Do you want to start your entrepreneurial journey? Do you have a business idea and want to turn your innovative digital technology into an MVP and start your venture?
What is the 28DIGITAL Venture Incubation Program?
The 28DIGITAL Venture Incubation Program is a two-stage initiative supporting the creation and growth of digital and deep-tech ventures across Europe.
The program helps teams to:
- validate a business idea and shape an MVP
- strengthen entrepreneurial and venture-building skills
- incorporate a company in the EU
- prepare for market entry, investment, and growth
Program structure
Stage 1: Growth Package
Introductory bootcamp followed by a 12-week incubation program including mentoring, MVP development, and validation, concluding in Demo Day. Selected teams receive a €5,000 Growth Package Prize.
Stage 2: Final Prize
Selected ventures may apply for the final stage and compete for up to €25,000 based on performance.
Important: Selected ventures will commit to providing 28DIGITAL with 5% equity through a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity).
Who can apply?
The 28DIGITAL Venture Incubation Program 2026 is open to multidisciplinary teams (minimum two members) and early-stage startups incorporated in 2025 or later who reside in or are established in one of the following eligible locations. Startups incorporated before 1 January 2025 are not eligible.
EU Member States
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.
Horizon Europe Associated Countries
Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Türkiye, Ukraine.
Additional Requirements
Startups must not have been legally established before 1 January 2025.
Only one application per team or startup is allowed.
Applicants must operate within one of 28DIGITAL’s strategic domains and demonstrate a prototype, Proof-of-Concept, or near-MVP stage.
Participation from Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) countries and gender-balanced teams is encouraged.
Detailed eligibility and requirements: Call document Rules and regulations.
Who is the 28DIGITAL Venture Incubation Program for?
EUROPEAN ENTREPRENEURS
- Develop your entrepreneurial skills through structured education and hands-on mentoring.
- Validate your product idea and build a functional MVP.
- Get access to a €5,000 Growth Package Prize and expert support during the 12-week incubation phase.
- Establish your deep tech venture.
- Pitch your solution at Demo Day and become eligible for the Final Prize stage, with up to €25,000 financial support and prepare for seed-stage investment.
- Get business development help from top international experts.
- Find your first investor.
- Join Europe’s leading innovation ecosystem.
From Entrepreneurial Exploration to Venture Creation
The 28DIGITAL Venture Incubation Program is a two-stage competition designed to support the development of deep tech ventures from the earliest stages - helping entrepreneurial teams move from concept to MVP, validation, and investment readiness within a structured timeline.
Stage 1 - Growth Package
Kick-off starts with a Bootcamp, followed by a structured 12-week incubation program for selected teams. The program includes mentoring, MVP development and validation, and concludes with a Demo Day, where teams present their progress and results. Selected teams receive a €5,000 cash prize.
Stage 2 - Final Prize
Teams that successfully complete Stage 1, incorporate their venture, and demonstrate a validated MVP may apply for the Final Prize and compete for up to €25,000 in financial support.
The entire program is delivered fully online, enabling broad accessibility while ensuring high-quality mentorship, training, and peer learning.
Growth Package
Kick-off phase including an introductory bootcamp, followed by a structured 12-week incubation program for selected teams.
Participants develop and validate their MVP through tailored mentoring, hands-on support, and structured venture-building activities covering problem validation, business model development, technology advancement, and go-to-market strategy.
The stage concludes with a Demo Day, where teams present their results and progress.
€5,000 cash prize
Final Prize
Teams that successfully complete Stage 1, incorporate their venture, and demonstrate a validated MVP may apply for the Final Prize stage.
Selected ventures pitch their results and compete based on performance, including progress in product validation, market traction, and execution.
Top-performing teams may receive financial support and gain access to follow-on funding and growth opportunities.
Up to €25,000 financial support
Sponsors & Partners
Partner With Us — Boost Innovation, Gain Visibility
28DIGITAL invites leading players in tech, investment, and innovation to sponsor or partner with our Venture Incubation Program. Join us in empowering the next generation of European deep tech startups.
Why join?
- Exclusive visibility as a program partner
- Access to a pipeline of validated deep tech startups
- Get a jury place in our Demo Day
- Engage with 28DIGITAL’s pan-European innovation network
We’re collecting interest now — submit your details through our sponsorship form or reach us at venture_program@eitdigital.eu
How to apply
1. Read carefully the Rules & Regulations
2. Complete the application form
- Visit the Application page
- Select your country of residence or establishment.
- Describe your team.
- Explain the business model, the technology underlying your product or solution, and your innovative idea.
- Upload your pitch deck and any required supporting materials.
3. Application deadline
Applications closing on 9 June 2026 at 17:00 (Brussels time).
Get started today!
Join Info Webinar
Interested in learning more?
Join our info session on 27 April 2026 at 12:00 here.
Testimonials
"Thanks to EIT Digital, we built our initial MVP and validated business hypotheses. With their ongoing support we survived the pandemic, pivoted our product and raised the next investment round." - Tomasz Marcińczyk, Co-founder of Restimo
"We are extremely grateful to the EIT Digital Venture Program for taking a chance on us in such an early stage of our startup journey. They provided us with essential knowledge on how to start and grow our business and gave us a financial support without which we would not be able to build our MVP and validate our idea." - co-founder Karolina Czaplicka, Subjective Guide
"The EIT Digital Venture Program helped us building a solid foundation to grow and scale. Its main focus was on business and how to prepare an MVP. During the program, we had different courses from pitching sessions and customer interviews to ‘how to talk to potential investors’ training. It made our service clearer and helped us to identify the other sectors to cover." - Igor Anicic, founder of Hotspoter
"During the EIT Digital Venture Program, we were able to develop our MVP and to gain access to experts in the entrepreneurship world, who provided us with important tools to scale our project. It was essential to leverage our idea and to transform it into a real thing." - Diana Mota, CMO and co-founder of PARQIST
"During the Venture Program, our service became more complex and clearer at the same time. Our mentor was a senior software engineer and he and other experts helped us develop the perfect software base for our solution. Besides the mentoring and financial support, EIT Digital helped us with the incorporation process, with their experience in investments in the EU. The Venture Program gave us the opportunity and support to think bigger." - George Foroglou, Project Manager at EMBIOTS
"Good ideas need development help in the beginning. EIT Digital's Venture Program offered a funding and development program, providing the basics of running a company and new connections essential for improvement." - Jurij Triller, founder of Smart Octopus Solutions
"We faced so many hurdles and obstacles when we started our project. So we took the chance and enrolled in the Venture Program. The first steps were much easier with the support of EIT Digital and we gained dozens of new contacts during the program." - Marco Marques, CEO of Indoor 4.0
"Every session the startup gets is tailor-made. The benefits are huge, and the programme can help startups find the right path for growth." - Andrej Evtimov, KIIMO
"It is the only programme we found that actually understands early-stage startups. We needed money before our incorporation, specific mentorship for our startup and the investment afterwards. ARISE has it all!" - Miloš Jokić, Gradoid
