other international organization. The startup community within the Diplomatic Council consists of startups, potential investors such as VCs, but also the family-run businesses as well as corporates from numerous sectors such as technology, M&A and others.

Diplomatic Council membership is mandatory in order to participate in the DC Startup Program. The membership allows startups to attend the certification workshops as well as participation in worldwide Diplomatic Council events in order to network with potential investors and/or potential customers/partners . The focus regions include Asia (China, Singapore).

Please not that in order to maintain the high quality of the Diplomatic Council network, each membership will be reviewed by the Diplomatic Council Board.

APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP

Startup Seed Phase: Idea (and prototype) existent but no turnover yet

Startup Growth Phase: First customers and turnover but limited sales resources

Startup Expansion Phase: growing turnover, time to focus on new markets

Corporate Membership (no Startup)

Diplomatic Council maintains a wider network with other communities that can be helpful for accelerating the success of startups. These communities include: German-American Business Association, Global Internet of Things Convention Organization (China), The Luxury Network (24 countries), United Nations (193 countries) and other organisations.