Tangible Tomorrow Program 2026
Batch 2.0
Participants
Tangible Tomorrow is a program focused on accelerating innovation by bringing together universities, startups, and spin-off companies working in telecommunications and human–machine interaction.
Our purpose is simple yet ambitious:
to explore inspiring new technologies that push the limits of connectivity and turn academic breakthroughs into real-world solutions.
The initiative supports projects at different stages of development — from early concepts and research to prototypes and pilot implementations. Its goal is to help promising ideas move beyond the lab and into practical use, delivering value both to industry and to society more broadly.
Purpose & Vision
The long-term aim of the program is to help turn research ideas into practical products and technologies that people and businesses can actually use. This includes supporting the development of market-ready solutions, delivering real value to customers, and enabling successful technology implementation.
By strengthening collaboration between universities, startups, and Deutsche Telekom, Tangible Tomorrow creates an environment where new ideas can grow and develop into meaningful innovations. The initiative supports steady and sustainable technological progress, with a focus on improving the way people connect, communicate, and collaborate.
Focus of Exploration
Our research and acceleration activities focus on the technologies redefining telecommunications and human interaction:
- Autonomous Networks — Building networks that can run, adapt, and improve on their own using AI and real-time data intelligence, moving toward Level 5 autonomy where operations, optimization, and security happen with little to no human intervention.
- Network Capabilities — Combining sensing, robotics, Physical AI, and 6G connectivity to connect the physical and digital worlds in new ways, enabling systems that can react, collaborate, and operate autonomously in real time.
- Compute & Classical Communication — Rethinking how information is processed and exchanged through semantic communication, advanced wireless technologies, and future telco compute architectures, creating networks that understand, prioritize, and move data more efficiently.
These themes guide our participants and partners as we explore the future of telco together — from lab research to tangible outcomes.
Who We Work With
Tangible Tomorrow connects three key innovation communities — each contributing unique value to the TelCo innovation journey:
- Research Institutes and Universities
We work closely with universities, research centers, and academic labs that are shaping the future of connectivity and intelligent systems. Participants can connect with Deutsche Telekom’s specialists, showcase their work within the broader telecom ecosystem, and explore ways to turn research into practical applications and industry-ready solutions. - Startups
We partner with ambitious deep tech startups developing technologies relevant to the future of telecom and digital infrastructure. Through the program, startups gain access to mentorship, industry connections, and opportunities to validate their ideas through collaboration, pilot initiatives, and conversations with investors and strategic partners. - Spin-offs
We welcome spin-offs translating breakthrough research into new products, services, and technologies with real-world impact. Participants benefit from expert guidance, increased visibility, and opportunities to collaborate with Deutsche Telekom and ecosystem partners on solutions designed for both industry and society.
Together, these communities form the backbone of Tangible Tomorrow — an ecosystem built to explore, experiment, and evolve.
Expected Outcomes
The outcomes of Tangible Tomorrow are focused on turning strong ideas into visible, real-world results. Through selected proof-of-concept projects developed together with spin-off teams and guided by DDD domain experts, the program supports the creation of tangible demos and showcases that can be presented at major industry and innovation events across Europe, including Bonn, Berlin, and Barcelona.
Beyond technology development, the initiative is designed to create lasting value for everyone involved — strengthening the visibility and reputation of Deutsche Telekom, T-Labs, hubraum, academic partners, and participating startups or spin-offs through shared public communication, industry exposure, and collaborative innovation.
Each project contributes to a future where advanced connectivity and intelligent systems are not only more capable, but also more useful, accessible, and meaningful in everyday life.
Application Process
Each participating university incubator may nominate up to three spin-offs or startups to apply for the program. Selected teams will be invited to dedicated pitch days, where they will present their ideas to a jury composed of university representatives, internal stakeholders, and mentors from previous editions of the program.
Pitches will take place over two to three days, with approximately six teams presenting each day. University incubators will also be invited to attend and support the presentations of their nominated teams.
If you’re a nominee from one of the partner universities, please apply below. (we may also have a limited number of wildcard spots available)
Last Year’s Edition
If you’d like to explore how the program looked last year, visit the page below and learn more about the projects, teams, and outcomes from the previous edition: