EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In the course of the cooperation with Fraunhofer Venture, the project team was challenged with the topic of ex-ante impact assessment and monitoring of sustainable start-ups.

The research conducted seeks to provide the best fit-for-purpose ex-ante impact assessment tool for Fraunhofer Venture’s application when assessing start-ups in the context of its technology-transfer acceleration program AHEAD. The main purpose of the work was therefore the concrete suggestion of an impact assessment tool to enable AHEAD to best assess the sustainable impact of potential investments ex-ante.

In order two answer the underlying questions, the project team elucidated the general importance of impact assessment in a global context. Furthermore, the necessary background knowledge for understanding the research question and challenge of the objective work was provided. Additionally, a systematic web and literature research as well as a competitor analysis were conducted. For this purpose, more than 26 research institutes were contacted and experts from these organisations were interviewed. As a result, different perspectives on impact assessment were identified and lines between these insights and the research questions of AHEAD could be drawn.

In order to develop a tool adapted to AHEAD’s specific requirements, the most relevant existing tools for ex-ante impact assessment of start-ups were assessed along these requirements and the best fit-for-purpose tools were identified. Finally, these tools were explored, compared and combined to create the tool for AHEAD: MaxImpact – an eleven-page form based on qualitative dimensions of assessment. Based on these qualitative dimensions, an “impact score” for each start-up can be calculated. As a result, AHEAD can effectively assess applying start-ups for their potential sustainable impact, make important investment decisions and is supported with further monitoring of the start-up’s progress towards sustainable impact goals.

Cooperation Partner

• Fraunhofer-Venture
  Hansastraße 27C
  80686 München
  Deutschland

Contact Person

• Antje Schimke
  E-Mail: antje.schimke@zv.fraunhofer.de
  Tel: +49 891 205 1223

Student team

• Alexander Reichelt

• Lena Krautinger

• Maximilian Humer

• Stéphanie Haustrate

Projektbetreuung

• Dr. Peter Vandor