In the final of the 2024 edition of the EIT Jumpstarter program, held on November 28 in Budapest, two Portuguese teams stood out by winning first place in the health and energy categories. This event was part of the EIT Community conference, which celebrated the 10th anniversary of the EIT regional innovation program, under the theme “The next decade of innovation for the future of Europe”.
Portuguese victory in the health and energy categories
In the EIT Health category, the Portuguese team BIOCHIP-PATHFINDER shone by reaching first place. This innovative project developed the first AI-driven plasmonic lab-on-a-chip aimed at rapidly diagnosing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a problem that causes around 5 million deaths annually. This all-in-one device is a fast, accurate and easy-to-use diagnostic tool that promises to revolutionize real-time antibiotic prescribing. In turn, in the EIT InnoEnergy category, the StoreNow team also won first place. StoreNow offers a digital platform that connects homeowners interested in battery storage systems with companies providing renewable energy solutions. The platform allows users to quickly evaluate available options in economic, technical and environmental terms.
A program that boosts innovative startups
EIT Jumpstarter is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, a body of the European Union, which aims to transform innovative science-based ideas into market-ready startups. For seven months, participants work on developing and validating their business models. This year, the program received 600 applications, of which 180 were selected for intensive training. Of these, 49 teams competed in the final in Budapest, distributed across nine categories.
Impact and future perspectives
Since its creation in 2017, EIT Jumpstarter has trained 1,180 talents and contributed to the creation of 124 new startups and 2,100 jobs in countries considered emerging and moderate innovators. The resulting startups have so far attracted a total external investment of 150 million euros. Piotr Boulange, program representative, highlighted the growing importance of EIT Jumpstarter in strengthening the European innovation ecosystem, highlighting that each euro invested generates around 30 euros in external financing for new companies. The next edition of the program will begin in January, with pre-registration now open. In 2025, additional support for talent from the Western Balkans and Ukraine is planned, as well as the introduction of a new award to recognize the best newly created startup in the Mediterranean region and the outermost regions of the European Union. The success of the Portuguese teams at EIT Jumpstarter is a testament to the country’s growing innovative capacity in the areas of health and energy, contributing significantly to technological and economic advancement in Europe.