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!
Follow South3E on X and LinkedIn
Subscribe to our newsletter
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.
Follow South3E on X and LinkedIn
Subscribe to our newsletter
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.
Follow South3E on X and LinkedIn
Subscribe to our
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 at Web Summit 2023 in Lisbon
Considered the largest tech conference in Europe, Web Summit in Lisbon attracts over 70,000 tech professionals and enthusiasts from across the globe every year, bringing together the top companies shaping the future of technology — including brands like Microsoft, Wikipedia, Nokia, SoundCloud and many more. And this year, South3E was also present!
Cláudia Barbosa, S3E Project Coordinator, was cordially invited by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology to join them in Lisbon as a representative of HiSeedTech, which is one of the official pledgers for this year’s EIT Deep Tech Talent Initiative.
As well as networking and enjoying the inspiring sessions with world-renowned keynote speakers, Claudia took this fantastic opportunity to promote the S3E Program among the many entrepreneurs and innovators who attended the event. According to the official stats released by the organisers, a total of 2,608 startups were exhibiting at Web Summit 2023 — and we truly hope some of them will take the leap and join us on our second Open Call for the S3E Program!
We look forward to creating long-lasting collaborations!
Explore our website and subscribe to our
Follow us on Twitter 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.