The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is an independent EU body that is boosting Europe’s ability to innovate. The EIT nurtures entrepreneurial talent and supports new ideas, bringing together the “knowledge triangle” of leading companies, universities and research centres to form dynamic cross-border partnerships called Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). Currently there are eight thematic KICs: EIT Food, Climate-KIC, EIT Digital, EIT InnoEnergy, EIT Health, EIT Raw Materials, EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility. The following KICs are participating in the EIT Jumpstarter program: EIT Food, EIT Innoenergy, EIT Health, EIT Raw Materials, EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility.
Cross-KIC Strategic Regional Innovations is a horizontal project providing a platform for the KICs to share best-practices and KIC initiatives and identify joint activities within those Emerging European regions that are labelled as modest and moderate innovators (specifically EIT Regional Innovation Scheme regions and countries and the Western-Balkans) according to the European Innovation Scoreboard.
EIT Health is one of the biggest healthcare initiatives worldwide, connecting approximately 150 partners exceptional in the worlds of business, education, research and health service delivery. Our EIT RIS program is a comprehensive, with the double goal of developing innovation ecosystems in targeted regions as well as to provide access for local actors to best-in-class EIT Health programs. Our mission is to accelerate entrepreneurship and innovation to address three key challenges: promote healthy living, support active ageing, improve healthcare.
EIT RawMaterials is the largest consortium in the raw materials sector worldwide. Its vision is to develop
raw materials into a major strength for Europe. Its mission is to enable sustainable competitiveness of the
European minerals, metals and materials sector along the value chain by driving innovation, education
and entrepreneurship.
EIT RawMaterials unites more than 120 core and associate partners and +300project partners from
leading industry, universities and research institutions from more than 20 EU countries. Partners of EIT
RawMaterials are active across the entire raw materials value chain; from exploration, mining and mineral
processing to substitution, recycling and circular economy. EIT RawMaterials aims to significantly enhance
innovation in the raw materials sector by sharing knowledge, facilitating matchmaking activities,
developing innovative technologies and supporting business creation.
EIT Food is a pan-European partnership, with a consumer-centred approach, to empower innovators, entrepreneurs and students to develop world-class solutions to societal challenges, accelerate innovation, create jobs and increase Europe’s competitiveness. As one of the largest food-related initiatives worldwide, EIT Food wants Europe to lead a global revolution in food innovation and production. Our ambition is to redesign the way our food is produced, delivered, consumed and recycled and to create a future-proof and effective food sector which supports a sustainable and circular bio- economy.
EIT InnoEnergy is the innovation engine for sustainable energy across Europe supported by the European
Institute of Innovation and Technology. For us, true sustainability also means an industry that’s
commercially viable, endlessly innovative, and highly competitive.
We make this possible by helping Europe adopt pioneering new technologies, without risk or complexity.
From mobility to construction - from renewable energy sources to smarter storage solutions - our
commercially attractive technologies are the product of a trusted ecosystem for sustainable energy. We
invested over €560 million into more than 480 sustainable energy innovations, all on track to generate
€16 billion in commercial revenues by 2026. 90% of our start-ups already work with global brand names
including ABB, BMW, EDF, Engie, Tata Steel and Vattenfall. Our rich network of more than 500 key players
from 18 different countries enables us to be a key vehicle for the energy transition.
EIT Manufacturing is an Innovation Community within the European Institute of Innovation & Technology
(EIT) – that connects the leading manufacturing actors in Europe. Fueled by a strong interdisciplinary and
trusted community, we will add unique value to European products, processes, services – and inspire the
creation of globally competitive and sustainable manufacturing.
EIT Manufacturing will establish an innovation community and build a network of ecosystems where
people can acquire skills and find opportunities; and where innovators are able to attract investors and
accede venture capital. For that purpose, EIT Manufacturing community boasts more than
130 members and network partners, including leading industry players, universities and research
institutes.
EIT Urban Mobility is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) that has
been working to encourage positive changes in the way people move around cities in order to make them
more liveable places since January 2019. EIT Urban Mobility engages people, connects communities,
accelerates market opportunities and re-imagines public spaces. An innovation community to educate
and inspire mobility solutions for 21st century cities.
Using cities as living labs, EIT Urban Mobility industry and university partners demonstrate how new
technologies can work to solve real problems in real cities by transporting people, freight, and waste in
smarter ways. By fostering innovation and transformation, we can improve people’s quality of life,
decarbonize mobility, and make Europe’s economy more competitive. EIT Urban Mobility aims to become
the largest European initiative transforming urban mobility. The help of EIT, a body of the European Union
co-funding up to € 400 million (2020-2026), will help make this happen.
EIT Health, EIT RawMaterials, EIT Food, EIT Innoenergy, EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility jointly
organize the EIT JumpStarter Competition 2022(“Competition”), an innovation contest aiming to reach
out, identify and support the best ideas from researchers and professionals with a potential impact in
their respective sector. In addition to the six thematic fields, KICs are jointly covering a seventh thematic
field, called New European Bauhaus targeting the creative sector. The addition of this new thematic field
is part of the extension of the competition in the framework of New European Bauhaus initiative. The
detailed scopes of each thematic fields are explained under point 3.
A selected list of candidates will be allowed to access to the very selective training and mentoring program
that aims to provide expertise for business modeling, validation of the need, and knowledge about how
to start a technology-based venture. The teams with the best quality deliverables and pitching will be
awarded with a money prize.
This competition is divided into several phases:
The application deadline for the programme is 10th April 2022 23:59 CET. Please apply through our online
application form. The applicants should put an emphasis on: the innovative concept, what is unique in
their technology, the development stage of their idea, the team description, explaining the need the
innovation solves, and current challenges of the team. Applications can be submitted once under the
most appropriate thematic field (either Health or Food or RawMaterials or InnoEnergy or Urban Mobility
or Manufacturing or New European Bauhaus)
The submitted applications will be assessed by a team of experts. A total of 210 teams – 30 per each
thematic field (Health, Food, RawMaterials, Innoenergy, Urban Mobility, Manufacturing, New European
Bauhaus) - will be selected to participate in the Competition. Due to the cross-sectoral character of the
program there are possible shifts of qualified teams between thematic cohorts: in case the scope of a
business idea better fits into another thematical cohort, the team shall be requested to change their
thematic field.
Applications shall be evaluated on a rolling basis; therefore, applicants are encouraged to complete their
application form earlier than the expiration of the application deadline.
The aim of the training is to deliver the fundamental qualitative and quantitative skills of developing a business case for an entrepreneurial idea; as well as knowledge on pitching the business case in order to get investor funding. Focus areas: pitch deck development and identification of areas for further development and validation of the key modeling assumptions. Bootcamps will be organized online between mid-May and mid-June 2022. The length of this stage is approximately 15 hours. Bootcamps are composed of online modules and learning group meetings where participants will be supported with expert coaching to master the different topics while interacting, networking and learning from the fellow teams. Furthermore, teams will have the possibility to receive individual mentoring from industry experts. Once the team joined one learning group, they are not eligible to participate in another. The maximum number of teams is limited per group, therefore if this number is exceeded, selected applicants accept that they may be contacted and redirected to attend another learning group. Attendance of the team in learning group meetings is mandatory to proceed and pitch at the Online Pitch Day.
After the Online Bootcamps, teams will pitch their business ideas at an online, thematical Pitch Day in mid-June 2022. The pitch will be recorded and evaluated by the KIC’s evaluation committee. Teams will have the possibility to answer the jury’s questions and based on their pitches and answers, KICs will select the best performer, most committed 105 teams – 15 teams from each thematic field, – and invite them to attend the Local Joint Trainings.
Local Joint Trainings will be organized in various locations in July-September 2022. They will build on the knowledge acquired by teams during the Bootcamps. The aim of the Local Joint Trainings is to help teams test and validate their main assumptions set up in the Bootcamp phase, enrich knowledge and practice skills of using the tools presented during the Bootcamp, teach them how to present their business idea in a structured way and teach teams how to open a company. If possible, Teams will be directed to the nearest location of their city of residence. The length of the Local Joint Trainings is approximately 40 hours. Teams will be asked to prepare home assignment during the trainings: to work on business modelling tools. By the end of the training teams are expected to write a concise Business Plan considering the outcomes of the analyses prepared and delivered during the training. Attendance of the team in the sessions is mandatory to proceed and submit a business plan for evaluation.
After the Local Joint Trainings, teams should submit their business plans prepared with the support of
local trainers. The business plans will be evaluated by the respective thematic EIT KIC’s evaluation
committee.
Since the prizes at the Grand Final are intended to incentivize the product or service development efforts,
aimed at commercialization of innovative solutions by start-up companies, in the thematic fields of
Health, Food, Innoenergy, Urban Mobility and Manufacturing only those teams will be eligible to enter
the next phase who are ready to set up a new business enterprise by the end of 2022. Therefore, teams
will be asked to submit a letter of intent signed by the participating team members together with the
business plan.
Based on the accepted proof documents and the business plans, KICs will invite the best 42 teams – 6
per each thematic field – to deliver a pitch at the EIT Jumpstarter Grand Final event.
This is the final pitching competition of the EIT Jumpstarter program organized together by EIT Health, EIT RawMaterials, EIT Food, EIT InnoEnergy, EIT Urban Mobility and EIT Manufacturing in November 2022. The teams will be grouped into seven thematic sessions (Health, Food, RawMaterials, Innoenergy, Manufacturing, Urban Mobility and New European Bauhaus), where six teams will pitch and compete. The teams will pitch their ideas in a public event in front of an expert Jury, composed of KICs staff and partners.
The top 3 winners will be selected in each thematic field by the Jury and awarded:
Please note that Finalists in the following thematic fields: healthcare, food, energy, urban mobility, manufacturing need to register their startup company and provide KICs with a registration proof or equivalent document by 31st December 2022 in order to be eligible for financial prizes at the Grand Final. In the thematic fields of RawMaterials and New European Bauhaus, the company registration is not a requirement towards the prize winners.
EIT Jumpstarter is suitable for individuals or teams of individuals with innovative business idea in the healthcare, agri-food, raw materials, energy, urban mobility, manufacturing or New European Bauhaus thematic field who want to gain a practical insight what it means to run a business and establish a start- up.
The competition is open to all individuals and teams of natural persons citizen of the EIT RIS eligible countries (further specified in point 3.e below). Natural person: Researchers, master and PhD students or research groups from universities and research organizations; professionals, entrepreneurs or idea owners that have an idea/ solution that is targeting the above-mentioned markets and want to start a company.
The applications can be submitted either by a single idea holder or by a team represented by a contact person. There is no pre-set number of members in a team, but maximum 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 competences required in running a start-up. However, a maximum number of two (2) members per team is eligible to take part in the EIT Jumpstarter program.
Additional eligibility criteria are:
a. Proposals must be in English. Proposals in other languages will not be accepted.
b. Incomplete submissions, or submissions via any other routes (e.g., email) will not be accepted.
c. The idea must be within the scope of the main challenges
d. Additional information such as weblink to the project, or a presentation can be uploaded to support your application. These additional documents are not mandatory, and please be aware that the reviewers may not consider these attachments as basis for their evaluation.
e. Countries and regions eligible to take part in the programme: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Montenegro, Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Turkey, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte and Saint-Martin (France), the Azores and Madeira (Portugal), and the Canary Islands (Spain).
f. Additional eligible countries in RawMaterials field: all Horizon Europe eligible countries
g. Additional eligible countries in Food field: all countries eligible for Horizon Europe funding under condition that only up to 1 cohort out of 5 selected idea holders or startup founders are the citizens or residents of other than listed in point (e) countries eligible for Horizon Europe funding.
Financing is based on teams, no matter if the team is represented by 1 or 2 members. Team members are sharing their costs and will be reimbursed using eligibility criteria and reporting documents.
There are two forms of funding:
Successful applicants are eligible to receive support for covering their travel, accommodation, and other
project development and start-up creation costs in two stages:
Basic eligibility criteria for funding is to sign the consent form or the subgranting agreement (all participating team members). Additional information and guidance will be provided during the programme on how to get and use this support.
Prize is another form of financial support in the programme. In each thematic field winners of the EIT Jumpstarter Grand Final will receive:
and one Special prize available for all finalists regardless of their thematic field: 5,000€
These are non-dilutive awards. Winners must provide the necessary documents (start-up creation legal documents and other award documents) to receive the prize.1
Participants of the former editions of the EIT JumpStarter cannot be selected to the program and receive any financial support at any stage of the competition.
The applications submitted to EIT Health, EIT RawMaterials, EIT Food, EIT Innoenergy, EIT Manufacturing, EIT Urban Mobility and for the New European Bauhaus category for the EIT Jumpstarter are handled under confidentiality. Everybody that comes in contact with the applications and deliverables during the review process is bound by confidentiality agreements. By applying for the Competition, applicants consent to access, keep and use their data by the KICs for the purposes of the Competition.
Applicants retain full and exclusive ownership of their prior information and intellectual property rights. The organizer and their authorized representatives in the program undertake to ensure the confidentiality of the ideas and projects presented and developed throughout the Competition.
✓ Deadline for submitting business ideas: 10 April 2022 at 23:59 CET
✓ Selection of ideas and invitation to the bootcamps: 4 May 2022.
✓ Bootcamps will be held online in May-June 2022 (to be defined)
✓ Local joint trainings: July-September 2022 (to be defined)
✓ Grand Final: November or December 2022 (to be defined)
Dates could change, but the organization will report them appropriately.
Contact from EIT Health: Ms. Anna Péli
Contact from EIT RawMaterials: Mr. Markus Klein
Contact from EIT Food: Mr. Adam Strzelecki
Contact from EIT Innoenergy: Mr. Piotr Pawelec
Contact from EIT Manufacturing: Dr. Verónica Rodríguez
Contact from EIT Urban Mobility: Ms. Anna Burgués
Contact for New European Bauhaus category: Ms. Anna Burgués
More information on EIT Jumpstarter: Ms. Faustine Felici
1 In case a prize winner can not submit all the required document by 31st December 2022, the next eligible team in the ranking is entitled to receive the prize.
Last updated on: February 24 2022, Full Version