EIT Jumpstarter announces Europe’s most promising early-stage innovators of 2026

These top-ranked teams come from 12 countries, demonstrating the geographical breadth of entrepreneurial talent emerging from Europe’s countries and regions with lower innovation performance. 

Spain achieved the strongest overall representation, with three teams placing among the top three: PRECISION-CHEMO, a genomic test that predicts which chemotherapies a tumour will resist before treatment starts, SimOSpine, a digital twins and patient-specific simulation to prevent complications after spinal fusion surgery, and Valumina, spotting hidden supply-chain risks before they become disruptions. Türkiye and Latvia each secured two podium positions, while innovators from Albania, Bulgaria, Czechia, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Malta and Slovenia were also recognised. 

GeoCura, from Albania, received both first place in the Raw Materials category and the Western Balkans Special Prize, underlining the project’s potential to deliver value within its sector while contributing to the growth of the region’s innovation ecosystem. Their innovation turns hazardous mine tailings into high-value construction materials. 

Arcmentor, an AI assistant that helps new operators master robotic welding faster, from Ukraine, received the Rebuild Ukraine Special Prize, recognising its contribution to Ukraine’s recovery and long-term innovation capacity. 

‘The 2026 winners reflect the ambition and diversity of Europe’s emerging innovation talent. They entered EIT Jumpstarter with promising ideas and have worked intensively to understand their markets, validate their solutions and build credible paths towards impact and growth. We look forward to seeing where they take their ventures next,’ said Ilaria Tagliavini, Head of Operations, European Institute of Innovation and Technology.