Hungarian startups were also awarded at the European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s award ceremony in Budapest

EIT Jumpstarter is a startup preparation program launched by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a Budapest-based European Union body, to help bring innovative ideas to market. Its aim is to transform scientific results into viable businesses and strengthen the innovation ecosystem in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe. In the EIT Jumpstarter Grand Finale on 25 November, 42 teams selected from 908 applicants from over 22 countries competed for a total prize pool of €132,500. Innovative companies from 17 countries made it to the finals, and applicants were able to present their projects in a live pitch competition in the Budapest finals across seven industry categories – from food to energy. Three winners were selected in each category at the Budapest event, with the category winners receiving a prize of €10,000.

Special prizes were awarded to the best from the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Kosovo), the Mediterranean Member States (Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Spain, Turkey, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania) and the EU’s outermost regions (France: Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Réunion, Martinique, Mayotte, Saint-Martin; Portugal: Azores, Madeira; Spain: Canary Islands).

However, the EIT Innovation Awards 2025 did not only host the EIT Jumpstarter Grand Finale. The event also specifically recognized Ukrainian women who are working to promote innovation in the war-torn country under the EIT Red Kalyna program. The EIT Awards awarded innovative companies from the EIT ecosystem, while the EIT Jumpstarter Next supported selected members and teams of the EIT community in their international expansion.

2025 category winners and podium finishers (with a focus on Hungarian startups):

Healthcare: MYLeukaemia, podium finishers: Prospect Biotech, CheMOnitor;

Food & Agritech: Polium Scientific, podium finishers: BOREAL CACAO Ltd, AquaBoostNano;

Energy & Renewables (Energy & Renewables): RenU Fuel Solutions, runners-up: Beaver Nexus, ARKai

New European Bauhaus: MycoNest, runners-up: Groundwork, Virtual Sound Media;

Raw Materials: ProSpec, runners-up: OPS Technologies, Chitolastic;

Rebuild Ukraine: Mindship, runners-up: VR Revive, OMG Tetra

Smart Cities and Mobility: SmartRoads, runners-up: BridgeAID, SignalWings;

Special Prize for Western Balkans: AquaBoostNano;

Special Prize for Mediterranean Member States: RenU Fuel Solutions;

Outermost Regions (OMR) Special Award: MYLeukaemia.

“It is inspiring to see that the programme attracts stronger and more innovative ideas every year. This year’s finalists have huge potential to make a real impact in their industries and we are proud to support them on their journey from early concept to scalable solutions. Their passion and hard work are truly commendable and I am confident that they will shape the future of innovation in Europe,” said Kristina Lovrek, Project Coordinator of the Regional Innovation Programme (RIS).

Since 2017, the EIT Jumpstarter programme has helped 140 startups, trained 1,200 participants, created over 2,000 new jobs and leveraged around €150 million in external investment.