Deadline: 20-Jun-23
Submissions are now open for the 5th Edition of the Europe’s Acceleration Programme for Clean Mobility Startups.
The European Startup Prize for Mobility (the “EU Prize”) is organized by the European Union Startup Prize. The EU Prize aims at promoting, each year, the 10 best European startups developing innovative and sustainable mobility solutions.
Prize Categories
In addition to the Top 10 winning startups, they will award 13 special category awards, each in collaboration with one of this edition’s partners:
- Urban Mobility
- Solution: Demonstrates excellence, social and environmental impact, and significant potential to make the cities more livable. The startup should operate within one of the following challenge areas: Future Mobility, Active Mobility, Sustainable City Logistics Mobility and Energy, Public Realm. Prioritization will be given to gender-diverse teams as they believe they perform better.
- Prize: Will be awarded to you by Fredrik Hånell, Director at Impact Ventures, EIT Urban Mobility. You will have the chance to get access to EIT Urban Mobility funding scheme (up to €500k), post-investment support, and piloting opportunities.
- Scale-ups
- Solution: Reduces carbon emissions, increases energy efficiency and/or boosts technological innovation. You are in a growth phase in search of investment (€5M to €50M).
- Prize: Will be awarded to you by Vice-President Lilyana Pavlova, you will join a dedicated pre-investment committee in front of EIB’s investments officers. You will be invited to present in front of a dedicated committee of experts and investors of the European Investment Bank.
- River Mobility
- Solution: Contributes to a more sustainable future of inland waterways transportation by innovating in the fields of digitization, charging, autonomous boats, logistics, waste management and solutions that speed up the modal shift to blue sustainable mobility alternatives.
- Prize: Will be awarded by Thierry Guimbaud, CEO at VNF. In addition to meeting with experts, VNF will offer visibility (exhibition during key professional events), and POC opportunities (with funding up to €500K through the PAMI).
- Fintech for Mobility
- Solution: Accelerates the transition to electrified vehicles and to new mobility solutions by providing innovative financing products & tools, services adapted to EVs and innovative mobility, new insurance products or digital/online processes and applications and new digital platforms.
- Prize: Will be awarded by Giacomo Carelli, CEO of CA AUTO BANK. In addition to access to the internal experts, you will be able to discuss a potential POC with CA AUTO BANK or other entities of CRÉDIT AGRICOLE GROUP depending on your project scope. Moreover, you will be introduced to the international innovators, Investment Funds, business entities but also be highlighted during the key events (International motorshows, Tech events…).
- UkrainianTech
- Solution: Is Ukrainian-based or a Ukrainian founder-led sustainable mobility startup. Ukraine startup mobility ecosystem is building great ventures in extraordinary circumstances, thanks to its resilience. During and after the Russian aggression is over, the reconstruction of a sustainable Ukrainian economy will require all the talent and efforts available.
- Prize: Will be awarded by Maroš Šefčovič, Vice President of the European Commission in charge of Foresight, and former negotiator between Ukraine and Russia. The awarded startup will be invited to showcase the technology at relevant occasions.
- Digital and Green Rail Mobility
- Solution: Accelerates network management planning and control & mobility management in a multimodal environment, digital & automated up to autonomous train operations, intelligent and integrated asset management, sustainable and green rail system, sustainable competitive digital green rail freight services, regional rail services or innovative rail services to revitalise capillary lines, innovation on new approaches for guided transport modes, digital enablers
- Prize: You will be awarded by Giorgio Travaini, Executive Director ad interim at Europe’s rail. You will gain access and visibility to Europe’s rail.
- Female Entrepreneur
- Solution: Was initiated, founded, or led by a female leader who is still bringing it forward today. It’s time they showcase feminine leadership and role models!
- Prize: Will be awarded to you by Karima Delli, Chair of the Transport Committee in the European Parliament and President of the Prize. She will invite you to present your technology to her committee in EU Parliament and talk about you wherever she can…
- Circular Mobility Design and Manufacturing
- Solution: Accelerates the use of materials and processes based on a circular economy approach (reducing waste and pollution, new eco-friendly materials, life extension) to design mobility solutions, but also to manufacturing (remanufacturing, durability, efficiency, easy maintenance)
- Prize: Will be awarded by Laurence Tubiana, CEO at European Climate Foundation. You will gain access and visibility to the European Climate Foundation.
- Corporate Mobility and Intermodality
- Solution: Accelerates the shift to cleaner home-to-work trips, provides mobility benefits to employees, allows the transition towards a cleaner corporate fleet, helps fleet managers in managing zero emission vehicles, increases the use of intermodality solutions for employees (for their work of for their home-to-work trips)
- Prize: Will be awarded by Edward Arkwright, Deputy CEO of ADP Group. In addition to access to internal experts, you will be able to discuss a potential POC with ADP Group, being introduced to its international innovators (spread accross its 28 global assets) but also be highlighted during key events.
- Sustainable and Digital Highway Infrastructure
- Solution: Accelerating the transition to a more sustainable and digital highway infrastructure through new materials, processes and the facilitation of EV fast charging
- Prize: Will be awarded by Derya Guran, Head of Innovations at Die Autobahn. You will gain access to experts, and POC opportunities to be deployed on the entire German network.
- Zero Emission Vehicles
- Solution: Accelerates the shift to zero-emission mobility for logistics and for people; inter alia by advancing electric or hydrogen vehicles, appropriate charging solutions, enhanced battery value chain or fuel cells in Europe, dedicated aftersales services and predictive maintenance for net zero mobility
- Prize: Will be awarded by Kristin Kahl, ECTA spokesperson and Leader Sustainable Solutions Management at Contargo, and Essa Al-Saleh, CEO at Volta Trucks. You will be able to pitch in front of ECTA members, and be showcased during events.
- Logistics and Freight
- Solution: Revolutionises long distance freight, last mile delivery, next-generation logistics management solutions and/or moves the global supply chains towards a greener and more customer-centric experience. Special attention to services and products will be given to enhance transparency, traceability, and flexibility of the delivery journey.
- Prize: Will be awarded to you by Catherine Leboul-Proust, Director of Strategy at GRDF, at the Final Ceremony. You will gain access to GRDF events, experts and officials.
- Sustainable passenger experience and operational excellence
- Solution: Accelerates the shift to zero-emission mobility for logistics and for people; inter alia by advancing electric or hydrogen vehicles, appropriate charging solutions, enhanced battery value chain or fuel cells in Europe, dedicated aftersales services and predictive maintenance for net zero mobility
- Prize: Will be awarded by Kristin Kahl, ECTA spokesperson and Leader Sustainable Solutions Management at Contargo, and Essa Al-Saleh, CEO at Volta Trucks. You will be able to pitch in front of ECTA members, and be showcased during events.
Why apply?
Access to the main acceleration and investment programme, for European mobility TOP 10 startups. Benefit from:
- Visibility
- Boost your visibility and international recognition with the recogniseable winner label, an Award Ceremony (300,000+ views in last edition), media coverage on the Brussels Times, European Tour to major tech events, participation in the podcast, and more!
- Investment
- Access a one-stop-shop for multiple financing opportunities with EU investors (European Investment Bank, EIT Urban Mobility) as well as private investors (Via ID, VCs, etc.).
- Business Consultancy and Mentoring
- Top 3 winners will receive personal business consultancy by the partner Roland Berger. Top 10 will enjoy a 3 months acceleration programme with the co-founder Via ID.
- Advocacy
- Present ideas to EU leaders on how to better support European startups in clean mobility.
Eligibility Criteria
- Participation in the EU Prize is free and open to all mobility companies, incorporated in the European Union as well as countries participating in the Horizon Europe programme in the past, present, and future. This includes both Switzerland (which is no longer part of Horizon) as well as the UK, Morocco, and New Zealand who are negotiating their way into Horizon but already have a transitional agreement.
- EU countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.
- Horizon Europe associated countries (past, present, and transitional arrangements): Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
For more information, visit European Startup Prize for mobility (EUSP).