EIT Innovation Awards 2025

Who are the changemakers transforming Europe’s future? Save the Date for the EIT Innovation Awards 2025, celebrating Europe’s brightest innovators on 25 November in Budapest; the event will also be available to watch online. 

Innovation is Europe’s most renewable resource – yet still underused. Talent is everywhere, but opportunities are not always within reach. The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) changes this by linking ideas with impact, talent with markets, and emerging regions with established hubs. 

The EIT Innovation Awards 2025 showcase this mission with three flagship events coming together under one banner for the first time:

• EIT Jumpstarter Grand Finale: after a seven-month pre-acceleration programme, early-stage innovators from moderate and emerging regions compete for prizes of up to EUR 10 000 across seven categories: Energy, Food, Health, New European Bauhaus, Raw Materials, Urban Mobility, and Rebuild Ukraine. Selection also takes place for EIT Jumpstarter Next, a track for alumni advancing validated ideas to market entry

• EIT Awards: celebrating excellence across four categories: 

1. Most Promising EIT Changemaker: a leader whose activities create significant social impact.
2. Best Innovation Team: a diverse group pioneering a transformative product or service.
3. Most Promising Venture: a startup within the EIT Community showing strong growth potential.
4. Public Award: the community’s favourite innovation, chosen by public vote. 

• EIT Red Kalyna Celebrations: recognising Ukrainian women entrepreneurs, educators, researchers, and mentors who drive innovation and positive change, honouring groundbreaking products, solutions, and businesses that embody resilience and determination

Together, these initiatives reflect the full circle of European innovation: no region left behind, every innovator recognised, no good idea unsupported. By connecting countries, sectors, and stages of development, the EIT acts as Europe’s bridge – from East to West, North to South, from the earliest pitch to global breakthrough. 

More information is here.