S3E celebrates the Charge Open Day 2024 to introduce Southern Europe's top deep tech startups
Want to find out more about the teams pitching on the Open Day? ➡️
The South3E consortium is thrilled to be hosting an online Open Day on 24th April to introduce the 17 startups participating in the 2024 edition of S3E Charge, the EU-funded Acceleration Program for deep tech growth startups.
After completing the 14-week program of training and mentoring focused on developing an investment-ready business plan, the 17 selected startups are now ready to start accessing dilutive and non-dilutive funding opportunities within Europe and beyond. Thanks to the upcoming Open Day, all the startups' teams will have the opportunity to pitch in front of international investors looking for innovative and disruptive deep tech solutions across diverse sectors — from agritech and healthcare, all the way to naval, tourism and cultural industries.
Read the official Press Release
When
The event will take place virtually on Wednesday 24th April 2024, 13:00 - 16:00 CET
How to participate?
Register to the Open Day following this link. We strongly encourage Investors, Business Angels, Business Support Organisations, Innovation Agencies, Accelerators and Innovation Hubs to attend!
Programme
- 13:00 Opening session by Stella Konakchieva, Project Officer at European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)
- 13:10 Welcome to S3E Deep Tech Revolution: Introduction to Innovation and Sustainability by EPLO Institute for Sustainable Development
- 13:20 Startups presentation - Part I: Baukunst | BEDEV | Bomensoft | CRIAM knowledge | DataFruit IIoT | ELNAV.AI
- 14:05 Inspirational Speech by Sonia Marzo Arnaez, Customer Success Manager at Microsoft
- 14:15 Startups presentation - Part II: EntoProtein | eXRciser | Innervoices | Intellectra technologies | Ivoluntry | Moven
- 15:00 Inspirational Speech by Dimitrios Kalavros-Gousiou, Venture Character and Capital Investor
- 15:10 Startups presentation - Part III: Nanomik Biotechnology | Orbiba Robotics | Ecobubble | QX | Rosey's Mark
- 15:50 Closing session by Spyros Kouvelis, Director EPLO Institute for Sustainable Development
Register now!
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S3E Charge 2024 | Meet the startup: Orbiba Robotics
Orbiba Robotics is one of the 17 startups selected to participate in the 2024 edition of S3E Charge, the EU-funded accelerator program fostering deep tech innovation and entrepreneurship in Southern Europe.
We spoke with ilker Bektas, Founder and CEO of Orbiba Robotics, to learn more about the how this Turkish startup is planning to combine deep tech and traditional farming techniques to revolutionise the agricultural sector globally, and hear why they’ve decided to join our accelerator program.
https://youtu.be/N8O87f9fbWI
Hi ilker! Tell us about Orbiba Robotics, the mission behind the business and the technology you’ve developed.
We founded our venture in 2022 with a clear aim: to provide the easiest regenerative farming experience in the world by enabling farmers to work with innovative, small and smart robots. We want to establish an organic bond between deep technology and farmers.
Our basic philosophy is the idea that “People become what they eat”. We believe that the cleaner the basic foods that sustain a person's life, the cleaner their body, spiritual and intellectual development will be. In order to contribute to the field of clean agriculture, Orbiba Robotics uses agricultural technology to produce affordable robot platforms.
We want to support organic agriculture practitioners who take the initiative to solve the issue of access to safe food, which is becoming increasingly prevalent around the world, by designing and building small robots that have a minimal carbon footprint, utilize renewable energy, and are affordable and high-return on investment.
Why have you decided to enrol in the S3E Charge accelerator?
We have participated in various accelerator programs before, but we noticed the S3E Charge accelerator program is different because it focused on deep tech startups.
Even still now, deep tech startups are really very new to the innovation system, so we see this accelerator as was a good medium to introduce our startup into new networks and gain a better understanding about the deep tech landscape in Europe.
What are the key ambitions for Orbiba Robotics? Where would you like to see the business in 5 years?
We want to become a very strong partner for organic farmers. As a society, we are very dependent on agriculture and the people in the sector, so we believe it's our duty to support them with our technology. In 5 years, we envision Orbiba Robotics will be the major stakeholder in robotic field for organic regenerative farming globally.
Drawing from your own experience, what piece of advice would you give to an entrepreneur who’d like to launch their own startup?
From my point of view, the most important thing to remember is that, whatever you do, make sure that your startup's solution will help people in a good way. Before thinking about generating a revenue, focus on the impact first.
If you want to run your own startup, be prepared for a very amazing adventure!
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S3E Charge 2024 | Meet the startup: ELNAV.AI
ELNAV.AI is one of the 17 startups selected to participate in the 2024 edition of S3E Charge, the EU-funded accelerator program fostering deep tech innovation and entrepreneurship in Southern Europe.
We spoke with Hrvoje Mihovilović, CEO of ELNAV.AI, to learn more about how this Croatia-based startup is revolutionising the maritime sector with their innovative AI-powered monitors, and hear why they’ve decided to join our accelerator program.
https://youtu.be/7JaE1GSTIaI
Hi Hrvoje! Tell us about ELNAV.AI, the mission behind the business and the technology you’ve developed.
Our startup based in Split, Croatia, was founded in April 2021 with a mission to revolutionise navigational safety in the maritime industry.
Having worked at sea for many years, we have observed first-hand that the maritime transportation sector has not seen significant technological upgrades in the navigation for over three decades. To address this, we've developed the Helm Order Monitor, a state-of-the art device combining automatic speech recognition and sensor data analysis to ensure that the helm orders are clear, confirmed and correctly executed.
Not only we are introducing a new technology, we are also changing the way safety is approached in the maritime industry.
Why have you decided to enrol in the S3E Charge accelerator?
The decision to enrol in the S3E Charge accelerator was driven by the need to amplify our impact and expand our reach. We are particularly interested in support related to market access, networking opportunities with industry leaders and guidance on scaling our operations efficiently.
What are the key ambitions for ELNAV.AI? Where would you like to see the business in 5 years?
Looking ahead, our ambition is to become a leader in maritime safety technology. In 5 years we aim to see our Helm Order Monitor become a mandatory installation on all merchant and passenger ships globally, which will significantly reduce navigation related incidents at sea.
Drawing from your own experience, what piece of advice would you give to an entrepreneur who’d like to launch their own startup?
For anyone looking to start their own venture, my advice is to be persistent and adaptable. Transform challenges into opportunities for growth and never lose sight of your mission.
The entrepreneurial journey is very demanding, but staying committed to your vision is key to making a meaningful impact.
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S3E Charge 2024 | Meet the startup: MOVEN
MOVEN is one of the 17 startups selected to participate in the 2024 edition of S3E Charge, the EU-funded accelerator program fostering deep tech innovation and entrepreneurship in Southern Europe.
We spoke with Sergio Diez, CEO of MOVEN, to learn more about how this Spanish startup is helping cities achieve their sustainable mobility goals thanks to their AI-powered data platform, and hear why they've decided to join our accelerator program.
https://youtu.be/SGTMdPwTs1c
Hi Sergio! Tell us about MOVEN, the mission behind the business and the technology you’ve developed.
We launched MOVEN in 2020 after having spent several years working in different ecosystems focused on innovation for sustainable mobility. During that time, we realised there was an interesting gap in the market for a new technology to access private data in a secure way, paired with AI-based algorithms to better understand what is happening in different cities and how local administrations and companies can use that data to improve local infrastructures.
Our mission is to provide access to data to accelerate the shift towards more sustainable mobility in cities.
What has your entrepreneurship journey been like so far?
I haven't followed the typical entrepreneurial path. I've always worked in the corporate sector and it wasn't until 5 years ago that I decided to launch my own startup.
I'm an industrial engineer and I've always had a big passion for innovation and R&D. I wanted to be involved in the development a piece of technology that would be more focused on people rather than the product itself, so after a long career working with big companies like Renault, IBM and Airbus, I decided it was time to pursue a new venture. That's what led me to start MOVEN.
Why have you decided to enrol in the S3E Charge accelerator?
One of the main goals we want to achieve through this program is to finally establish our business model in order to commercialise our data platform. We're also very interested in accessing other ecosystems, because MOVEN is mainly based in Spain, so we'd like to understand the needs and requirements to enter other markets in Europe. And, of course, we're looking forward to meeting potential investors and learning what options we have for financing our startup.
What are the key ambitions for MOVEN? Where would you like to see the business in 5 years?
Once we consolidate our business model, which is our top priority right now, we'd like to scale up our platform and see how we can impact other cities in Europe and South America to help them achieve their sustainable mobility plans.
Drawing from your own experience, what piece of advice would you give to an entrepreneur who’d like to launch their own startup?
It's very important to have a lot of energy and time. You're going to come across many challenges along the way, so from the start you have to be really confident in what you want to do. Be persistent and persevere until you reach your objective.
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S3E Charge 2024 | Meet the startup: BEDEV
BEDEV is one of the 17 startups selected to participate in the 2024 edition of S3E Charge, the EU-funded accelerator program fostering deep tech innovation and entrepreneurship in Southern Europe.
We spoke with Gonçalo Fonseca, Founder and CEO of BEDEV, to learn more about how this Portuguese startup is planning to make medical devices environmentally and economically friendlier, thanks to the use of 3D printing technologies.
https://youtu.be/aOUMIiTmnzs
Hi Gonçalo! Tell us about BEDEV, the mission behind the business and the technology you’ve developed.
We founded BEDEV in February 2019 from a research scholarship that we won in the previous year, which allowed us to start our company. Our main focus is the development of early stage medical devises using 3D printing, with the ambition of bringing medtech to greener pastures by making them long-lasting (instead of single use), without putting patients at risk.
How would you describe your entrepreneurship journey so far?
Challenging, but in a good way! When you enter the entrepreneurial world there's all these questions that you need to answer, which makes it very challenging from the very beginning. We've faced some difficulties but we were always driven by our willingness to keep moving on and continue developing our business idea.
Why have you decided to enrol in the S3E Charge accelerator?
We heard about S3E Charge through our incubator, Ubimedical. When we started researching about the program it we realised it was a perfect match for us — not only because it can support us to consolidate and evolve our business plan for our technology, but also to meet and learn from other startups in a similar situation to ours. It's also amazing that it will help us to pitch and connect with potential investors, which is crucial for us at this stage.
As a startup based in Portugal, it's very important for us to meet other companies from countries close to ours. Entrepreneurs in Southern Europe share similar difficulties, especially in terms of financing, so it's great to learn from their perspectives and how they're evolving their business plans.
What are the key ambitions for BEDEV? Where would you like to see the business in 5 years?
Of course we'd like to grow BEDEV and become as big as other tech startups like Google or Amazon, and we're aiming to achieve that type of success in the long term.
But, thinking about the next 5 years, after completing the necessary clinical trials and receiving the approval from regulatory agencies, our plan is to enter various international markets with our medtech device. We want to get well established in countries like the US, Germany and China, and from there continue expanding globally — it sounds ambitious, but with the right investment, we believe we can do it, without a doubt.
Drawing from your own experience, what piece of advice would you give to an entrepreneur who’d like to launch their own startup?
Don't be afraid, and cancel the outside noise. If you believe in your idea, just go for it! There are a lot of opportunities in your country and within the European Union, and even abroad, that you can access to develop your own project into a business. None of us are born with the knowledge required to set up a startup, we all have to learn as we go.
Remember we learn more from our mistakes than from our successes, so don't be afraid to follow your dreams and look for those opportunities that can help you get to where you want to be.
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S3E Charge 2024 | Meet the startup: CRIAM
CRIAM is one of the 17 startups selected to participate in the 2024 edition of S3E Charge, the EU-funded accelerator program fostering deep tech innovation and entrepreneurship in Southern Europe.
We spoke with Afonso Pinheiro, Biomedical Engineer and Researcher at CRIAM, to learn more about how they've grown this Portuguese medtech startup from a PhD research project to create a portable and fully automated device for blood testing, and their ambitions to make this technology accessible to patients and medical professionals around the world.
https://youtu.be/3ezuVn2cRV8?feature=shared
Hi Afonso! Tell us about CRIAM, the mission behind the business and the technology you’ve developed.
CRIAM — which stands for Chemical Reaction and Image Analysis for Mobility — was founded in 2016 at University of Minho, in Braga (Portugal). It started as a PhD thesis on blood grouping, while exploring different ways of using automation for emergency services to have a fully mobile, fast, and accurate way of testing a patient’s blood, anywhere.
The key ingredient is the ability to take this device anywhere, no cables required, and to have a fully automated test; while the reaction is taking place inside the device, the medical practitioners can be confident that their results will be as accurate as on the lab bench.
Why have you decided to enrol in the S3E Charge accelerator?
Our main objective with the S3E Charge accelerator is to get in contact with more funding opportunities so we can reach our final device requirements, while getting to know where our technology can be of most use in the EU. We're also excited about meeting upcoming startups and entrepreneurs from diverse backgrounds, outside our field.
What are the key ambitions for CRIAM? Where would you like to see the business in 5 years?
In five years, I see our device and testing cartridges being fully optimised, ready for large-scale manufacturing, and a small set of units being used around the world to collect feedback on its usability. I also envision a broader portfolio of patents, and clinical trials, for infectious diseases of several kinds — from sexually-transmitted infections, like syphilis, to respiratory diseases, like tuberculosis, covid, and other inflammatory conditions.
Our goal is to scale blood testing services to those most in need, by bringing a reliable and affordable diagnostic solution closer to everyone, be it in a city, a rural area, or remote villages in a developing countries. That is our vision.
Drawing from your own experience, what piece of advice would you give to an entrepreneur who’d like to launch their own startup?
During our journey we've had a lot of opportunities to meet incredible people, to partner with them, to hear their stories and learn from them. That would be my main advice for someone looking to grow their startup, to go out there and connect with people — from end users and stakeholders, to practitioners and experts in the field; it's always valuable to have a diverse range of feedback on your ideas and ambitions. Communication and humanism, that's my main takeaway from my experience with CRIAM.
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S3E Charge 2024 | Meet the startup: QX
QX is one of the 17 startups selected to participate in the 2024 edition of S3E Charge, the EU-funded accelerator program fostering deep tech innovation and entrepreneurship in Southern Europe.
We spoke with Zoran Nasteski, CEO and Co-founder of QX, to learn more about how they're using blockchain and Web3 technology to create safer online retailing spaces, their reasons for joining S3E Charge and their ambitions to grow the business in the next 5 years.
https://youtu.be/9yAPVzMVOzA
Hi Zoran! Tell us about QX, the mission behind the business and the technology you’ve developed.
QX is a Web3-based platform that helps brands and retailers connect and engage with their customers without using their data. We use a combination of blockchain and cloud technologies to enable brands to become more effective at managing their customer engagement and experiences.
Trust has been declining on the consumer side, so we're utilising blockchain because it's the only proper technology that helps brands re-build trust and improve their connections within the retail space.
How would you define your entrepreneurship journey so far?
For us, launching a deep tech startup focused on an industry as big as retailing and e-commerce has felt like venturing into total uncertainty. So it's been a very bold move from everyone involved in QX!
Why have you decided to enrol in the S3E Charge accelerator?
We're now at the point in our business where we need to start making some important decisions. Most of our financing has come from ourselves and from some early-stage accelerators, but now we have to decide if we want to pursue a private investor path or seek public funding; as a deep tech startup, we're not necessarily 100% dependable on external funding, but it makes our odds better to succeed in our venture. We want to be more knowledgeable about the funding opportunities that exist out there, and learn what's possible and accessible to us, not just run to the money.
We want to be very strategic in terms of what type of capital we bring into the business. And I believe S3E Charge will help us move forward in this area so we can make the right decision for our startup.
What are the key ambitions for QX? Where would you like to see the business in 5 years?
When I think about QX in the near future, I see as a small company that supports a very heavy industry that has become extremely dependant on data and is now suffering a huge fall-off in consumer trust because of that.
Our mission is to become the go-to experts on e-commerce innovation who understand consumers' needs and, in turn, are able to create safe online retailing spaces by protecting shoppers' data.
Drawing from your own experience, what piece of advice would you give to an entrepreneur who’d like to launch their own startup?
Don't chase the money! Think long and hard about what you're trying to do because, at the end of the day, what you design and develop is what will bring value, both to your business and to your customers. You don't want to go into the market with a mediocre product that no one will pay for, so you need to start by focusing on building your product or service and the problem that you want to solve.
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S3E Charge 2024 | Meet the startup: ivoluntry
ivoluntry is one of the 17 startups selected to participate in the 2024 edition of S3E Charge, the EU-funded accelerator program fostering deep tech innovation and entrepreneurship in Southern Europe.
We spoke with Andreas Kountouras, CEO and Co-founder of ivoluntry, to learn more about how this Greek startup is building an online community platform for volunteering activities, their reasons for joining S3E Charge and their ambitions to grow the business in the next 5 years.
https://youtu.be/9mt18jPItmc
Hi Andreas! Tell us about ivoluntry, the mission behind the business and the technology you've developed.
Antypas Azoidis and I co-founded ivoluntry in January 2023 with the aim to digitally organise and maximise volunteering activities around the world. The idea came from my personal experience volunteering as a lifeguard.
We've created a digital platform that connects volunteers with opportunities provided by NGOs and non-profit organisations, creating an online space where they can explore available activities and people interested in contributing to them. It also helps to digitally capture and maximise the volunteer footprint of companies, maximises the sample of scientific research in this area, and contributes to develop voluntourism.
We are currently in the development stage of our website and we are looking for volunteers and NGOs who would be interested in connecting through our platform.
How would you define your entrepreneurship journey so far?
Being an entrepreneur is an exciting adventure. It constantly forces you to get out of your comfort zone which, in turns, make you grow professionally and personally.
In our case, we're always willing to learn and collaborate from other professionals and fellow entrepreneurs, and we're constantly evolving to get the business to the stage where we'd like it to be.
Why have you decided to enrol in the S3E Charge accelerator?
We'd like to introduce our platform to volunteers and NGOs based in many different countries, and we believe this accelerator can help us achieve that goal. Through the help of our mentor, we hope to get feedback on our plans of expansion and start growing an international network; we're also very interested in improving our pitch presentation for when we're ready to introduce ivoluntry to investors and new audiences.
What are the key ambitions for your DataFruit IIoT? Where would you like to see the business in 5 years?
In the next 5 year, we want to achieve our set financial goals and reach European citizens and organisations looking to develop their volunteering activities. We also plant to integrate educational interaction features within the platform to continue spreading the ivoluntry philosophy.
Drawing from your experience, what piece of advice would you give to an entrepreneur who'd like to launch their own startup?
My advice would be to observe the national ecosystem to be aware of what's happening at a social, economical or even cultural level and see how it all ties in with your business idea, and to take part in entrepreneurship programs which can help develop your startup. And don't be afraid of failing — it's all part of the journey!
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S3E Charge 2024 | Meet the startup: DataFruit IIoT
DataFruit IIoT is one of the 17 startups selected to participate in the 2024 edition of S3E Charge, the EU-funded accelerator program fostering deep tech innovation and entrepreneurship in Southern Europe.
We spoke with Miglena Dogan, Head of Business Development, Marketing and Sales at DataFruit IIoT, to learn more about how this Bulgarian startup is building an integrated platform to enable automated manufacturing that promotes sustainable practices, their reasons for joining S3E Charge, and their ambitions to grow the business in the next 5 years.
https://youtu.be/CUNxEM0TZfQ
Hi Miglena! Tell us about DataFruit IIoT, the mission behind the business and the technology you've developed.
DataFruit is a deep tech company based in Bulgaria and it's several years old, but only in the last few months we've been developing the business side — so you could say it's a baby startup!
Our technology is based on advanced Internet of Things (IoT) and we are developing a fully open and integrated platform that enables successful automated processes across the whole workflow for businesses operating in the energy, manufacturing, logistics and transport sectors. In my role, my main focus now is to show our current partners and potential customers what kind of advantages they will have with our product.
How would you define your entrepreneurship journey so far?
Challenging, yet very exciting, of course!
As a small deep tech company, what makes it challenging is people having this misconception that the technology we've created will make their lives harder, but it's right the opposite — our platform is intuitive, extremely user friendly and it has the capacity to become a huge asset to help companies save lots of money and time, and to adopt greener day-to-day practices.
We are a small but very powerful team, and we're led by our drive and passion for what we do as we believe our technology will make a big impact in the way manufacturing companies operate. We're very excited about the journey we've embarked on!
Why have you decided to enrol in the S3E Charge accelerator?
We've seen similar programs but they're mostly focused on offering funding to startups, and that's not what we're looking for right now.
What we need is access to expert know-how on topics like marketing and business development but related to our particular needs as a startup, which is what S3E Charge offers. So far, I've really enjoyed the meetings with our mentor, Svetlana Stotskaya, who has been given us many ideas on how to improve and grow our business - I'm learning every day!
What are the key ambitions for your DataFruit IIoT? Where would you like to see the business in 5 years?
Our dream is to see our customers improving their efficiency rates and their manufacturing costs thanks to our product. We want them to think about our technology as a tool that's accessible for everyone and which supports our clients to grow steadily; so, in the next 5 years, we hope to see many happy customers using DataFruit!
Drawing from your experience, what piece of advice would you give to an entrepreneur who'd like to launch their own startup?
Passion, motivation and patience are key to push the entrepreneurship journey forward. If you have those three embedded within your attitude and your mindset as an entrepreneur, everything is possible.
Connect with the DataFruit team on LinkedIn and visit their website to learn more about their technology.
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S3E Start: Meet the research teams selected to join the 2024 cohort
After a very competitive and thorough selection process, and thanks to the expert help of the S3E Evaluators, we are very excited to announce the research teams and technology transfer offices (TTOs) that have been selected to join the second edition of S3E Start!
During the second Open Call for S3E Start— which launched on 18 September 2023 and closed on 15 January 2024 — we received a total of 65 applications from research teams and TTOs from all across Southern Europe. From those, 14 research teams and 11 TTOs have been selected to conform the new cohort of S3E Start, welcoming a total of 80 researchers in this year's edition. Keep on reading to find out who they are!
Meet the 14 research teams selected for S3E Start 2024
BioScreen 🇷🇴
- Research team: Ioana Silvia Hosu and Luminita Dimitriu
- TTO: Mihaela Frincu
- Institution: National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry - ICECHIM
- Technology: A portable device that uses electrochemical quantification for real-time monitoring of plant oxidative stress, providing cost-effective screening of agrochemicals.
Blood2Power 🇵🇹
- Research Team: Andreia Trindade Pereira, Daniela Sousa, Herbert Middleton, Inês Gonçalves and Salomé Luís
- Institution: i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
- Technology: A pioneering power-generating system that harnesses electrical energy from the movement of body fluids, like blood, to power medical devices.
BreastScreening-AI 🇵🇹
- Research Team: André Fadiga, Carlos Santiago and Francisco Maria Calisto
- Institutions: Instituto Superior Técnico Lisboa, Universidade de Coimbra and Universidade da Maia
- Technology: An advanced AI-driven diagnostic tool that integrates mammography, ultrasound and MRI data to enhance breast cancer detection accuracy, reducing diagnostic times and minimizing false positives and negatives.
C-Anal View 🇮🇹
- Research Team: Ilaria Toniolo, Francesca Rizzi and Lino Polese
- TTO: Francesca Rizzi
- Institution: Università di Padova
- Technology: A fenestrated anoscope and colonoscopy-compatible tool that improves tissue sampling, detects anal neoplastic lesions, and minimizes procedural risks. Its primary function is to enable precise visualization of the anal canal and rectum.
Comprehensive Pathogen Surveillance Ecosystem (CPSE) 🇹🇷
- Research Team: Cihan İspanoğlu, Ege Dedeoğlu, Gültekin Ünal and Hamza Yusuf Altun
- Institution: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine - Ankara University
- Technology: A comprehensive service suite for pathogen monitoring, delivering detailed reports via a customized database. It securely centralizes monitoring data, offers customizable diagnostics and optimizes action efficiency.
DOPANTS 🇬🇷
- Research Team: Anna Mastrogiorgi, Eleftheria Perivola, Marios Fragkioglou, Minas M. Stylianakis and Vasileios Tzatzadakis
- Institution: Hellenic Mediterranean University
- Technology: DOPANTS uses polymer nanocomposites to enhance safety and sustainability in medical consumables, offering infection resistance, customization via 3D printing, durability and reduction of environmental impact.
ECOPLAN 🇱🇹
- Research Team: Aurelijus Rinkevičius, Marius Kriukovas, Greta Čerškutė, Saulė Mačiukaitė-Žvienienė and Vytenis Mockus
- Institution: Vilnius University
- Technology: An AI-powered platform for construction material selection and recommendation. It analyzes projects from Building Information Models (BIM), suggests optimal materials, increasing selection accuracy by 60% and saving 20% project time.
GENESIS 🇵🇹
- Research Team: Alexandra Pinto, Diogo Silva, Helder Nunes and Lucas Marcon
- Institutions: Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Universal H2 and INEGI
- Technology: A plug-and-play off-grid production system providing clean fuel for boat owners and sodium borates for chemical industries. It offers hydrogen and power production, IP-protected borate, and promotes circular economy.
miRALS 129 🇮🇹
- Research Team: Linda Ottoboni, Mafalda Rizzuti and Stefania Corti
- TTO: Alessandro Cervi and Margherita Chierici
- Institutions: Fondazione IRCCS Ca'Granda Policlinico Maggiore Hospital and Università di Milano
- Technology: miRSEN is an active pharmaceutical ingredient that inhibits microRNA-129, an upregulated miRNA found in Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, slowing down the progression of the disease.
NEMATEAM 🇵🇹
- Research Team: Cláudia Letras, Madalena Mendonça, Margarida Espada and Pedro Barbosa
- Institution: Universidade de Évora
- Technology: NemAway is a fast and efficient bionematicide, targeting a broad spectrum of plant-parasitic nematodes. It is environmentally friendly and can be easily applied to crops through contact or soil fumigation.
OncoMagnetoSweep 🇵🇹
- Research Team: Diana Fonseca, Luísa Fialho and Marta Laranjeira
- TTO: Natacha Rosa
- Institution: i3S - Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde
- Technology: A magnetic extracorporeal device removing cancer cells from blood, enhancing treatment by reducing side effects, treatment time, and sessions, with a global cost reduction.
OncoMets 🇵🇹
- Research Team: Ana Sofia Ribeiro, Bruno Freitas, Inês Conde, Joana Paredes and Rita Carvalho
- TTO: Bárbara Macedo
- Institutions: LEPABE-FEUP and i3S - Instituto de Investigação e inovação em Saúde
- Technology: A blood-based In vitro diagnostics (IVD) tool providing real-time monitoring for breast cancer. It offers accurate, non-invasive detection of recurrent cancer earlier than traditional methods, enabling timely interventions and improving patient outcomes while reducing healthcare costs.
THYMI 🇵🇹
- Research Team: Rute Pinto and Pedro Ferreirinha
- Institution: i3S - Instituto de Investigação e inovação em Saúde
- Technology: THYMI offers for the first time the possibility to produce in laboratory patient-specific T cells that can be ready use to supplement patient immunity with no risk of transplanted cell rejection or side-effects.
UPWIND 🇵🇹
- Research Team: Luís Tiago Paiva, Fernando Fontes, Gabriel Fernandes, Manuel Fernandes, Rui Costa and Sérgio Vinha
- Institutions: Universidade do Porto and Instituto de Sistemas e Robótica (Universidade de Coimbra)
- Technology: ZEPHYRUS is a transportable airborne device that converts wind energy into electricity, ensuring access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable power in remote locations lacking access to the electricity grid.
S3E START is a program designed to help research teams and tech transfer officers to explore the commercial viability of their deep tech projects. Through an 18-week online training & mentorship program, the selected research teams will learn first-hand about the processes required to develop a business case for science-based products or services.
The 18-week immersive experience involves weekly online tutorials to guide the research teams in the development of a strong business case for their technology, and a series of webinars on diverse topics to help them build up relevant skills in intellectual property, technology commercialisation, how to pitch for funding, etc. Each team will be paired with a dedicated mentor who will guide them through the market validation for their deep tech research project, thus receiving 1-1 support for the development of their business case.
The whole South3E consortium is very proud to welcome these 14 research teams into the S3E Start program. Stay tuned for more updates on their journey with S3E!











