The European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) has announced the final registration call for the 2025 EIT Jumpstarter. The EIT is an EU body that aims to train and convert innovative ideas into budding businesses. This flagship EU pre-accelerator programme is renowned for discovering and fostering exceptional talent throughout Europe. This year, the initiative also targets innovators from the Western Balkans, EU Outermost Regions, and the Mediterranean, offering significant financial incentives and exclusive access to customised resources.
With €150,000 in funding and dedicated support available, the programme aims to transform innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. As the registration deadline draws near, potential applicants are strongly encouraged to take advantage of this last opportunity to connect with one of Europe’s leading innovation networks. To be considered for this transformative experience, submissions must be made by 2 April at eitjumpstarter.eu
The initiative has proven successful across the past eight editions, where the programme:
- has upskilled more than 1,300 people in entrepreneurship,
- helped establish 124 start-ups and create 2,600 new jobs.
Start-ups that have emerged from the accelerator include ReCatalyst from Slovenia, which creates and supplies customisable platinum-alloy catalysts to optimise your precious metal usage; iLoF from Portugal, a digital health company pioneering a breakthrough AI-platform to accelerate the future of personalised drug discovery and development; Ligence from Lithuania, the firm behind AI-driven cardiac ultrasound analysis; and a special cohort of start-ups to Rebuild Ukraine.
EIT start-ups have already raised approximately €150 million of external investment. That means for every €1 put into the programme, the start-ups created have brought in €30.
“The EIT Jumpstarter is the ideal platform for validating innovative ideas and exploring potential commercialisation of research,” underlines Tina Benda from the EIT RawMaterials, who curates the Metals, Minerals, Advanced Materials & Industrial Side Streams Cohort in the EIT Jumpstarter.
“We provide early-stage support to help set up your start-up and cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset. You will also have the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals and gain insights from industry experts who will help you refine your idea and build a successful start-up.”
This year, the programme places special emphasis on innovators from the Mediterranean and the EU Outermost Regions such as Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Reunion, Martinique, Mayotte and Saint-Martin (France), the Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and the Canary Islands (Spain), offering them the chance for additional awards if successful. Moreover, talented individuals from North Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina are also encouraged to apply, with specific opportunities available for these areas.
What’s next?
Applications in 8 different categories: Food & Agritech, Healthcare, Advanced and Green Manufacturing, Energy & Renewables, Smart Cities & Urban Mobility, New European Bauhaus (NEB), Rebuild Ukraine and Metals, minerals and industrial side streams, can be submitted until April 2, 2025, via the EIT Jumpstarter page.
Out of the applicants, 190 teams will be selected to participate in online bootcamps and Pitch Days. From there, 80 teams will advance to receive local training, develop their business plans and register their start-ups. In November 2025, 48 teams will enter the final pitch competition, vying for cash prizes and the opportunity to gain exposure within the EIT, the largest innovators network in Europe.
The European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) strengthens Europe’s capacity to innovate by addressing global challenges and nurturing entrepreneurial talent, contributing to sustainable growth and skilled job creation across the continent. EIT is an integral part of Horizon Europe, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
