Get ready to accelerate your startup and be a part of the future of sustainable mobility!
The European Startup Prize for Mobility (EUSP) is back with its 5th edition, promising to be bigger and better than ever before.
What is the European Startup Prize for Mobility?
The European Startup Prize for Mobility (EUSP) is an EU-founded acceleration and investment programme for sustainable mobility startups.
It was created in 2017 by Karima Delli, Chairwoman of the European Parliament’s Committee on Transport and Tourism, Boston Consulting Group, and Via ID. Created in 2010, Via ID is the investment fund and the business accelerator of startups in new mobility of Mobivia (Norauto, Midas, ATU).
As a public-private initiative, EUSP aims to support and scale up smart and sustainable mobility companies across Europe.
Each year, some 600 startups apply to its Acceleration and Investment programme.
The EUSP provides them with multiple opportunities as a “one-stop-shop” for Europe along 4 themes: visibility, investment, consultancy and advocacy. This edition winners will enjoy major visibility by pitching on some of the world’s largest tech stages (Web Summit, Slush, OurCrowd Summit) as EUSP winners.
They will be invited to pitch before EU funds (European Commission, European Investment Bank, EIT Urban Mobility) and a large group of private investors (Demo Day).
The winners will also enjoy tailored business consultancy from Rolalnd Berger and a three-month acceleration programme, run by Via ID. Finally, startups are invited to produce policy recommendations for the EU institutions to support more clean innovation.
What’s new in this edition?
This year’s edition is the result of an unprecedented public-private initiative with 16 exceptional partners on board.
They include EIT Urban Mobility, RATP Group, Crédit Agricole Auto Bank, European Climate Foundation, Mobilians, Groupe ADP, Europcar Mobility Group, Volta Trucks, GRDF, European Clean Trucking Alliance, Voies Navigables de France (VNF), Europe’s Rail, Die Autobahn, Roland Berger, and Shift4Good.
Every year, hundreds of startups from across Europe apply for the EUSP and more than 2,000 startups have participated since its inception.
The competition is fierce, but everyone is a winner. Not only the top 10 will be rewarded. The 16 EUSP partners will look at all the applications and monitor them for opportunities. Applying is therefore an opportunity to join the community
If you have a sustainable mobility product or solution with a positive environmental and societal impact, EUSP is the place to be.
Selection criteria
The call for applications is open to all mobility solutions operating in the European Union and all associated countries in the Horizon Europe cooperation programme for innovation (including those who have been or are in the process of negotiating their agreement). These countries include the EU27 but also Israel, Switzerland, UK, Norway, and even Morocco, Tunisia and New Zealand!
There are nine key selection criteria for the EU Startup Prize for Mobility, looking at both the business viability of the startups but also at their impact on the climate, environment, social inclusion, accessibility etc.:
- Innovation
- Market
- Execution
- Team
- Climate
- Environmental impact
- Accessibility and social inclusion
- Territorial inclusion
- European scalability
Selection process
According to EUSP, the selection process is organised in three levels of selection:
- Online (to determine a TOP 50)
- Visio (to determine the TOP 10)
- Ceremony (to determine the TOP 3, as well as awarding the TOP 10 and 13 Special Prizes)
All candidates are assessed by more than a hundred mobility experts led and supported by Via ID.
Why should you apply for EUSP 2023
Here are four compelling reasons.
Win your EUSP label
The 50 best startups will be announced through a “TOP 50” on 14th September 2023.
The top 50 startups will be honoured with the prestigious TOP 50 EUSP label, which they can showcase in their communications.
Additionally, they will have the opportunity to participate in the Demo Day organised by Via ID, with an audience of over 150 investors.
Gain access to acceleration and investment programme
These TOP 50 startups will then pitch to the jury to secure a spot in the “TOP 10.”
Besides the EUSP label and Visibility, these startups will benefit from a 3-month remote acceleration and investment programme (lobbying, European expansion, tailored mentoring with Via ID), and funding opportunities (dilutive and non-dilutive).
In addition, the TOP 10 startups will benefit from individual support powered by Via ID.
The EUSP acceleration and investment programme is equity-free and free of charge.
Personalised support from Roland Berger
The TOP 3 startups, selected from the TOP 10, will benefit from a personal strategic business consultancy provided by the EUSP’s partner Roland Berger.
Special Prizes and recognition
All EUSP participants have the opportunity to apply for the 13 Special Prizes sponsored by the partners.
It includes Logistics and Freight (awarded by GRDF), Corporate Mobility and Intermodality (awarded by Groupe ADP), Sustainable passenger experience and operational excellence (awarded by RATP), Scale-ups (awarded by the European Investment Bank), and much more.
These prizes not only recognise the best startups in their respective categories but also provide unique advantages offered by the partners.
By winning one of these prizes, you can gain further recognition and exposure for your startup.
The journey culminates in the grand award ceremony at the European Parliament in Brussels on 25th October 2023.
How to apply?
Candidates must submit their application on the application platform before 20 June 2023.
Participation in the EUSP is open to startups created in Europe that offer an innovative sustainable mobility product or solution.
This product or solution must have a positive environmental and societal impact as well as international development potential.
David Schwarz, CEO of Via ID, says, “This 5th edition of the EUSP, of which we are co-founders, is gaining in maturity and strengthening to further support innovative sustainable mobility startups in their international expansion. For the first time, we will organise a Demo Day for the TOP 50 gathering more than 150 investors.”
“The acceleration and investment programme for the TOP 10 focuses on three key topics: European public affairs, funding, and international development. We will be keen to bring, through the advocacy of the EUSP, the voice of the best mobility startups to institutions with the support of Karima Delli again this year,” adds Schwarz.
