The last word: Celebrating emerging Europe’s wave of innovation and reinvention

Europe’s innovation spark is set to ignite from an unexpected powerhouse: the emerging Europe region, where start-ups and innovators are leading a new wave of reinvention.

I’ve been to enough start-up competitions to know the drill—hopeful faces, ambitious pitches, and the inevitable rush to secure funding.  

There’s a pattern to these events: the nerves just before going on stage, the carefully crafted story about a problem solved, and the big promise of impact. Every founder has a spark, a reason they believe they can beat the odds. But behind every pitch is a reality that rarely makes it to the stage: the struggle to gain traction, to keep momentum, to fight off the feeling that maybe, just maybe, they’re reaching too high. 

• For Europe, an opportunity for reinvention
• Once considered peripheral, CEE has become integral to the EU’s economic wellbeing
• Are start-up pitch battles worth the hype?

I am currently looking forward to hosting this year’s EIT Jumpstarter Grand Final, the annual culmination of a pre-acceleration programme that supports European innovators and entrepreneurs in turning their ideas into market-ready start-ups.  

This year’s event coincides with the 10th anniversary of the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (EIT RIS), a key initiative under Horizon Europe aimed at reducing regional disparities in innovation across Europe.  

I previously hosted the EIT Health InnoStars Awards Grand Final two years ago. The energy was electric, and each pitch was a reminder of emerging Europe’s ingenuity and the power of collaboration.

Shuttle Catheters, a Greek start-up collaborating with Romanian talent, pioneered a mobile approach to minimally invasive surgery, proving we’re a match for the world’s best. re.flex, a Romanian digital therapy assistant, had just become one of the first non-German devices to qualify for German health insurance—a breakthrough achievement.  

This year, forty-eight cutting-edge start-ups are ready to make their mark. These teams, representing the best in food, health, manufacturing, raw materials, energy, urban mobility, New European Bauhaus, and Rebuild Ukraine, are primed to bring powerful, innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues. 

With each of the top six start-ups in these categories standing to win up to 10,000 euros, the EIT Jumpstarter Grand Final is more than a competition—it’s where the future of European innovation comes to life. 

And I am more than certain that Europe’s innovation spark is set to ignite from an unexpected powerhouse: the emerging Europe region, where start-ups and innovators are leading a new wave of change, tackling critical issues like energy sustainability, digital health, and urban mobility.

Resilience, creativity, resourcefulness

These regions, once seen as outliers, are now shaping the future of Europe’s tech landscape, driven by a unique blend of resilience, creativity, and resourcefulness. It’s a groundswell of innovation that doesn’t just keep pace with the rest of the continent—it’s setting a new tempo for progress. 

At the heart of this movement are the bold minds who thrive in emerging Europe’s dynamic, rapidly evolving environments.  

Programmes like EIT Jumpstarter are fueling their journey, empowering local visionaries with the resources, mentorship, and networks they need to create lasting impact. The emerging Europe region isn’t just a participant in the continent’s reinvention; it’s becoming the epicentre, where collaborative innovation takes root and drives Europe toward a brighter, more resilient future. 

As I prepare to host this year’s EIT Jumpstarter Grand Final, I know it’s not just another event; it’s a celebration of the transformative ideas emerging from Europe’s most promising innovators.  

The energy, the anticipation, and the stakes are real, as all these start-ups step forward to redefine what’s possible. This isn’t just about prize money; it’s about giving bold thinkers the platform they need to change industries, impact lives, and set new standards.

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