Cohort 1, 2027
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● Cohort 01 · Applications open until January 2027

Ascent
to the summit.

The tripartite incubation programme for action sports startups. Surf, skate, snow, BMX, trail, climbing. Nine intensive months, five startups per cohort, a direct line to the industry.

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In partnership with
ActionSporTech EuroSIMA Mont X
ascent.actionsportech.fr
01 / The programme

From January 2027 to Surf Summit 2027, nine months of continuous progress

A full cycle, designed like an expedition. Base camp in winter, the ridge in spring, the summit at the end of summer. Each startup keeps its own line.

01 One-to-one mentoring

A dedicated mentor

A strategic call every two weeks with your lead mentor, plus an expert pool you can tap into on demand. Private Slack channel for operational blockers.

1 call / 2 weeks (45 min)
02 Cohort collective

One workshop per month

Half-day sessions on the levers that matter: product, tech, go-to-market, fundraising, sustainability. Operators, not theorists. One peer-to-peer session every month.

1 workshop / month · 1 peer session / month
03 Continuous support

Funding and network

Support on BPI, French Tech and regional grants. Warm intros to investors from month 5. Access to the EuroSIMA network (200+ members) and Mont X (Canada).

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02 / Key dates

Seven milestones, one heading

The launch takes place at the EuroSIMA Surf Summit, so does Demo Day. In between, monthly workshops, a bootcamp in the Cévennes, and two public checkpoints.

  1. 01

    Sept 2026

    Public announcement

    EuroSIMA Surf Summit, Belambra Club Les Estagnots, Seignosse

  2. 02

    Until Jan 2027

    Call for applications open

    Submissions from across the European industry

  3. 03

    Jan 2027

    Cohort of 5 selected

    Individual notification

  4. 04

    Jan 2027

    Cohort kick-off

    Individual 360° diagnostic

  5. 05

    May 2027

    Mid-term Demo Day

    Public checkpoint

  6. 06

    July 2027

    Bootcamp Cévennes

    4-day immersion

  7. 07

    Sept 2027

    Final Demo Day

    EuroSIMA Surf Summit 2027

03 / Who's in

A demanding cohort, six transparent criteria

ASCENT selects five startups whose product, market or method reshape the industry. Public weighting, three-party jury, no opaque filter.

30% Innovation and originality
20% Environmental and social impact
20% Economic viability
10% Scalability and internationalisation
10% Team quality
10% Action sports industry fit

Requirements

Project rooted in the action sports ecosystem, team of at least two people, stage past ideation, with a working MVP or early traction signals.

Participation terms

Participation fee of €3,000 excl. tax per startup for cohort 1. Two mandatory on-site events, kick-off at the Surf Summit and the final Demo Day. Everything else runs hybrid or digital.

Applications

Five seats, nine months, three partners. Submit your application now.

Apply now