Your successful launch into the book industry: Apply now for coaching from the CONTENTshift Accelerator

Now in its seventh year, the CONTENTshift Accelerator is once again searching for innovative business models that will advance the book and content industry. However, the ideas do not necessarily have to originate from the book industry - the main prerequisite is rather that an idea is useful to the industry. For example, interesting innovations such as new technologies for optimising metadata or publishing processes, tools for content creation or traditional analog applicable products are all welcome to apply.

Coaching from industry leaders from a range of business areas

The internationally oriented sponsorship programme of the Börsenvereinsgruppe (Group of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association) brings together founders, experts and investors to give start-ups a way into the industry. Participating start-ups can substantiate their business models in workshops and coaching sessions and secure high-ranking decision-makers as investors. The programme ends with the selection of the "Content Start-up of the Year", which is awarded funding of 10,000 euro.
 
The expert advisors on the jury this year are: Detlef Büttner and Leif Göritz (Lehmanns Media/Thalia Bookstores), Olaf Carstens (Cornelsen Publishing House), Stephan Dietrich (Junfermann Publishing House), Nina Hugendubel and Per Dalheimer (Hugendubel Bookstores), Stefanie Penck (TeNeues Publishing House), Wolfgang Pichler (MANZ Publishing House and Bookstores), Ronald Schild (MVB), Peter Kraus vom Cleff (Börsenverein) as well as Deepa Gautam-Nigge (SAP Next-Gen Innovation Network) as a partner of the programme from outside the industry. 

Feedback from the jury and start-ups
 
“We enjoy working with start-ups and are also checking who is engaged in topics that are relevant to us – and which potential connecting factors there might be. This exchange brings us great joy and provides us with great new impulses", says Nina Hugendubel, Managing Partner at Hugendubel Bookstores. 
 
"CONTENTshift was the ideal programme to further develop our product together with relevant market participants and ideal contacts from the book industry. Through the joint exchange with the mentors and jury members, but also with the other start-ups, we were able to perfect our business idea," says Christopher Klein from the start-up Buuk.
 
How the programme works

Five start-ups will be selected for the Accelerator programme from all applications received. The application phase ends on 1 May 2022. The selected entrepreneurs will receive comprehensive coaching and advice from experts for several months starting from 1 July. The highlight of the programme will be a co-creation workshop for start-ups and jury members at the beginning of September. The Accelerator will culminate at the Frankfurt Book Fair, where all participants will pitch their further developed business ideas. At this event, the jury will then select the "Content Start-up of the Year" and award the prize money. 

Further details about the programme and the application process can be found at: https://anmeldung.contentshift.de/en/
 
Social Media: 
Facebook: @Contentshift 
Instagram: @Contentshift 
Twitter: @ShiftingContent
Hashtag: #cosh22 
 
About the Börsenverein Group 
 
The Börsenvereinsgruppe (Group of the German Publishers and Booksellers Association) represents the interests of Germany's book industry and provides its members with advisory and practical services. The group comprises the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e. V. (German Publishers and Booksellers Association) and its business subsidiaries, which include Frankfurter Buchmesse MVB, Mediacampus Frankfurt as well as the Holding Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels Beteiligungsgesellschaft. The Börsenvereinsgruppe supports the book industry and media sector by providing professional services that include advocacy, the organisation of cultural projects, tradeshows, training programmes and publishing and technology services.