Impact Hub Vienna Grow: Growing an Idea Into a Company

Building a startup is a lot about becoming the kind of founder who can lead that product into the world beyond just creating it. Every conversation, every mentor, every challenge, and every difficult decision shapes not only the company, but also the person building it.

For Tori, one of the most transformative chapters of that journey was becoming part of Grow, the startup acceleration program by Impact Hub Vienna and Deloitte Future Fund.

Selected for the Grow Accelerator

In late 2024, Les Ensembles, the company that would later evolve into , was selected as one of only six startups to join the Grow acceleration program.

Grow supports purpose-driven startups developing solutions for a more sustainable future through months of expert coaching, tailored workshops, one-on-one mentoring, and access to one of Austria's strongest innovation communities. The program brings together entrepreneurs, industry experts, investors, and experienced founders to help promising ventures move from early validation toward market readiness.

For Tori, it wasn't simply another program. It became a place to challenge assumptions, sharpen the vision behind and learn how to build a company that creates lasting value.

Building More Than a Product

At the time, Les Ensembles was already exploring a bold question:

While much of the fashion industry focuses on increasing purchases, was designed to strengthen the relationship between people and the clothes they already own:

• Helping someone rediscover forgotten pieces.
• Helping them feel confident getting dressed.
• Helping fashion brands create products people truly wear, love, and keep.

During the Grow program, this vision became clearer, stronger, and more actionable.

Learning Alongside Builders

One of the greatest strengths of any accelerator isn't the curriculum, but the people: the founders building alongside you, the mentors who ask better questions, the experts who have solved similar problems before.

Being part of the Impact Hub Vienna ecosystem gave Tori the opportunity to learn from experienced entrepreneurs while exchanging ideas with fellow founders tackling climate, sustainability, and social challenges across completely different industries.

Those conversations reinforced a belief that still shapes today: The best innovation happens where technology meets genuine human needs.

From Prototype to Public Launch

Every startup has moments that quietly change its trajectory. Grow was one of those moments. It helped transform from an early prototype into a venture with a clearer product strategy, stronger business model, and growing confidence to share its vision publicly.

The experience also strengthened Tori's belief that building a startup is never about having all the answers, but about staying curious enough to keep asking better questions.

For Future Founders

Looking back, one lesson stands out:

The right community won't build your company for you, but it will help you grow into the founder your company needs.

That's exactly why Tori now supports other entrepreneurs who are at the beginning of their own journey.