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.
Follow South3E on X and LinkedIn
Subscribe to our
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.
Follow South3E on X and LinkedIn
Subscribe to our
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.
Follow South3E on X and LinkedIn
Subscribe to our
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!
Follow South3E on X and LinkedIn
Subscribe to our
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.
Follow South3E on X and LinkedIn
Subscribe to our
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
S3E Charge Open Call 2: everything you need to know!
Now that the South3E consortium has officially announced , you may be wondering which of the 3 available tracks is the right one for you. We spoke with Christina Deligianni, Policy and Programmes Director at Institute for Sustainable Development at EPLO and leader of S3E Charge, to share all the key insights about this accelerator program created to support Southern European startups at their growth stage.
https://youtu.be/bTghkt-nhHU
Hi Christina! Tell us, what is the ethos behind S3E?
Our mission is to foster innovation and an entrepreneurship mindset in the South of Europe.
We want to do this by accelerating and incubating research teams and startups, and brokering deals and agreements between big corporations and SMEs. We focus on technologies that are grounded on either scientific discovery or meaningful innovation, so we can contribute towards deploying all those deep tech solutions that come from Southern European countries.
Social impact and economic growth are also two very important factors for us — all the nurturing we do within the European innovation ecosystem aims to build a more sustainable future. Therefore, all the projects, all the startups that are part of the S3E Program also have to be aligned with at least one of the Sustainable Development Goals defined by the United Nations.
What does the S3E Charge track offer to startups?
This is an acceleration program, so we’re looking for startups that have a product or a solution based on deep tech research and sustainability, and that wish to be accelerated.
The S3E Charge track is 14-weeks long, which requires a big commitment from the participants; in return, each startup is paired up with their own mentor - someone chosen from a pool of experts in their sector - and they get to attend our series of tailor-made webinars where they learn about a variety of topics: from marketing and sales, all the way to sustainable business models and strategies.
We also bring the selected statups closer to dilutive and non-dilutive funding opportunities, as well as networking with industry leaders and other innovators and entrepreneurs.
The participating startups will work on two deliverables: a business-ready plan and a professional pitch deck, which they will get to use when they pitch in front of potential investors at the celebratory open day that marks the end of the program.
How can startups apply to join the S3E Charge Program?
The first step would be to read all the information about the Program available on the Apply Now section of the S3E website. Those interested in applying need to and make sure to read them carefully before starting filling up their application on the F6S online platform.
Once we receive all applications, our panel of experts will review them; the selected startups will be publicly announced on 12 January and the program will officially start on 18 January.
If you are a startup in the growth stage and are looking for new opportunities to learn how to pitch your business to investors and access networking opportunities, I strongly encourage you apply for the S3E Charge Program. Remember, the application deadline is 15 December 2023. We look forward to, hopefully, welcoming you into the S3E Charge cohort of 2024!
Do you have any questions you’d like to ask Christina and the S3E team directly? Come along to one of our Info Webinars! Check all the upcoming sessions and register via Eventbrite.
We look forward to creating long-lasting collaborations!
Explore our website and subscribe to our
Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn
The S3E Open Call #2 has officially launched!
The wait is finally over! The S3E – Southern European Entrepreneurship Engine consortium is excited to announce the official launch of the second Open Call for the three tracks of the : Start, Charge & Reverse.
S3E is the ultimate program of support for entrepreneurs in Southern Europe developing Deep Tech solutions with social and sustainable impact at their core. Each track is dedicated to three main groups operating within the innovation ecosystem: researchers and TTOs working on a project as a team, startups at their growth stage, and corporates interested in joining forces with scaleups/SMEs.
The S3E Charge program has been an invaluable experience. The theoretical sessions and mentorship have greatly supported our growth and have improved the key strategies to effectively communicate our value proposition. We highly recommend this program to other entrepreneurs, as it provides the necessary tools and connections for success in the Deep Tech industry.
Naeria Navarro Navarro CTO, Fresh Water Nature SL - Charge Startup
What's the difference between the 3 tracks?
- S3E Start: helps 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.
- S3E Charge: supports deep tech startups in their growing phase that want to improve their business model and learn how to access dilutive and non-dilutive funding. Over 14 weeks, the selected startups will receive tailored mentorship to guide them through the validation process of their product or service, and the creation of an investment-ready business plan.
- S3E Reverse: connects corporate challenges with solutions developed by scaleups and SMEs thanks to our Brokerage Program, based on a successful open innovation methodology. To access the first phase of this track, large companies and public organisations have to submit a deep tech challenge.
You can find all the relevant information about each track on the section on our website.
How to apply
Those interested in joining the S3E Program need to follow these steps:
- Read all information about the S3E Program to decide which track best suits you
- Once you know which track you want to apply to, download the relevant track Guidelines for Applicants and the Open Call Text via Zenodo: +
- After carefully reading the mandatory documents, you can now complete your application via the F6S online platform: S3E Charge application for Startups + S3E Start application for Researchers + S3E Start application for Tech Transfer Offices
The S3E Open Call #2 welcomes applications from the following countries:
- South European countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain.
- Associated countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo and Turkey.
The S3E Start program has a comprehensive curriculum that provided us with the necessary information on deep-tech commercialization. With the TEC sessions, webinars and mentor meetings, we had the chance to learn from experts. The S3E team has been very supportive and answered all the questions we had. We strongly recommend this program.
Elif Begum Elcioglu NANO INK - Start Researcher
Key dates to keep in mind
- 18 September 2023 (12pm CET): The S3E Open call officially launches for the 3 tracks: S3E Start, S3E Charge and S3E Reverse
- 15 December 2023 (5pm CET): Deadline for applying to S3E Charge (startups) and S3E Reverse (large organisations acting as ‘Challengers’)
- 12 January 2024 (5pm CET): Deadline for applying to S3E Start (research teams & tech transfer officers)
Join our upcoming S3E Info Webinars!
To help this year's applicants prepare for their submissions, the teams behind S3E Start & S3E Charge will be hosting a series of Q&A Webinars. These sessions provide an open space to everyone interested in applying to ask any questions they may have about the S3E Program — we highly encourage future participants to come along!
Check the available dates for S3E Start and S3E Charge and book your preferred session via Eventbrite. The earlier you join one of our Info Webinars, the more time you and your team will have to prepare before submitting your application.
Got any questions?
Check the FAQs section on our website, where you fill find an extensive list of answers regarding the S3E Program. If you would like to speak directly to someone from the S3E team, you can email us at info@south3e.eu
We look forward to creating long-lasting collaborations!
Explore our website and subscribe to our
Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn
Bluana Foods: the Romanian startup that has developed a chef-made plant-based sashimi
Bluana Foods is one of the supported startups in the first S3E Charge Accelerator Programme.
Bluana is a pioneering startup that is revolutionising the plant-based food industry by offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fish-based seafood products. Their unique and proprietary technology allows them to develop a new type of fish substitute that addresses several pressing challenges in the seafood industry.
Firstly, Bluana tackles the significant environmental impact of the fishing industry, including overfishing and the destruction of ecosystems. By utilising their innovative approach, they can reduce the reliance on wild-caught fish and help preserve marine biodiversity.
Secondly, it address the negative consequences of intensive fish farming, such as the overuse of antibiotics, antibiotics resistance, and the use of processed feedstock. Bluana's plant-based seafood substitute offers a healthier and more sustainable alternative, free from these concerns.
Moreover, its solution significantly reduces GHG emissions associated with global seafood transportation and cold chain management. By enabling local production with minimal setup costs, Bluana products contribute to a more efficient and eco-friendly supply chain.
In addition to these environmental benefits, Bluana offers an exceptional customer experience. Their plant-based seafood substitute, initially focusing on salmon, provides a shelf-stable product that can be stored at room temperature. This eliminates the need for extensive cold chain logistics and reduces food waste due to the short shelf life of fresh seafood.
Bluana's commitment to quality extends to taste and nutritional value. Their product has been rigorously tested through blind tastings, confirming its superior taste compared to other plant-based seafood substitutes and achieving the same or even better taste compared to fish meat.
From a business perspective, Bluana offers a substantial advantage to value chain stakeholders. With higher margins compared to both traditional seafood and existing seafood substitutes, Bluana presents an attractive opportunity for retailers, distributors, and foodservice providers.
Overall, Bluana is poised to disrupt the seafood market by providing a sustainable, high-quality, and delicious plant-based alternative that addresses environmental and social concerns, meets customer expectations, and offers attractive business opportunities.
Learn more about Bluana Foods by watching the pitch done by their CEO, Florin Irimescu, during the Charge Open Day on 6th July 2023.
https://youtu.be/zLNENEv2l-k
Would you like to get in touch with them? Let us know! Email us at info@south3e.eu