Applications for the fifth edition of PowerUp! will close on 11 March. Romanian start-ups focusing primarily on energetic solutions have 6 days left to join the contest and enter the competition for a 50 000€ prize and financial investment of up to 150 000€. PowerUp! participants also gain a unique opportunity to showcase their ideas to an international network of partners, and develop their business on a global scale. “Those who join the Highway program can expect support in a wide range of areas, including legal and IP protection to pitch deck design to agile methodology, and many more. We work with a variety of research institutes and universities, cooperating with engineers and technology experts from many different areas and disciplines. We also support start-ups in searching for and securing their first customers, setting them on a path to a successful future”, comments Jakub Miler, CEO of InnoEnergy Central Europe.
This year, PowerUp! is focusing closely on start-ups working in areas such as energy, mobility, heating, cleantech, and smart technologies. InnoEnergy will also be placing special emphasis on the topic of clean air, as it represents an essential part of the organization’s day-to-day activity.
To take part in the competition, start-ups need to have a dedicated team in place, have secured IP and offer products or services, which are no more than two years away from making it to market. Detailed conditions of participation, an application form, and all of the necessary information are available at www.powerup.innoenergy.com.
This distinction—the Clean Air Challenge award-- will be given to the startup whose solution will make a significant difference in the battle against air pollution and smog.
The promise of financial prizes is only a part of what makes PowerUp! so special. Equally important to the development of many start-ups is the opportunity to join Highway, InnoEnergy’s prestigious business accelerator offering access to an international network of prospective business partners, wide-ranging InnoEnergy expertise, and financial investment up to 150 000€.
Start-ups that pass through the application stage will be invited to participate in bootcamps run by recognised international business mentors. These workshops will prepare participants for the national finals and the Grand Final, in which they will present their ideas to a panel of investors and industry experts. The country final in Romania, organised by Digital Transformers, will take place on April 18 at Bucharest, and the whinning startup will qualify for the international final in Krakow. The winner at European level will be selected on 21 May in Poland during Impact'19 - the biggest economic event in Central and Eastern Europe.
The 2018 winner of PowerUp! was Zubax Robotics from Estonia, which presented a solution which can significantly reduce energy consumption in future mobility technologies.
The deadline for registration is 11 March 2019.
About Digital Transformers
Digital Transformers’ story began in 2014 with several innovation projects in the Romanian ecosystem. The team has worked with more than 15 startups and developed more than 10 corporate partnerships. In 2017, the company started focusing on developing sustainable connections and working with international startups and companies and in 2018 became the hub representing InnoEnergy in Romania.
About InnoEnergy
InnoEnergy is the innovation engine for sustainable energy across Europe. We support and invest in innovation at every stage of the journey – from classroom to end-customer. With our network of partners, we build connections across Europe, bringing together inventors and industry, graduates and employers, researchers and entrepreneurs, businesses and markets.
We work in three essential areas of the innovation mix:
Education to help create an informed and ambitious workforce that understands the demands of sustainability and the needs of industry.
Innovation Projects to bring together ideas, inventors and industry to create commercially attractive technologies that deliver real results to customers.
Business Creation Services to support entrepreneurs and start-ups who are expanding Europe’s energy ecosystem with their innovative offerings.
Bringing these disciplines together maximises the impact of each, accelerates the development of market-ready solutions, and creates a fertile environment in which we can sell the innovative results of our work.
InnoEnergy was established in 2010 and is supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).
