Are you studying or are you interested in PropTech (Property Technology), smart buildings, sustainable construction, digital real estate solutions, or innovation in the built environment?
We are inviting you to join the APERTURE PropTech Business Incubator and take part in an entrepreneurial journey designed to support teams in developing innovative business ideas.
This is a free opportunity to form a team and transform an initial idea into a structured and viable business concept, with the support of mentors and industry experts from across Europe.
What is the APERTURE Business Incubator?
The APERTURE Business Incubator is a free, virtual entrepreneurial programme for students, graduates and learners from higher education institutions and vocational schools across the 7 APERTURE countries (Cyprus, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Malta and Spain). It supports teams in developing innovative business ideas related to PropTech, sustainable construction, smart buildings and the wider built environment.
Working in teams, participants will progressively transform their initial ideas into structured business concepts and business plans, supported by mentoring from experts across Europe, business development tools and learning resources. The mentoring and Business Plan development period runs from November 2026 to April 2027, followed by the submission of all teams’ business plans in May 2027 and evaluation in June 2027.
The journey culminates in the APERTURE Business Plan Competition in Malta in September 2027. Following the submission and national evaluation of the Business Plans in June 2027, one team from each of the seven APERTURE countries will be selected to progress to the final competition. The 7 finalist teams will pitch their business ideas to industry and academic experts, business angels and investors, with 3 winning teams each receiving a €5,000 prize.
What will you gain through your participation in the Incubator?
By joining the APERTURE Business Incubator, you will have the opportunity to:
- Develop green, digital and entrepreneurial skills
- Transform your initial idea into a structured business concept and Business Plan
- Receive mentoring, practical guidance and feedback from industry exports and mentors across Europe
- Access business development tools and learning resources to support your entrepreneurial journey
- Connect with a European network of experts, innovators and aspiring entrepreneurs
- Gain visibility for your business idea
- Have the opportunity to represent your country at the APERTURE Business Plan Competition in Malta, if your team is selected through the national evaluation process
What to expect:
The Incubation programme will guide your team through:
- Idea development and problem definition
- Business model creation and validation
- Mentoring and expert feedback tailored to your team’s needs
- Preparation and development of a full Business Plan
- For selected finalist teams: pitch preparation and presentation of the business idea at the final competition in Malta
How to participate?
- 1. Form a team of 3-4 members.
- 2. Register your team directly on the APERTURE Incubator Platform → REGISTER HERE
Team registration should be completed by the team leader on behalf of the whole team.
Teams are encouraged to register as early as possible. From November 2026 onwards, registered teams will be able to explore mentors’ profiles and start booking mentoring sessions according to their specific needs and mentors’ availability.
Access the general APERTURE Incubator Platform landing page here.
Overview of your Incubation Journey
Once registered, your team will embark on a progressive journey from the development of an initial PropTech idea to the preparation of a structured Business Plan, supported by mentoring, practical tools and learning resources available through the APERTURE Incubator Platform (hub.aperture-innovation.eu).
1
Team Registration
Your team registers on the APERTURE Incubator Platform and provides initial information about the team members and your PropTech business idea, including the problem or challenge that your idea aims to address.
2
Mentoring and Business Idea Development
(November 2026 - April 2027)Your team develops and refines its idea with support from APERTURE mentors and industry experts. Through the Platform, you will be able to explore mentors’ profiles and areas of expertise and book mentoring sessions according to your team’s specific needs and mentors’ availability.
3
Business Plan Finalisation and Submission
(May 2027)Building on the work completed during the mentoring period, your team finalises its Business Plan and submits it for evaluation.
4
National Evaluation and Finalist Section
(June 2027)The submitted Business Plans are evaluated at national level. One team from each of the 7 APERTURE countries will be selected to progress to the final Business Plan Competition in Malta.
5
Pitch and Travel Preparations
(Summer 2027)The 7 finalist teams refine their business pitches and presentations and prepare for their participation in the final competition.
6
Final Business Plan Competition
(Malta, September 2027)The 7 finalist teams pitch their business ideas to industry and academic experts, business angels and investors. Three winning teams will each receive a €5,000 prize.
What happens after registration?
After registration, the team leader will receive an email to verify and activate the team account before signing in to the Incubator Platform (please also check your spam/junk folder).
The team account will be used throughout the Incubator for Platform notifications, mentoring-related communication and important updates.
Once registered and logged in, your team will be able to complete/update its team profile and access the available resources and guidance. From November 2026 onwards, your team will also be able to explore the profiles and areas of expertise of registered mentors and book mentoring sessions according to your team’s specific needs and the mentors’ availability.
For further information and practical guidance, you can consult the APERTURE Business Incubator Teams’ Guide (also available directly through your dashboard once you have registered and logged into the Incubator Platform), including useful resources and business development materials (e.g., the Business Plan Guide and the Business Plan Template to support the development of your idea and Business Plan).
Access the APERTURE Business Incubator Team’s Guide here.