Applications are open until 8 May for one of Europe’s leading pre‑acceleration programmes, EIT Jumpstarter 2026, which helps transform science‑based ideas into viable businesses.
The comprehensive entrepreneurship training programme provides mentoring, funding opportunities, access to a broad European innovation network, and the chance to compete for a €10,000 growth prize. Participants will work across six thematic areas related to healthcare, food technologies, smart cities and mobility, energy, advanced manufacturing, and raw materials.
An online information session is also planned, offering details about the programme content and application process. Register here.
Over the past six years, Latvian teams have achieved remarkable success in the programme, winning awards in various thematic categories each year and demonstrating the ability of Latvian innovators to compete at the European level. Among the winners are DronePlan (2020, EIT InnoEnergy), BirgerMind (2021, EIT Health), Bruntor (2022, EIT Urban Mobility), which developed a cargo‑box scooter for deliveries, WatchBuilt (2023, EIT Digital), and Neamo (2024, EIT Food), which created an integrated sensor system for autonomous vessels to automatically monitor fish farms. Last year, two Latvian teams took home top honours: Boreal Cacao (EIT Food), which developed an innovative chocolate‑like confection made from fava beans, and ARKai (EIT InnoEnergy), which built an AI platform that combines satellite and geotechnical data to detect ground movement with millimetre precision and provide early warnings of potential risks.
Participation in EIT Jumpstarter became a turning point for Boreal Cacao, helping elevate their idea to the international level and secure valuable support from industry experts. “It’s an opportunity to receive critical yet supportive feedback and test your idea in real life,” emphasises co‑founder and business development lead Zanda Ozola, adding that the process provided not only practical tools but also confidence in their chosen direction. She encourages innovators not to wait for the perfect moment — it rarely comes. “Don’t start with a perfect product — start with validation. Ask yourself one question: what is the smallest step you can take to understand whether someone actually needs this? And take that step. Ideas evolve through action, not by waiting for the ideal moment,” she notes.
Since its launch, EIT Jumpstarter has trained more than 1,500 innovators, supported the creation of over 150 startups and 2,600 jobs, and facilitated the attraction of €150 million in investment.
EIT Jumpstarter is open to early‑stage innovators and teams whose ideas are already in development and could be commercialised and transformed into a startup during 2026. Researchers, students, professionals, and idea authors who have not registered a company related to the proposed idea before 1 January of this year are eligible to apply. Throughout the programme, participants learn to validate their ideas, build business models, and prepare for startup creation through practical training, mentoring, and expert support.
Selected teams will begin online training in May and June, followed by in‑depth Start‑up Builder sessions. The six strongest teams in each category will compete in the Grand Final in October, and the winners will be honoured at an in‑person awards ceremony at the end of the year.
About EIT Community Hub Latvia
EIT Community Hub Latvia is the EIT representation in Latvia, operated by Riga Technical University and supported by the Ministry of Education and Science and the Latvian Council of Science. Its mission is to promote the involvement of Latvian companies, researchers, and students in European innovation networks and funding programmes.
About EIT
The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is Europe’s largest innovation network, operating since 2008. It is an EU body and an integral part of the EU’s research and innovation programme Horizon Europe.
The EIT Community offers a wide range of innovation and entrepreneurship activities across Europe, including business training courses, startup support services, business development programmes, and research projects.
