Belgian Start-Up Awarded First Prize in International Competition for European Innovators

Amidst intense competition, the Belgian start-up Matvision, known for its smart sorting systems in the recycling industry, clinched the first prize in the EIT Raw Materials category at EIT Jumpstarter 2023.

Matvision's innovative technology empowers customers to derive value from waste, utilising a blend of high-speed sensors, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

"This recognition is fantastic in acknowledging our hard work in introducing our ideas to the market. It's a powerful encouragement for us to persist in our mission to revolutionize the recycling industry. During the EIT Jumpstarter programme, we loved connecting with like-minded entrepreneurs and gaining valuable insights from their expertise. Over the next few months, our goal is to secure the necessary funding to support the launch of our first product, which will be specifically designed for processing metallic waste," said the Matvision team.

Over a hundred innovators gathered on November 30, 2023, in Athens for the EIT Jumpstarter Grand Final this year. They showcased more than fifty deep-tech innovations in nine categories, and the expert Jury awarded 27 that can help Europe tackle some of the most pressing challenges. 

The EIT Jumpstarter Grand Final is the annual EIT Community celebration of new start-ups created and the birth of innovations made in Europe. This year, a total of 52 teams showcased their ideas in nine categories – digital, food, health, energy, manufacturing, raw materials, urban mobility, New European Bauhaus and Rebuild Ukraine. All innovators joined online and in-person on 30 November from countries located in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, including Western Balkans, the Baltics and Ukraine. 

Iliana Ivanova, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said: "The EIT Jumpstarter acceleration programme has been helping early-stage innovators develop their business ideas and launch new products on the market. I warmly congratulate all winners on their award, but also all participants. Your ideas will help us build a better, greener future. It's particularly heartening to see the remarkable commitment of many innovators from Ukraine. The increasing engagement from the Western Balkans is also encouraging, as it aligns with our aim to bolster and unify the European innovation ecosystem."

We're delighted to announce the distinguished winners of the other eight categories at the EIT Jumpstarter, each receiving a first prize of €10,000. 

EIT Digital: WatchBuilt from Latvia, developing a comprehensive tool for capturing, processing, and reporting information. EIT Food: Noxatest from Serbia, advancing a diagnostic panel for bacterial diagnosis in livestock. EIT Health: Another Serbian team, Neo Pill, innovating a new cleaning method for dental braces. In addition, Neo Pill won a special prize of 5000 euros as the best team from Western Balkans.

Urban Mobility: MeGoElectric from Ukraine, manufacturing affordable light- and medium-duty electric trucks for companies. InnoEnergy: Powea from Türkiye, a smart charging AI that schedules the charging times of electric vehicles to off-peak grid hours, reducing CO2 emissions. New European Bauhaus: Seenergy from Portugal, creating innovative products that integrate generative energy systems into everyday furniture and household items. 

EIT Manufacturing: Fibereuse Tech from Italy, transforming waste into new, high-value products and eliminating landfill.

In a first-time category at EIT Jumpstarter, 'Rebuild Ukraine', the top prize went to the Ukrainian team GAPPO. They provide an AgriTech B2B SaaS solution, aligned with Global G.A.P. standards, that aids in digitalising operational reporting and compliance procedures.

EIT Jumpstarter's mission is to strengthen entrepreneurship culture, support start-up creation, and contribute to building a diverse and inclusive innovation ecosystem with regular cross-thematic and cross-regional collaboration. The programme is powered by seven of EIT's Knowledge and Innovation Communities: EIT Digital, EIT Food, EIT Health, EIT InnoEnergy, EIT Manufacturing, EIT RawMaterials and EIT Urban Mobility. Essentially, the programme aims to equip young innovators with the tools and knowledge to transform their early-stage ideas, secure the necessary funding, and, ultimately, build self-sustaining and profitable ventures.

Since the pre-accelerator's initiation by three EIT communities in 2017, the programme has championed the rise of a new generation of European innovators. Today, start-ups that have emerged from EIT Jumpstarter and pursued further development employ around 1,000 individuals.

From 2017 to 2022, start-ups that graduated from EIT Jumpstarter and persevered to develop profitable businesses have successfully attracted an impressive 56 million euros in prizes, grants, and investments.

Starting with an inaugural joint call, 210 teams progressed to the programme's first phase this year: the Online Bootcamps. This encompassed online courses, mentorship, and coaching. Subsequently, 90 teams advanced to local joint training, they are creating their first business plans, and then 54 teams are making their way to the Grand Finals. At least half of the finalist teams are expected to establish a company.

Those intrigued by the European start-up ecosystem are invited to explore the EIT website. Pre-registration for the EIT Jumpstarter 2024 is now available at https://eitjumpstarter.eu/pre-register-for-eit-jumpstater-2024. Participation in the programme comes without any fees.

Full TOP3 winners list:

Contact

Let’s connect! Whether you have a sorting challenge to conquer, want to discuss our cutting-edge algorithms, or have a new project idea in mind, we’re all ears and ready to collaborate.

MATVISION - Smart sorting solutions

^{About EIT Community}

^{The EIT Community is a collaborative network comprising the European Institute of Innovation and Technology's (EIT) long-term partnerships, known as Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). ​}

^{These Innovation Communities are dedicated to driving systemic change in Europe and beyond, focusing on key areas such as climate change, energy, health, food, manufacturing, raw materials, digitalisation, urban mobility, culture and creativity. By harnessing the collective expertise of the KICs, the EIT Community initiatives power innovation, entrepreneurship and creativity in Europe. We believe that together we can foster a competitive, inclusive, and sustainable European economy for generations to come.​}