EIT Jumpstarter

EIT Jumpstarter sits under the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, with Innovation Agency Lithuania acting as the national hub and coordinator for Lithuanian participation. It is an annual pre-seed acceleration program for students, researchers, and early teams that want to turn scientific or technological ideas into market-ready businesses. The program runs for roughly six to seven months and combines bootcamps, mentoring, and an international pitch event. Most support is in kind, but the top teams can receive cash prizes of up to EUR 10,000 at the end of the cycle. Thematic areas include health, food systems, energy, materials, manufacturing, digital, urban mobility, climate innovation, and creative industries. Applicants are expected to participate actively and work in English, and the program is team-based rather than solo. The best fit is a team with a credible technical concept and the discipline to work through a structured international process. Success depends less on existing revenue than on the quality of the idea, the willingness to engage consistently, and the ability to present a market path that can survive outside the lab. For Lithuanian applicants, the agency role is coordination; the wider program is run through the EIT network.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.