Manufacturing Day 2026
21 May 2026|
1100 Vienna, Austria
Canettistrasse 6
Novotel Wien Hauptbahnhof
Registration ended on 21 May 2026
Manufacturing Innovation Award
“BoostUp! 2026” is a startup competition organised by EIT Manufacturing East to identify and support promising European startups. Selected finalists which will pitch their solution in front of a jury composed of independent experts during the in-person event Manufacturing Day, in Vienna, on 21 May 2026.
The winning startups will receive a monetary prize to support their European expansion strategy. The prize fund is EUR 5.000 sponsored by the Vienna Business Agency.
The award recognises outstanding startup solutions that demonstrate innovation, industrial relevance, and strong potential to shape the future of manufacturing.
Evaluation Criteria
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Innovation & Technological Excellence
The solution should demonstrate a high degree of innovation and technological excellence. It should provide a novel or differentiated approach compared to existing solutions and showcase the application of advanced technologies, digital tools, or new manufacturing processes. -
Industrial Relevance & Scalability
The solution should address relevant industrial challenges and demonstrate clear potential for adoption at industrial scale. Applicability across industries, manufacturing environments, or value chains will be considered an advantage. -
Business & Market Potential
The solution should present a compelling value proposition and address a clearly identified market need. The startup should demonstrate a viable business model, growth potential, and opportunities for commercial success and investment. -
Implementation & Traction
The jury will assess the maturity of the solution and the progress achieved so far. This may include prototypes, pilot projects, industrial partnerships, customers, revenue generation, or secured funding, as well as a credible roadmap toward market deployment. -
Impact on Manufacturing
The solution should demonstrate the potential to improve manufacturing performance through increased efficiency, productivity, resilience, sustainability, quality, or workforce enablement.
Meet the jury!
The jury of the prestigious award consists of the following industry experts:
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Gregor Posch, Startup Services, Vienna Business Agency
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Isabella Hermann-Schön, Managing-Partner, Round2 Capital
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Florian Haas, Head of Startup, EY
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Mihail Stanev, Senior Manager Business Development and Innovation, EIT Manufacturing East
Sponsor of the "Green Innovation in Manufacturing" Award
Vienna Business Agency
Learn more about them here: Link