Innovation Tours: Learn methodologies, build networks, discover partners

Immerse your team in real innovation ecosystems. Meet startups, scale-ups, research labs, and innovators who are solving problems like yours. We combine proven innovation methodologies with curated matchmaking - no standard tours, just conversations tailored to your strategy. We handle the research, curation, and logistics - you focus on insights and connections that matter.

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Why innovation tours matter for your team

Learn innovation methodologies

Your team sees firsthand how leading innovators approach problem-solving - from startup agility to established company rigor. You'll understand different innovation cultures and bring proven practices back to your organization.

Build authentic networks

Meet founders, scale-up leaders, researchers, and innovators working on challenges similar to yours. These direct conversations often spark unexpected partnerships and collaborations - sometimes years later.

Discover the right partners

We use our scouting expertise to identify innovators matched to your strategy - not just interesting companies, but the right fit for your challenges. Informal networking over lunch and dinner deepens these connections.

Tour formats that fit your needs

Whether you want a focused day or an immersive multi-day journey, we tailor the experience to your team and goals.

Diverse ecosystem partners

Meet startups, scale-ups, research labs, universities, and innovation agencies. We identify the right mix based on your strategic priorities.

Global reach with local expertise

We run tours in Berlin, Munich, Paris, Barcelona, and beyond. We can also bring innovators to you or design tours for your region.

How our innovation tours work

Understand your context

We learn about your team, your challenges, and what you hope to discover. This shapes everything that follows.

Research and curate

We use our scouting expertise to identify 3-8 innovators - startups, scale-ups, research labs, universities, or agencies - that align with your focus and goals. No standard tours, just matched conversations tailored to your strategy.

Experience and reflect

Your team meets innovators, tours workspaces, and learns how they work. Informal networking over lunch and dinner deepens connections. Built-in time for group reflection helps translate experience into insight.

Take it forward

We provide materials and support to help you share learnings with your organization and identify next steps.

Let's talk Plan your tour

What makes a great innovation tour

We combine innovation methodology expertise with matchmaking precision to deliver real value.

  • Curated for your strategy
    We research and select innovators matched to your challenges and priorities – using our scouting methodology. This ensures you meet the right partners, not just interesting companies.
  • Learning innovation cultures
    You’ll understand startup mindsets, scale-up growth strategies, and how established companies approach innovation. This cultural learning is core to your team’s development.
  • Building real networks
    Beyond formal meetings, informal networking over lunch and dinner creates authentic connections. You’ll expand your ecosystem and discover unexpected collaboration opportunities.

Customize your innovation tour or choose a standardized package

Custom Tour

Tailored to your team, your challenges, and your goals

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âś“ Flexible duration – from half-day to multi-day

âś“ 3 to x curated innovator visits

âś“ Scalable for teams from 5 to 200 participants

âś“ Focused on your strategic priorities

âś“ Pre-tour planning + post-tour materials

âś“ Dedicated support throughout

Get a custom offer

Starter Tour

Quick immersion in a focused innovation ecosystem

6,500

âś“ Half-day or full-day format

âś“ 3-4 curated visits

âś“ Group up to 8 participants

âś“ Thematic focus (AI, sustainability, etc.)

âś“ Post-tour debrief materials

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Deep Dive Tour

Comprehensive multi-day ecosystem exploration

12,000

âś“ 2 day immersive experience

âś“ 5-8 diverse innovator visits (startups, scale-ups, labs, universities, agencies)

âś“ Group up to 8 participants

âś“ Informal lunch and dinner networking with innovators

âś“ Executive briefing included

âś“ Comprehensive follow-up support

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Satisfied Customers

Arūnas Leonavičius
Group Finance Director Tamro Baltics | UAB Tamro

“Thanks a lot for arranging the Startup Tour in Berlin. The organization was excellent, and the meetings with startup managers provided us with some important insights.”

Sebastian Ring
Managing Director BENU Česká republika a.s.

“Many thanks again for the super organized tour. All participants liked it very much and we certainly see possibilities of cooperation with the startups you selected. Thanks a lot!”

Dr. Jacek Zawisza
CEO and Co-Founder Kamioni

I was impressed by the quality of the participants who Ambivation invited to our first meeting. We had the opportunity to talk directly to the top management of a billion-dollar company and were able to define the direction for a joint pilot project. Excellent!

Sven Siering
Head of Digital Innovation Unit, Deutsche Leasing AG

“The Startup Tour with Ambivation was a great success and everything was very well organized on site. Our CEO Kai Ostermann found the day very successful and exciting, too. The 16 startups that Ambivation scoutet for us were all suitable and we found it very difficult to make a final selection. Whether collaborations with the startups will develop will be seen next year. I would definitely do a startup matchmaking tour of this kind again.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Ambivation's approach to innovation tours differ from standard offerings?

We don’t run standard tours. We use our scouting methodology and market expertise to identify innovators matched to your specific strategy and challenges. This means you meet the right partners, not just a pre-selected list. We combine innovation methodology learning with authentic matchmaking – two equally important elements.

What types of organizations do you visit?

We arrange visits with startups, scale-ups, research labs, universities, innovation agencies, and established companies with strong innovation practices. We select the mix based on your goals – whether you want to learn agile methodologies, understand research-driven innovation, or explore startup culture and growth strategies.

How long should an innovation tour be?

It depends on your goals. We typically recommend a minimum of 4 hours to visit 2-3 innovators meaningfully. Many clients prefer a full day (6-8 hours) to visit 4-5 organizations. Multi-day deep dives work well for larger teams or when you want more immersion and workshop time.

How do you prepare us for the tour?

We start with a conversation about your team’s background, your strategic priorities, and what you hope to learn. This shapes which innovators we invite and how we structure the experience. We also provide pre-tour materials to help your team get the most out of each visit.

Do you include informal networking opportunities?

Yes. Lunch and dinner networking are built into multi-day tours, creating informal spaces for deeper conversations with innovators. These often lead to unexpected partnerships and collaborations.

Where do you run tours?

We have strong networks in Berlin and Munich and regularly run tours there. We also design tours in other cities globally – Paris, Barcelona, and beyond. In some cases, we can bring innovators to your location instead of traveling.

Can we focus on specific industries or themes?

Absolutely. We can design tours around specific themes like AI, sustainability, Industry 4.0, or digital transformation – or a mix of cross-industry innovation approaches. We tailor the selection to what matters most to your strategy.

What if our team is larger than 8 people?

We can run parallel tours for larger groups, or design a custom framework that works for bigger teams – we’ve successfully run tours for up to 200 participants. Let us know your size and we’ll find a solution that maintains quality interactions.

What happens after the tour?

We provide follow-up materials including a summary of key learnings and contact information for the innovators you met. We can also help facilitate introductions if you want to explore partnerships with any of them.