This year’s final of the EIT Jumpstarter programme was held on 28 November in Budapest, Hungary, along with the EIT Community conference “The next decade of innovation for the future of Europe. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme”. EIT Jumpstarter is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union.
“The pipeline of start-ups established in non-Western countries through programmes like EIT Jumpstarter is growing every year, and many ventures from previous editions have now reached multimillion valuations. This is particularly important to close the funding gap in the European innovation ecosystem. The programme helps create new jobs, brings new skills, and stimulates entrepreneurship in the region,” says Piotr Boulange, representing the EIT Jumpstarter programme. “Considering that every euro invested in the programme generates 30 euros in external funding for newly built start-ups, EIT Jumpstarter truly serves as a springboard for talented founders,” he adds.
Throughout the seven-month programme, participants identified and validated the best business model for their science-based innovative ideas. The aim of this process is to turn their ideas into market-ready start-ups. From 600 applications, only 180 innovators were selected for the training, and the best 49 teams were shortlisted to compete in Budapest, during a dynamic live pitching session divided into eight categories based on the industry – from food to energy. In each of the categories, three awardees were selected, collectively winning prizes worth €150,000. In addition, the top alumni from previous editions of the programme could also present their growth since graduation and compete in the ninth category.
The winning teams ranked 1st in their categories were: NEAMO from Latvia (EIT Food), BIOCHIP-PATHFINDER from Portugal (EIT Health), StoreNow from Portugal (EIT InnoEnergy), Yapar3D from Türkiye (EIT Manufacturing), Total Energy from Croatia (EIT RawMaterials), Urbix Hub from Bulgaria (EIT Urban Mobility), POWAR STEAM from Spain (New European Bauhaus), Drone NonDestructiveTesting from Ukraine (Rebuild Ukraine), WellscanPro from Kosovo for the Western Balkans special award, and the Most Outstanding EIT Jumpstarter Alumni statuette went to Lightly from Czechia.
The next edition of the programme will be opened in January, but pre-registration is already available. In 2025, the EIT Jumpstarter foresees additional support for the Western Balkan and Ukrainian talents and a new prize to recognise the best newly created start-up in the Mediterranean region and Outermost Regions of the European Union.
Since 2017, the EIT Jumpstarter programme has trained 1,180 talents, leading to the establishment of 124 new start-ups and contributing to the creation of 2,100 new jobs in the countries, which are considered emerging and moderate innovators, according to the European Innovation Scoreboard. These start-ups collectively attracted €150 million in external investment up until now. EIT Jumpstarter is open to more than 22 countries and regions and is led by EIT Health with support from EIT Food, EIT InnoEnergy, EIT Manufacturing, EIT RawMaterials, EIT Urban Mobility, EIT Culture & Creativity.
The European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) strengthens Europe’s ability to innovate by powering solutions to pressing global challenges and by nurturing entrepreneurial talent to create sustainable growth and skilled jobs in Europe. The EIT is an EU body and an integral part of Horizon Europe, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
EIT Food
Winner: NEAMO (Latvia)
Runners up: MultiBioCrop (Greece), Bestran (Spain)
EIT Health
Winner: BIOCHIP-PATHFINDER (Portugal)
Runners up: WellscanPro (Kosovo), NexThera Tech (Portugal)
EIT InnoEnergy
Winner: StoreNow (Portugal)
Runners up: Deltasort (Croatia), Rehemp (Serbia)
EIT Manufacturing
Winner: Yapar3D (Turkey)
Runners up: VeridianIQ (Hungary), Melt3D (Slovakia)
EIT Post-Jumpstarter
Winner: Lightly (Czechia)
EIT RawMaterials
Winner: Total Energy (Croatia)
Runners up: Bristlechem (Spain), Unconventional Lithium (Ukraine)
EIT Urban Mobility
Winner: Urbix Hub (Bulgaria)
Runners up: ARport (Hungary), Wyvernn (Italy)
New European Bauhaus
Winner: POWAR STEAM (Spain)
Runners up: RevAlve (Estonia), UrbanGeoWonders (Ukraine)
Rebuild Ukraine
Winner: Drone NonDestructiveTesting (Ukraine)
Runners up: AgRe – Technology for restoring soil (Ukraine), CathodMiner (Ukraine)
Western Balkans special award
Winner: WellscanPro (Kosovo)
