Unicorn Builders Commit €60M to Elite EWOR Fellowship
The EWOR fellowship is built for founders by founders - © EWOR
A new breed of founder fellowship has emerged with serious financial backing. Berlin-based EWOR, a highly selective entrepreneurial program, has committed €60 million to support exceptional early-stage founders, according to a recent company announcement.
The fellowship offers selected entrepreneurs an impressive €500,000 in capital – among the largest investments available from any fellowship or accelerator globally. With a staggering 1-in-1,000 acceptance rate, EWOR targets only what they call the "top 0.1% of founders."
What sets this program apart is its leadership team – six full-time entrepreneurs who have built companies collectively valued at over €12 billion, including notable successes like SumUp, Adjust, and ProGlove. These unicorn builders aren't just advisors; they've committed to running EWOR as their primary focus.
"The main value of our fellowship is not money. Most of our fellows don't even need the money. They join because they're obsessed with building something great — and they know this is the only place they'll be truly challenged," explains Daniel Dippold, co-founder and CEO of EWOR, in the company's press release.
The program operates on a virtual-first model, providing 1:1 mentorship (including up to five hours weekly with unicorn founders), customized learning modules, and access to a network of over 2,000 mentors, VCs, and experts. This approach has proven effective – EWOR alumni typically raise between €1-11 million during their fellowship period.
The 2025 cohort features remarkable talent like UK-based Mark Golab, applying 3D printing to organ transplants, and Matthew Pierre-Louis, whose Möbius Industries develops recycling robotics with a team recruited from MIT, Tesla and SpaceX.
Previous EWOR fellows have achieved impressive milestones, including Jörgen Tveit, who raised Europe's largest-ever pre-seed round (€13M) as a first-time founder, and multiple founders who've achieved exits in the €100M range.
For elite founders looking to scale globally, EWOR represents a new paradigm that combines significant capital with hands-on mentorship from those who've built billion-euro businesses themselves.
