Europe’s top health start-ups take centre stage: EIT Health Catapult winners are revealed at HLTH Europe
The EIT Health Catapult 9th Edition competition winners were announced on 17 June at HLTH Europe 2025, the conference where global expertise meets local insight to address Europe’s unique healthcare challenges and opportunities. Previous edition winners and finalists have attracted significant interest from leading Life Sciences and HealthTech companies.
EIT Health celebrated the next wave of health innovation yesterday, 17 June, as the winners of the 9thedition of the EIT Health Catapult programme were announced at HLTH Europe in Amsterdam. Set against a backdrop of international dialogue and digital health momentum, the finals brought together Europe’s most promising start-ups in Life Sciences and HealthTech to pitch their solutions to a live audience of investors, experts, and healthcare leaders.
Now in its ninth year, the Catapult programme has grown into one of Europe’s most established platforms for early-stage healthcare start-ups, supporting more than 330 start-ups, with an engaged community of more than 400 investors and 2,500 healthcare professionals backing the programme. Designed to accelerate market entry and investment readiness, it is part of EIT Health’s broader mission to nurture innovation that delivers real impact for patients and systems alike.
The winners represented the finest in European healthcare innovation across the Life sciences and HealthTech categories, selected for their bold ideas, scientific excellence, and real-world potential.
In the Life sciences category, Cellectric Biosciences (Austria) took the top prize for their innovative work in electrodynamic applications for biotechnology and bioelectric medicine. Cellectric has discovered a new way for biologists to work with cells. Using electric fields, standard laboratory processes can be fully automated, at increased precision and without the use of chemicals.
From HealthTech, Custom Surgical (Germany) impressed the jury with their versatile, digitisation tool. Custom Surgical empowers eye care professionals with advanced digitalisation and AI tools. Through its platform and optical tools, it has built the largest database of eye care images and surgical videos globally.
Finalist NimBio (Israel) was chosen as the winner of the ‘Alex Casta Audience Award’, an audience-selected accolade. They are addressing the holy grail in treating inflammatory diseases with the world’s first non-invasive inflammometer for early detection of inflammatory flares. As part of the award, NimBio will have its logo displayed on the Nasdaq Tower in New York’s Times.
This year, the EIT Health Catapult has once again partnered with leading healthcare players in Europe to further support the most promising start-ups. Amazon Web Services (AWS) and AstraZeneca have sponsored additional prizes that will provide the winners with their expertise and support. Here’s how our Industry Partners will be supporting:
- AWS has offered promotional credits to all participating start-ups. In addition, AWS has offered The Blue Box Biomedical Solutions and Cellectric Biosciences a spot on the AWS Health Innovation Podcast and social media promotion.
- As part of their support, AstraZeneca will provide TED Talk training to two selected finalists, Rejuversen Europe SL and The Blue Box Biomedical Solutions. In addition, AstraZeneca will connect The Blue Box Biomedical Solutions, Immunofusion and PoliRNA with its global team to support project implementation. These three start-ups will benefit from a tailored mentoring programme delivered by industry experts, with opportunities to explore potential collaborations.
Arantxa Encinas López, Startup Project Manager, bioRN Life Science Cluster, shared her excitement, “The EIT Health Catapult programme is a powerful example of what’s possible when Europe’s health innovation community comes together to accelerate bold ideas. This year’s finalists truly raised the bar, demonstrating the creativity, clinical relevance, and entrepreneurial spirit needed to drive lasting change in healthcare. We’re proud to stand alongside EIT Health and fellow co-creators such as Medical Valley in supporting these start-ups on their journey to impact.”
Dorothea Hellerbrand, Project Manager, Medical Valley, adds, “Now in its ninth edition, the programme continues to showcase the best of what our ecosystem has to offer – start-ups that are not only scientifically sound but also poised to make a real impact on patient lives. We’re already looking forward to what the 10th edition will bring.”
Delivered by EIT Health and run by two EIT Health members BioRN Life Science Cluster and Medical Valley, with the support of Cap Digital, the EIT Health Catapult programme is built on a strong foundation of training, mentoring, and cross-border exposure. The programme has a proven track record of bringing fresh perspectives to the European health sector. Throughout the programme, start-ups receive intensive training as they build their credibility and visibility through pan-European exposure.
Learn more about EIT Health Catapult programme and how to apply for the next edition.
