South3E launches the S3E Charge Fast-Track Acceleration for Deep Tech startups in Southern Europe
Following the success of its previous editions, South3E is bringing back the S3E Charge accelerator program for its third and final open call! Apply here.
In this new edition, the S3E Charge Fast-Track Acceleration has been crafted to offer expert support for deep tech startups in growth stage, focused on providing mentoring and training to science-based entrepreneurs in Southern Europe. The ultimate goal of this program is to assist the selected startups in developing an investment-ready business plan and help them access dilutive and non-dilutive funding.
“The S3E Charge program was crucial for our development and current success. It helped us refine our business plan and strategy, and we learned to become more business-oriented and less technical when pitching or talking to investors.” Michalis Kyriacou, Founder of Intellectra (S3E Charge 2024 Cohort)
Read the official press release
The S3E Charge Fast-Track Acceleration at a glance
Who can apply? This program is for growth startups with deep tech products or services already in the market, and with business operations based in a Southern European country. For this edition, we will admit up to 30 startups into the program.
What disciplines or industries can participate? We're looking for startups operating within these scientific fields: agricultural sciences, engineering and technology, medical and health sciences, and natural sciences. The startup's product or service must also have an economic or social impact element at heart, and target at least one of the Sustainable Goals set by the UN.
What does the program offer? Training and mentoring to develop an investment-ready business plan, as well as dedicated support to access public and private funding opportunities.
Key dates to keep in mind:
- 23 September 2024 → the open call to apply for S3E Charge is officially launched
- 11 October 2024 → applications for S3E Charge will close at 17:00 CET
- 15 October 2024 → the startups selected to participate in S3E Charge will be announced and the program will officially begin
The S3E Charge Fast-Track Acceleration will run for 4 weeks, starting on 15 October and finishing on 8 November. The selected startups will need to ensure they can commit to the full length of the program.
How to apply:
- Download the Application Guidelines to check all the details about the program and the full eligibility criteria, including the list of countries that can apply.
- Complete the application form on F6S and hit submit — don't leave it until last minute!
- The South3E consortium will review all applications between 11-14 October and will notify you via email if you've been selected.
Got any questions? Join our Info Webinar to hear more about this exciting opportunity and get answers to all your pressing questions about the program. The next session will be held online on 7 October at 13:00 CET, hosted by Christina Deligianni from Institute for Sustainable Development at EPLO, the coordinating team for S3E Charge. Register here.
Apply before 11 October!
Follow South3E on X and LinkedIn
Subscribe to our newsletter
S3E Charge 2024 | Meet the startup: Rosey's Mark
Rosey's Mark 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 the co-founders of Rosey's Mark, Rositsa Paunova and Ina Abadjieva, to learn more about how this Bulgarian startup is combining scientific innovation and culinary art to develop rose-based edible and functional products that heal from within.
https://youtu.be/gPPHxlW7QF8?feature=shared
Hi Rositsa and Ina! Tell us about Rosey's Mark, the mission behind the business and the technology you’ve developed.
Rositsa: Ina and I are sisters, and we've been working with the Bulgarian oil-bearing rose for more than 10 years. We're focused on the less known edible side of this flower, which is considered a national symbol of Bulgaria; we develop functional foods that use the powerful elements of this rose as a base, combining its interesting floral taste with its medical herbal characteristics.
Ina: We are officially classified as an innovative enterprise, as all our work relies on innovation. To create our products, we apply the latest scientific research available that corroborate the health benefits of Rosa Damascena.
How would you describe your entrepreneurship journey so far?
Ina: We've been on quite a long journey! We started when we were just graduating from our masters degree, and we thought that in five years we would be rocking the world... but now we know that to build a successful company it takes much longer than that, especially when you're starting from zero, developing a new market and acquiring all the knowledge you need.
Our journey has been filled with lots of learning and continuous development. We've progressed hugely since we started 10 years ago, but there's still a lot more to experience and conquer!
Why have you decided to enrol in the S3E Charge accelerator?
Rositsa: Right now, our business is in its second stage. After finishing our maternity leaves, we are now back stronger and with much more knowledge. Our products have been very well received in different markets; we sell mainly in Bulgaria, but also in Japan and Saudi Arabia, so now it's time to scale up and continue growing internationally, which is why this acceleration program is very important for us.
What are the key ambitions for Rosey's Mark? Where would you like to see the business in 5 years?
Rositsa: In the next 5 years years, we see our business blooming, literally! As we said, we want to grow our market reach and also enter the e-commerce space, which should also help with our international development goals.
Ina: When somebody asks me "how do you imagine your business in 5 years", a few milestones come to mind right away; first, we will be already over 1 million euro revenue, and second we will have spread our rose power products to more than 100,000 people, helping them feel better every day.
Drawing from your own experience, what piece of advice would you share with a fellow entrepreneur looking to launch their own startup?
Ina: My advice is to think wisely about two things: first, the motivation behind the initiative. What keeps you moving? Why are you doing this? Is your drive strong enough? Because there are going to be obstacles along the way, and your motivation is what will get you through them.
My second piece of advice is to think about your audience, your clients. Is your project, your solution truly valuable for them? Does it really help them? Make sure you're creating something with value for people, so that way you will have enough clients to develop a sustainable business.
Follow South3E on X and LinkedIn
Subscribe to our newsletter
S3E Charge 2024 | Meet the startup: eXRciser
eXRciser 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 Francisco Ros, Executive Chairman and CEO of eXRciser, to learn more about how this Spanish startup is bringing the latest AR and XR technologies into the wellness and health sectors, and hear why they’ve decided to join our accelerator program.
https://youtu.be/wU7EKhH4JBc?feature=shared
Hi Francisco! Tell us about eXRciser, the mission behind the business and the technology you’ve developed.
After four years of working with advanced technologies for the wellness sector, at the end of 2021 we realised that virtual reality (VR) and extended reality (XR) commercial devices were ready to be applied to the fitness world. We did some testing and we found that there was a need for an app which could guide users to execute physical exercises in a correct way. Gaming was good, but correct guidance to avoid injuries were clearly lacking.
We put together a multidisciplinary team and started to develop a virtual technology platform with that focus in mind; we successfully implemented an MVP (minimum viable product), and in September 2022 the eXRciser company was created.
Why have you decided to enrol in the S3E Charge accelerator?
After making our product commercially available for the user via Meta's App Lab store, we have seen that our platform and app are uniquely positioned to be used across the health sector, in areas such as rehabilitation, cardiology, and to monitor and fight some chronic diseases, obesity and sedentarism, and more.
We are convinced that S3E can help us expanding our European footprint to identify both synergistic institutions and projects, as well as additional funding sources.
What are the key ambitions for eXRciser? Where would you like to see the business in 5 years?
We want to be the mixed and extended reality company of reference for safe and monitored wellness applications, both domestically and for specialised health applications. We are the only company offering adjustable body tracking and a private recording system for easy use by professionals, like personal trainers, physiotherapist or coaches. One of our mottos says: "Do it right, do it with us, don't be injured and enjoy the benefits."
Drawing from your own experience, what piece of advice would you give to an entrepreneur who’d like to launch their own startup?
Be brave, be focused, be creative, never forget the user. And be prepared to resist — receiving external funding takes longer than you expect.
Follow South3E on X and LinkedIn
Subscribe to our newsletter
S3E Charge: Meet the startups 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 startups that have been selected to join the second edition of S3E Charge!
During the second Open Call for S3E Charge — which launched on 18 September 2023 and closed on 12 December 2023 — we received a total of 47 applications from growth startups from all across Southern Europe. From those, 17 have been selected to conform the new cohort of S3E Charge. Keep on reading to find out who they are!
Meet the 17 startups selected for S3E Charge 2024
Baukunst 🇪🇸
Based in Valencia, Baukunst is a heritage preservation specialist startup building 3D and Augmented Reality applications to build immersive experiences around monuments and cultural sites. They embrace tradition and modernity to provide solutions that transcend temporal boundaries, while fostering appreciation and understanding of historical heritage. The team is led by CEO Adolfo Bartolome Ibañez Vila, CTO David Cervera Vila and CDO Sebastians Jans.
BEDEV 🇵🇹
Founded by Gonçalo Pereira da Fonseca, BEDEV is a Portuguese medtech startup using 3D printing to develop early stage medical devices that are environmentally, socially and economically friendlier, while keeping patient safety at their core.
Bomensoft 🇹🇷
Turkish startup Bomensoft Computer Technologies is specialised in artificial intelligence technologies. It operates as an R&D company, conducting research and leading on designs around AI-related concepts such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Learning. Founded in 2020 in Konya, Türkiye, by Bora Ozdemir.
CRIAM 🇵🇹
Headquartered in Braga (Portugal), CRIAM follows a clear mission: to ensure every patient that needs help is adequately diagnosed and treated. With this aim in mind, this startup has developed a multi-purpose, electricity independent, easy-to-use and portable single-test Point of Care (PoC) diagnostics tool for rapid, highly accurate, automatized (no human error) and affordable blood testing. The team is led by CEO Victor Crespo and CSO Ljiljana Dukanovic.
DataFruit IIoT 🇧🇬
Bulgarian startup DataFruit IIoT is building an integrated platform which gathers, monitors, manages and analyses trends for sustainable manufacturing of goods and green energy. Their ambition is to help organisations become more effective and adopt planet-friendly practices.
Ecobubble 🇮🇹
Established in Rome in 2019, Ecobubble is an innovative green tech startup that promotes new ways to design and manage green areas by optimising water management, reducing local pollutants and improving the quality of agricultural products in urban environments - they're current developing their newest project, Plantiverse. The team is led by Co-Founders Nicola Nestacelli and Federico Di Vincenzo.
ELNAV.AI 🇭🇷
Croatian startup ELNAV.AI works with the latest technology in speech recognition to offer a competitive advantage in the maritime industry, enhancing communication and reducing navigational errors. The team includes CEO Hrvoje Mihovilović, Software Developer Ivan Biliškov, and Marketing Director Mislav Biondić.
EntoProtein 🇬🇷
Co-founded by Greek entrepreneurs George Rodopoulos and Alexandros Simalidis, EntoProtein are committed to providing innovative and sustainable insect-derived protein products to help solve global food challenges. Their mission is to create a healthier, more sustainable food system, having sustainability, innovation and compassion as their flagship values.
eXRciser 🇪🇸
Spanish health-tech startup eXRciser combines the power of wellness and extended reality (XR) to take the workout game to the next level, implementing elements of immersive technology, gamification and hyper-personalisation to enhance individuals' physical activity and overall wellbeing. The core team, located in Madrid, is led by Co-Founder Francisco Ros Peran and CTO Manuel Pasamontes.
Innervoices 🇪🇸
Innervoices is a revolutionary app designed to reconnect with inner selves. By providing personalised insights and guidance, it empowers individuals to navigate life's dilemmas thanks to cutting-edge technology and social science research. This Barcelona-based tech startup was co-founded by Maja Završnik and Mel Awasi.
Intellectra Technologies 🇨🇾
Headquartered in Nicosia, Intellectra's mission is to reshape the wireless cybersecurity landscape for safeguarding and supporting the digital infrastructures of the future. They focus on pushing boundaries in multiprotocol wireless systems and platforms, as well as developing intricate mechanical solutions like Rapid Prototyping & Manufacturing. The core team includes CEO Michalis Kyriacou, CTO Makis Christou and Projects Director Christos Mavrides.
ivoluntry 🇬🇷
Greek startup ivoluntry has built a digital platform focused on organising and improving the conditions of volunteering activities. It connects volunteers with actions, offers appropriate digital support to institutions, enhances scientific research through volunteer actions and contributes to the development of voluntourism. The team is led by CEO Andreas Kountouras, CMO Errika Zeler and CTO Antipas Azoidis.
MOVEN 🇪🇸
MOVEN is a Spanish innovation consultancy specialised in bringing new solutions into the urban mobility sector, with a key focus on helping Southern European cities and businesses transforming their approach to urban design, transportation, and more. The team is led by CEO Sergio Diez and Innovation Manager Inmaculada Caballero.
Nanomik Biotechnology 🇹🇷
Turkish startup Nanomik develops and produces microencapsulated biopesticides for food and agricultural products that protects them against food spoilage without affecting their quality. Their R&D team, led by Aslı Erdoğ, is specialised in formulation development, new bio-molecule discovery, bio-engineering of microorganisms and process development for bio-manufacturing. The rest of the core team includes Co-Founders Buse Berber Örçen and Arda Örçen.
Orbiba Robotics 🇹🇷
Agri-tech startup Orbiba Robotics operates under a well determined philosophy: “People become what they eat”. To support organic agriculture practitioners become highly efficient, they design and build small, affordable robots that have a minimal carbon footprint, operate on renewable energy and offer a high-return on investment. Funded by ilker Bektas.
QX 🇲🇰
An innovative tech startup from North Macedonia, QX is pioneering a decentralised consumer network that reshapes European B2C retail interactions, leveraging blockchain for enhanced consumer and retail experiences. The team is led by its Co-Founder and CEO, Zoran Nasteski.
Rosey's Mark 🇧🇬
With a combined knowledge in high-tech and cosmetic science, Rosey’s Mark uses the Bulgarian rose flower as a valuable multi-purpose ingredient to create high quality and clean label functional food products. Their goal is to support the wellbeing of the conscious consumers around the world in a sustainable and non-invasibe way. The team is led by Co-Founders Rositsa Paunova-Dlagnekova and Ina Abadjieva.
S3E CHARGE is a program that we have designed for growth start-ups with deep tech products, services, or process concepts, grounded in a scientific discovery or meaningful engineering innovation and at a growth development stage, that are already in the market. The program will facilitate selected growth startups to be better aligned with Horizon Europe’s goals, namely by better positioning them to apply for public or private funding and programs, assisting them in linking their business offerings to market needs and becoming market ready to pitch and attract investments whilst having validated and honed their business plan and value proposition.
During the following 14 weeks, the selected startups will participate in a tailor-made mentoring and networking program that aims to provide skills to growth startups to enable them to:
- link the product/service/process product with market needs,
- better communicate their offerings to potential clients and investors,
- become market ready to pitch, persuade and readapt the business offerings to different audiences, depending on market needs
- connect to ‘Innovation Leaders’ and ‘Strong Innovators’ Ecosystems
- better understand to protect IP
- prepare an investment ready business plan
- get access to funds and funding
The whole South3E consortium is very proud to welcome these 17 startups into the S3E Charge program. Stay tuned for more updates on their journey with S3E!
Explore our website and subscribe to our
Follow us on X and LinkedIn