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The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) has officially opened applications for the 2026 edition of its award-winning pre-acceleration program. Designed for researchers, scientists, and early-stage innovators across Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, EIT Jumpstarter provides the essential business toolkit to transform scientific breakthroughs into commercial successes.
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<h3 data-path-to-node="3">🚀 Scaling European Innovation</h3>
EIT Jumpstarter is a high-impact, seven-month journey that helps innovators validate their business models and find market-fit. Since its launch, the program has trained over 1,500 professionals and helped establish more than 150 startups that have collectively raised over &euro;150 million in external investment
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<h3 data-path-to-node="7">📊 Program Highlights</h3>
The 2026 call features a total prize pool of over &euro;240,000, offering financial support without requiring any equity in return.
<table data-path-to-node="9">
<thead>
<tr>
<td>Support Type</td>
<td>Amount</td>
<td>Details</td>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Grand Final Prizes</td>
<td>Up to &euro;10,000</td>
<td>1st: &euro;10k, 2nd: &euro;5k, 3rd: &euro;3k (per category)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Business Development</td>
<td>&euro;2,000</td>
<td>Direct grant for teams reaching the validation phase</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Special Awards</td>
<td>&euro;2,500</td>
<td>Best Western Balkans, Ukraine, or Bauhaus projects</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Training Value</td>
<td>55+ Hours</td>
<td>Entrepreneurial coaching, mentoring, and pitch training</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
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<h3 data-path-to-node="11">🏗️ Eligible Sectors</h3>
The 2026 program is structured into thematic cohorts aligned with the EU's strategic innovation goals:
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<li>
Healthcare: Digital medical devices and health data innovation.
</li>
<li>
Food &amp; Agritech: Sustainable supply chains and food safety.
</li>
<li>
Raw Materials: Metals, minerals, and circular economy solutions.
</li>
<li>
Energy &amp; Renewables: Green hydrogen, storage, and GHG reduction.
</li>
<li>
Manufacturing: Advanced, flexible, and green production systems.
</li>
<li>
Urban Mobility: Smart city logistics and sustainable public realms.
</li>
<li>
New European Bauhaus: Sustainable design and aesthetic innovation.
</li>
</ul>
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<h3 data-path-to-node="15">📝 Evaluation and Key Dates</h3>
The program targets individuals or teams who have not yet formally established a company (or did so after Jan 1, 2026) and provides a "safe" environment to fail fast or scale quickly.
<ul data-path-to-node="17">
<li>
Application Deadline: May 8, 2026 (23:59 CET)
</li>
<li>
Eligibility: Open to 22+ countries. Turkish entrepreneurs and research teams are fully eligible to apply&nbsp;as T&uuml;rkiye is a Horizon Europe Associated Country within the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS).
</li>
<li>
The Journey: Online bootcamps begin in June, followed by local joint training and a Grand Final in November 2026.
</li>
</ul>
👉 <a class="ng-star-inserted" href="https://eitjumpstarter.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-hveid="0" data-ved="0CAAQ_4QMahgKEwicyanlnvyTAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQhQI">Submit Your Idea via the EIT Jumpstarter Portal</a>