Introducing a unique competition and training programme that showcases life sciences and health tech start-ups to leading experts and investors across Europe. The programme awards the best business concepts, fast-tracking start-ups to become part of the EIT Health Community of world-leading companies.
Throughout the programme, start-ups receive intensive training as they build their credibility and visibility through pan-European exposure. The 10th edition finalists will pitch end November at the EIT Health Flagship Event as they go head-to-head for cash and industry prizes, and the opportunity to be displayed on the New York Nasdaq Tower.
The application phase for the 10th Edition will open in March. Stay tuned for more details on the programme — you could be part of this year’s edition.
Get training in business modelling and planning, investment deal negotiation, and pitch preparation
Pitch your service or product to international investors and world-leading companies
Sharpen your business plan and master pitching with insights from top-tier industry executives
Compete at our finals event for a cash prize of up to €30,000 and in-kind industry prizes
The Audience Award Winner will have their start-up showcased on the New York Nasdaq Tower
Connect with other ambitious entrepreneurs in the EIT Health network
Tell us all about your company, team and product/service and what makes it so special.
Start-ups with the best products/solutions will be chosen to participate in the programme and
go through the European selections.
Start-ups are paired with mentors and healthcare experts to refine their business plan and improve their pitch online.
Selected start-ups pitch to an investor jury for the place at the finals at get the opportunity to network in a European ecosystem.
Three life sciences start-ups and six health tech start-ups will attend the final event and pitch their solution to 400+ experts and investors.
The life sciences and the health tech winner receive a €30,000 cash prize each. The Audience Award winner is displayed on the New York Nasdaq Tower.
The Catapult is open to all start-ups and spin-offs that are:
"AstraZeneca's A.Catalyst Network is a proud partner to the EIT Health Catapult Program and we are impressed by the width, breadth and quality of the start-ups in the program. We have chosen to be Industry Partners to the program because we believe life science and healthcare innovation needs the diversity and ingenuity of start-ups, and because the EIT Health Catapult Program is exceptionally strong in finding, evaluating and supporting early stage start-ups with unique value propositions.”
Madeleine Thun, Astrazeneca, Senior Director A. Catalys Health Innovation
“The virtual coffees with our Catapult Supermentor were an excellent brainstorm exercise about how Gate2Brain could achieve a broader impact and approach pharma companies to use our technology with their own candidates of different modalities.”
Meritxell Teixidó, CEO/CSO, Gate2Brain
“Exposing the project to top European partners and industry profiles, who test every critical aspect of the company, has certainly been an experience that has helped us to strengthen processes, adapt our development plan and reduce the risks associated with the project. The programme exposure has also helped us to build an international advisory board that has played a key role in the European Commission’s decision to grant this funding to our company.”
Rubén Molina, CEO, Innitius
“We entered the Catapult Programme at exactly the right time. Brilliant mentors and coaches helped us flesh out our core messages and the finals massively increased our visibility across Europe.“
Kei Müller, Ebenbuild, CEO & Co-Founder
“The EIT Catapult program was a fantastic experience and a major contribution to our recent success in fundraising. In particular, the work on our storytelling and the excellent mentoring were helpful in taking the company to a new level.”
Guido Gualdoni, G.ST Antivirals CEO & Co-Founder
“Securing support from our new investor, InnovationQuarter, was critical to the successful closing of this latest financing round, which now enables us to advance our lead product toward the clinic, offering new hope for patients with triple negative breast cancer. Participating in the Catapult programme helped to prepare me for this process. My Super Mentor, Roland Kozlowski, provided a lot of useful advice regarding both my pitch and our company strategy more generally. Then, during the pitch training sessions, each of the five trainers provided different insights that I was able to pull together to further improve my pitch.”
Rachel Abbott, Pan Cancer T, CEO
“The Super Mentor programme provides top management of candidate companies with a great opportunity for one-to-one mentoring in areas where they need support, not only in honing the pitch.”
Roland Kozlowski, Executive Chariman of OncoTherics Limited
Applications to Catapult 10th edition will open in March 2026. Join our mailing list to be the first to know about it!
Sign up for updates
Our rigorous application process identifies the very best start-ups ready to take their business to the next level
All Catapult startups have raised at least €1M of public or private capital or generated €500k in revenue in the last year
Build contacts with tomorrow’s European healthcare leaders through a programme of year-round events
Access our community of leading experts and investors across Europe, and network with other leading investors and mentors
