News
April 30, 2025
Applications came from all 28 eligible countries and territories , with this year’s call placing special focus on the Mediterranean, EU Outermost Regions, and Western Balkans economies. As a result, 369 applications (40% of all applications) came from these strategically targeted areas, confirming the importance of inclusive outreach and regional engagement.
The highest number of applications came from Ukraine, Turkiye and Italy. In terms of topics,the Healthcare cohort led the pack this year, attracting 249 applications, making it the most competitive thematic area. This surge signals a growing interest in healthcare innovation across the regions. Close behind are Food and Agritech, with 169 applications.
🗣️ This year’s evaluator, who reviewed the Healthcare cohort, shared:
“Over the last decade of partnering with EIT Jumpstarter, the standard of innovation creation and acceleration has continued to increase exponentially. In the 2025 cohort, there have been a number of exceptional standout solutions that deserve recognition and have a potential to impact millions of patients’ lives in the future. Credit must also go to the impressively high standard of all applications”.
Gender equality remains a core value of EIT Jumpstarter. This year, 55% of applicants identified as female.
“Supporting gender balance means tapping into the full talent pool, not just half of it. This is particularly important in regions where female entrepreneurship is underrepresented or where female roles where not traditionally linked to the world of business and innovation — EIT Jumpstarter helps close that gap” - shared Evelin Szasz, EIT Jumpstarter Lead.
Now 199 teams will enter the bootcamp phase and start developing their robust business models, which will be presented to the jury panels during the Pitch Days. The bootcamps teams will receive hands-on support and mentoring to further develop their innovative ideas. The best ones will be invited to join the Local Joint Trainings – a cross-disciplinary immersive in-person workshops happening parallelly in 11 cities.
