Recruitment for EIT Jumpstarter is open!

About EIT Jumpstarter

Do you have an innovative idea and want to jumpstart your business?

Creative community, advanced know-how,unique programme, expert trainers and mentors, this is EIT Jumpstarter. With the contribution of best-in-class experts, creative community, unique know-how our aim is to support idea-holders to turn their ideas into business. We help innovators and entrepreneurs build a viable business model around their innovative product or service idea, validate it and if their business idea is proven to be sustainable, we encourage them to register their company.

The strategic aim of this program is to create sustainable impact in the Central-Eastern and Southern-European Regions by boosting innovation and entrepreneurship within this part of Europe. The program’s concept originates from the real needs of the innovation ecosystem of these regions. Countries face similar challenges; they have enormous innovation potential, with bright scientific minds, but the research results are likely to remain within the labs. At the same time, there is a significant number of needs that have been unmet from the corporate side. To overcome these challenges connecting the innovative solutions with the articulated demands from the industry and increase the competitiveness of our regions – six EIT Comminities teamed up for jointly running EIT Jumpstarter. The competition is organized by EIT Health, EIT RawMaterials EIT Food, EIT InnoEnergy, EIT Manufacturing and EIT Urban Mobility. They are six Knowledge and Innovation Communities of EIT, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology. They bring together businesses, research centres and universities as partners creating a favourable environment for creative thought and innovation to flourish. EIT is a valuable, credible partner to get your business idea up and running.

Graduates of the program possess the skills and knowledge to launch their company, and as part of the alumni community, they receive further support and dedicated advisory from the EIT Communities regarding the next stage of their start-up journey. We introduce teams to partners, to VCs, regulatory bodies and companies that can produce their products, their first buyer or a test site. They meet major innovation hubs in Europe, which is important when they want to enter foreign markets.

Agenda

• Deadline for submitting business ideas: 10 April 2022 at 23:59 CET
• Selection of ideas and invitation to the Online Bootcamps:  May 2022
• Online Bootcamps will be held online in May-June 2022
• Local joint trainings: July-September 2022
• Grand Final: November 2022

Events will occur either online or in-person, depending on COVID-19 situation.

Who can apply?

EIT Jumpstarter is suitable for individuals with innovative business ideas in the healthcare, agri-food, raw materials, energy, urban mobility or manufacturing sectors, who want to gain a practical insight into what it means to run a business and establish 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 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 of persons 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 program.

Please refer to the complete Terms and conditions document: EIT Jumpstarter 2022 terms and conditions.

APPLY HERE before 10 April 2022, 23:59 pm CET.