Over the past months, the competition has been about much more than just innovation. The participating startups were challenged not only to demonstrate their technological breakthroughs but also to showcase strong execution capabilities, market potential, and international ambition. The ten selected teams have distinguished themselves across these criteria and now stand ready to take the next critical step towards U.S. market entry.

The startups advancing to the final phase are ATA Mute B.V., Carapace, CIWI, FlowBeams, IMChip, MimeCure, MycoFarming®, QT Sense, TeleFlux, and YSVOGEL. Each of these companies has demonstrated a clear vision, strategic focus, and the drive needed to transform their science-based innovations into successful, internationally scalable businesses.

Preparing for U.S. Market Entry

The upcoming phase will be centered on preparing for expansion into the U.S. market. During the USA Preparation Program in London, the finalists will engage in intensive workshops, one-on-one coaching sessions, and targeted networking opportunities with investors, mentors, and market experts. The program will cover critical areas such as international scaling strategies, financial and governance planning, and navigating the complex regulatory landscape of the U.S. business environment. This preparation will be vital in helping the startups sharpen their market entry strategies and position themselves for successful international growth.

While the focus now shifts to the finalists, we also want to acknowledge and thank all participating teams. Their creativity, ambition, and resilience have made this edition of the competition exceptionally strong. Although their participation in this competition phase may be ending, their entrepreneurial journeys are just beginning.

A special thanks goes to our jury members, whose expertise and thoughtful questions have pushed all teams to think deeper and refine their strategies. We are also grateful to our team captains, who have provided invaluable mentorship and support throughout the program. Finally, we thank the High Tech Campus Eindhoven for hosting this phase in such a dynamic and welcoming environment.

What’s Next?

The coming weeks will be dedicated to preparation, coaching, and fine-tuning, leading up to the highly anticipated final presentations. Given the progress and energy we have seen so far, we are excited to see how these promising startups will continue to grow and make their mark internationally.

The final phase is now underway — and the future looks very bright.