Empowering start-ups and entrepreneurs to drive and foster innovation in the raw materials sector
EIT RawMaterials provides funding and entrepreneurship coaching to early-stage start-ups, with a focus on idea-to-market as well as early-stage start-ups with relevance for the partners (first customer). Business Creation and Acceleration activities are aimed at transforming innovative ideas and projects into new business for existing companies (large and small) as well as through the creation of start-ups and spin-offs.
Turn your idea into business
Do you have an innovative business idea and want to jumpstart your business?
Apply for the new edition of the EIT Jumpstarter 2020, one of the most well-known European pre-accelerator programmes! EIT Jumpstarter, recognised as the 2019 Best Association Training Initiative in Europe, is a cross-industrial programme designed for early-stage innovators who want to gain traction and jumpstart their business. The fourth edition is organised in collaboration with six Innovation Communities: EIT RawMaterials, EIT Health, EIT Food, EIT InnoEnergy, EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility, initiated and funded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
The programme has a special focus on Central-Eastern and Southern European talents who want to validate their business concept, develop a business plan and pitch their ideas to the potential future investors. In the previous editions, over 90 teams from 13 countries were already trained, mentored and supported in expanding impactful ideas into powerful business models.
EIT Jumpstarter is a great programme with amazing mentors. For us, it’s a unique opportunity because there are not many funding mechanisms which work with raw material. This prize will be our first investment in our small facility.
Ivar Krusenber, CEO of UpCatalyst, first prize winner in the Raw Materials category
Application deadline is 5 April 2020!
Get financial support to scale-up
Your Start-up or an SME offers sustainable solutions for the raw materials sector?
RM Booster programme provides support to start-ups and SMEs to develop innovative products/services that can produce an impact in the raw materials sector or benefit our partners. Besides funding and customised services, the selected Start-ups and SMEs will also get access to the EIT RawMaterials partner network, participating in our networking events, as well as gain visibility through EIT RawMaterials network channels. Eventually, supported Start-ups and SMEs may join our network as an associate or full member to benefit from the ecosystem fully.
RM Booster provides established start-ups with support:
- to speed up a technology challenge resulting in a higher TRL, bringing the technology closer to the market
- to accelerate market penetration by dedicating financial resources for a specific segment or target market
- to facilitate product portfolio diversification, enabling product adaption or new product features to address a concrete market need
RM Booster Call 2020 is open all year long with three cut-off dates for proposal submission: 17 January, 15 May and 4 September 2020!
Launch your innovation to the market
Are you facing a challenge to bring your innovation to the market and seeking additional financial support?
EIT RawMaterials is committed to supporting Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) as they lead activities that will improve innovation capacity across its community. The call aims to boost and accelerate the launch on the market of new products within the context of the value chains and topics of the three EIT RawMaterials Lighthouses on Sustainable Discovery and Supply, Sustainable Materials for Future Mobility, Raw Materials and Circular Societies. This call supports innovation and business creation, accelerating the commercialisation of innovation to the benefit of European citizens.
The SME Call is especially suited to companies that are facing a challenge to bring their specific innovative product, process, solution or service to the market, and that are seeking additional financial support of up to €500 000 to solve their challenge. To qualify for funding, the company must propose solutions that are aligned with the value chains of the raw and advanced materials network and must fit the definition of an SME according to the European Commission:
SME is an entity engaged in an economic activity, with less than 250 employees and an annual turnover of no more than €50 million and/or a balance sheet of no more than €43 million.
