EIT Jumpstarter
Turning innovative ideas into viable business models
Do you have an innovative idea and think it deserves to be a product or service? Great! Let us help you jumpstart this process!
EIT Jumpstarter is a pre-accelerator for innovators in the raw materials, healthcare, agri-food, energy, urban mobility, manufacturing industries and the New European Bauhaus. We help innovators and entrepreneurs like you from EIT RIS eligible countries to build a viable business model around your innovative product or service idea, validate it and if your business idea is proven to be sustainable, we encourage you to register your company.
Participating in the EIT Jumpstarter opens doors to the European markets and connects the best teams with industry partners of the EIT Community.
Through the EIT Jumpstarter programme, you will have access to best-in-class experts, a creative community, advanced know-how, expert trainers, and mentors. As a graduate of the programme you will have the skills and knowledge to launch your company, and as part of the alumni community, you will receive further support and dedicated advisory from the EIT Communities regarding the next stage of your start-up journey. We introduce graduates to partners, to VCs, regulatory bodies and companies that can produce your products, introduce you to your first buyer or a test site. You will get to experience major innovation hubs in Europe, which is important when you want to enter foreign markets.
Register for EIT Jumpstarter 2024
The application for the new edition of the EIT Jumpstarter 2024 are open. All idea holders are now encouraged to register to the EIT Jumpstarter programme until the programme’s registration closes on 05 May 2024.
Set your business idea up for success with EIT Jumpstarter
The program has trained more than 970 start-up teams since 2017, and interest in our competition is growing. In 2019 EIT Jumpstarter won the Best Association Training Initiative Award of the European Association Awards. Check out the testimonials from our Alumni.
The programme contributes to boosting innovation and entrepreneurship within Central-Eastern and Southern-European Regions by validating innovative solutions and connecting them with the articulated demands from the industry.
Target groups and eligibility criteria
We encourage scientific project teams, innovators, scientists, PhD and master’s students to apply to the EIT Jumpstarter.
EIT Jumpstarter is suitable for individuals with innovative business ideas in the raw materials sector who want to gain practical knowledge on running a business and establishing a start-up.
The competition is open to all individuals and teams of natural persons citizens of the EIT RIS eligible countries. Natural person: researchers, master and PhD students or research groups from universities and research organisations; professionals, entrepreneurs or idea owners with an idea/solution targeting the markets mentioned above and wanting to start a company.
The applications can be submitted either by a single idea holder or a team represented by a contact person. There is no pre-set number of members in a team, but a maximum of two (2) members are eligible for financing. The participation of a team is welcome and appreciated in the evaluation, especially when the team is covering different competencies required in running a start-up. However, a maximum number of two (2) members per team are eligible to take part in the EIT Jumpstarter programme.
Thematic Scope
Minerals, metals and advanced materials are key enablers to achieve the objectives of the European Green Deal.
Today, only a fraction of the most relevant raw materials is produced in Europe. This can be changed through a circular economy approach, through innovation in recycling, substitution, processing, mining, and exploration. It is the objective of EIT RawMaterials to secure a sustainable raw materials supply by driving innovation, education, and entrepreneurship across European industrial ecosystems.
EIT Jumpstarter supports new business ideas sharing our vision to develop raw materials into a major strength for Europe.
Circular Economy
Solutions and business models implementing circular economy concepts
Substitution of critical and toxic materials in products and for optimised performance
New technologies or services that make it possible to substitute or use lower quantities of critical or toxic materials in key industries
Recycling
Technologies and solutions for materials supply from secondary sources and recycling
Mineral and metallurgical processes
Technologies and solutions for mineral and metal processing and for improved materials production
Future Mining
Technologies and solutions for more efficient, responsible and sustainable modern mining
Exploration
Technologies and solutions for improved and new mineral exploration