The EIT Digital Challenge, the competition for European digital deep tech companies, is now accepting applications again. It is seeking scaleups operating in one of five thematic areas: Digitaltech, Digital Cities, Digital Industry, Digital Well-being, and Digital Finance. The top three companies will receive prizes totaling €250,000 in cash and in-kind support. Shehryar Piracha, Head of the EIT Digital Accelerator, on the competition process:
"We will select 20 companies from all applicants and invite them to an exclusive event in the fall where they can pitch their company to a jury of top-class companies and investors. During this event, we will select a total of three winners: one Challenge winner and two runners-up. They will all receive a full year of support through our EIT Digital Accelerator program worth €50,000. In addition, the Challenge winner will receive a cash prize of €100,000."
Wanted: Hard-to-reproduce technologies
The competition focuses on deeptech scaleups, which as technology companies have a product portfolio that uses sophisticated and difficult-to-reproduce technologies.
"Our goal is to help companies overcome the fragmented European market and grow successfully across Europe. The EIT Digital Challenge is our key tool for identifying the best European deep-tech entrepreneurs and, with our accelerator program, helping them raise funds, enter new markets, and scale internationally. We support them in becoming leading companies in the global market while strengthening Europe's competitiveness in the digital sector."
says EIT Digital Chief Innovation Officer Chahab Nastar.
Since its launch in 2014, the EIT Digital Challenge has received more than 2,500 applications from across Europe. The award winners include Konux, Toposens and ProgloveThe application deadline is May 10, 2021.
Further information on the selection criteria and how to apply
