The Marc Impact Programme, a leading capacity-building and investment-readiness accelerator for impact-driven ventures, is launching its Czech edition. After successful implementation in Austria, Hungary, and Romania, and now expanding to Czechia, Serbia, and Croatia, the programme is strengthening its international community of purpose-driven founders advancing social and environmental impact across Central and Eastern Europe.

“We have built Marc to support mission-driven founders who are committed to social or environmental change, but also want to build financially sound, scalable ventures,” said Ana Cretu, Director of Social Impact Investment at ERSTE Foundation. “The expansion to Czechia, Serbia and Croatia is a natural next step in creating a truly regional platform for impact entrepreneurship.”

“In our first year, we provided personalized mentoring and matchmaking to 70 entrepreneurs across three countries. As a result, most of them improved their business and impact models, and by today, 13 of them have already secured over €2.5 million in total to scale their impact. Building on this proven model, we’re excited to expand into three new countries and look forward to welcoming Czech founders into our growing international community of change-makers.” Gábor, Co-Founder of SIMPACT, and one of Marc’s regional programme managers.

Marc Impact Programme is a joint initiative of ERSTE Foundation, ERSTE Social Finance Holding, IFUA Nonprofit Partner and SIMPACT. In Czech Republic the programme is backed by Česká spořitelna and led by Startup Kitchen.

“Czechia has a thriving startup scene and already a strong base of impact investors, foundations, and support organizations doing meaningful work. With Marc, we’re adding a structured international layer that helps mission-driven projects grow into scalable ventures with real social or environmental impact,” says Dominika Prekopová, Co-Founder of Startup Kitchen and Project Lead for Marc Czechia.

“We’re proud to be part of something that truly matters. Our team of seasoned mentors and experts will work hands-on with each participant — every venture will receive several hours of individual mentoring per month from top-tier professionals. In addition, the programme offers nine group training sessions focused on financing strategy, AI tools for lean teams, and personal brand building — all tailored to help impact founders grow with confidence.”

What Does the Programme Offer?

Programme Overview

Marc is a 7-month accelerator tailored for impact-driven ventures with measurable social or environmental impact. The programme is completely free of charge, with no equity taken.

Participants will receive:

• 14+ hours of individual mentoring with experienced experts in business, impact, and investment
• 9 thematic workshops covering impact strategy, financial planning, go-to-market, leadership, AI tools for lean teams, funding, and more
• Tailored investment materials, including a roadmap to scaling, a pitch deck, and an investor one-pager
• Speed-Dating with Investors and Ecosystem Partners – direct access to over 40 impact-focused stakeholders, including investors, representatives from Erste Bank, mentors, and other experts supporting mission-driven ventures.
• Final Demo Day in Prague for exposure to the regional ecosystem
  International showcase – selected ventures will pitch at re:Marc, Marc’s regional summit, in Budapest in June 2026

“With Marc, Czech impact entrepreneurs gain access to a European support structure that helps them become investment-ready and prepared for growth,” said Libor Podlaha, Social Banking at Česká spořitelna. “Whether you’re an impact startup, a business arm of an NGO, or a for-profit company with a mission, Marc provides tailored support to help you move forward.”

Why Marc? What Sets It Apart

What makes the Marc Impact Programme different is our strong focus on personalisation, access to investors and funders, and international collaboration. Instead of following a fixed curriculum, we work with each venture individually, providing tailored support based on its stage and specific needs. We also ensure direct connections to impact investors, helping participants prepare their pitch, improve their strategy, and build relationships that can lead to funding.

Marc is part of a regional network active in Austria, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and now Czechia, Serbia, and Croatia, which allows participants to learn from peers in other countries and explore cross-border opportunities. A key part of the programme is one-on-one work with experienced mentors who understand both business and social impact. The quality of shared know-how is ensured by a professional mentor with over seven years of experience and a portfolio of more than 100 founders mentored. “One of the key factors in venture building for me is sustainable growth. This accelerator delivers on it through a blend of proven, top-tier mentor know-how, high-value networking events and expert workshops on modern approaches. We will cover the essentials, such as choosing the right business model, as well as topics like founders’ well-being and personal branding. I am honoured to mentor alongside leaders such as Andrew Gray of Tilia Impact Ventures and Aneta Martinek of Holky z Byznysu, among others,” said Michal Slavev, Head of Mentors at Marc Czechia.

And finally, Marc is backed by mission-driven organisations — including ERSTE Foundation — which ensures that the programme is designed to support ventures creating long-term value, not just short-term growth.

Who Should Apply?

Marc is designed for:

• Startups or social enterprises with a clear social or environmental mission
• NGO-founded ventures or nonprofits developing business arms
• Impact-oriented for-profits ready to grow responsibly
• Ventures that are legally registered in Czechia and already generating or preparing to generate revenue

We especially welcome projects in fields like education, health, circular economy, inclusive technology, sustainable mobility, youth and elderly support, and future-of-work innovations.

Applications are open now at https://app.babele.co/application-definition/464
 📅 Deadline: 29 September 2025 (23:59 CET)
📢 Selection Results: 22 October 2025
🚀 Programme Starts: November 2025

source: Startup Kitchen, Marc