The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) is an independent body of the European Union, established in 2008 to enhance Europe’s capacity for innovation. 

Its mission is to reinvigorate the “knowledge triangle” - bringing together business, education, and research - through the creation of cross-border partnerships known as Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs). 

Operating under the Horizon Europe framework (EU’s leading research and innovation program), the EIT is funded with approximately €3 billion for the 2021–2027 period. 

Through its KICs, the EIT enables:

To date, the initiative has supported 9,900+ ventures, launched hundreds of innovative products, and built a vast network of industry, academic, and research stakeholders. 

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EIT Jumpstarter is a program of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), which supports students, researchers, and entrepreneurs in the process of transforming their innovative ideas into successful businesses. Ahead of the official opening of applications for this year, we spoke with Elena Petkovska, co-founder of the Macedonian startup Omnilyst, which was the only startup from Macedonia to reach the finals of last year’s program and present its startup in Budapest.

Elena is a professional in product design and UX/UI, certified by Google, a student at the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering (FCSE), as well as an active member of Women in Tech® Macedonia and a mentor of projects for international participants at UWC SC.

The decision to apply, as opportunities often appear, happened unexpectedly and at the very last moment. EIT Jumpstarter was the first pre-acceleration program we participated in, and it was of enormous significance for both the initial and later development of Omnilyst.

There is a strong tendency among early-stage startups to begin only locally, avoiding the opportunity to appear on a wider market from the very beginning, believing they are not ready enough. Unfortunately, we shared that same misconception at first.

However, this turned out to be the most crucial decision we made, and it resulted in faster progress and visible results, starting before being fully “ready.” That is exactly why I would recommend the same to everyone who may be hesitating about this decision.

In this case, the biggest advantage of the EIT Jumpstarter pre-acceleration program is that startups gain exposure on a European level at an early stage, which immediately puts them one step ahead.

As startups, we begin from zero. That is, in fact, both the beauty and the most valuable aspect of startups. However, it also means that when something is built from zero, what is missing is credibility which is of crucial importance in the early phases because it is the first step toward building trust.

We were still in the early stages of developing Omnilyst, and we were aware that standing out in a crowded market would require more than just a great product. Becoming a finalist in EIT Jumpstarter gave us the recognition we needed and immediately increased Omnilyst’s brand credibility. This, in turn, definitely made it easier to build relationships with partners, investors, and clients.

Such exposure at a European level in the early stages opened many doors and opportunities for us, which otherwise would have required much more time.

One of the biggest benefits Omnilyst gained through EIT Jumpstarter was access to a large European network. The program offered a unique chance to meet mentors, experts, and entrepreneurs from across Europe, which allowed us to gain valuable contacts and perspectives. Interacting with them helped us see things from an entirely different angle.

In addition to what has already been mentioned, the program spans half a year, which means that the greatest benefit was actually the experience we gained throughout this fairly long period.

Through online and in-person training, we worked on creating a business plan and strategy, defining the market and segmentation, value propositions for customers, financial planning, identifying and strengthening competitive advantage, and pitching to our first potential clients.

The access to regular, personalized mentoring sessions especially helped us and confirmed that we were progressing in the right direction.

For us, as the only Macedonian startup that reached the finals in 2024 and had the opportunity to present Omnilyst in Budapest, the responsibility was great.

Considering that last year more than 600 startups applied, this is proof that the EIT Jumpstarter program is excellent at recognizing startups with the highest potential.

I emphasize this to highlight that everyone gets an equal chance. All that is needed is an innovative idea that solves a real problem, and beyond that, everything depends on persistence, determination, and the ability to adapt to changes and challenges.

This article was originally published by BAU Accelerator. In this article you were able to read the English version. If you want to check the original publication, you can visit the links below.

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Until next time,