On 25–26 June, the European Innovation Council (EIC) brought 10 high-potential start-ups from 5 countries to ABB’s Motion and Electrification headquarters in Bergamo, Italy. After weeks of tailored training, pitch rehearsals, and business proposal reviews by the EIC, the selected EIC-backed innovators met senior decision-makers at the EIC Corporate Day with ABB, with a programme packed with live pitching sessions and one-on-one meetings aimed at shaping pilot projects, co-development opportunities, and strategic investments.
This acceleration activity, facilitated by the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme, has been designed to foster collaboration between EIC-backed deep-tech innovators and one of Europe’s foremost industrial groups, ABB, unlocking concrete business outcomes in areas ranging from new data centre technologies to sustainable materials for motion.
Hosting the EIC-backed start-ups gave our teams instant visibility into cutting-edge technologies that directly address ABB’s priority areas. Our engineers and the visiting startups exchanged schematics, data points and manufacturing insights that normally take months to uncover. The solutions presented offered innovation that can influence our internal strategic discussions
Mads MOELLER, Head of Ventures, ABB Electrification
For the start-ups, this acceleration programme offered a valuable opportunity to engage directly with key decision-makers from ABB:
This was our second experience with the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme. The first led to a successful collaboration with AB InBev. Today, the Corporate Day provided us with exceptional insights into ABB’s data centre cooling needs. Engaging directly with ABB experts allowed us to validate how our cooling solutions could immediately enhance energy efficiency in their facilities. The precise feedback and insights shared by ABB’s teams have already strengthened our product positioning and, we hope, will pave the way for deeper collaboration.
Timur SIRMAN, CEO of Magnotherem Solutions
Participating in Corporate Day with ABB gave us direct insight into real-world scenarios where our no-code AI solutions can instantly simplify customer support and product maintenance processes. We left with clear feedback on how Blinkin’s technology can rapidly enhance ABB’s customer experience.
Josef SUESS, CEO of Blinkin
Ahead of this activity, the selected EIC-backed start-ups enjoyed preparatory services including dedicated training, mentoring, and pitch dry runs provided by the EIC to maximise business development opportunities. On the day, the selected startups, chosen by ABB and supported by the EIC to align with their innovation priorities, presented their solutions during an in-person pitching and matching session.
The 10 selected EIC-backed start-ups are:
- Asperitas (Netherlands) – Immersion-cooling platform slashing data-centre energy use
- Blinkin (Germany) – No-code AI companion streamlining customer self-service
- DeepOpinion (Austria) – An Agentic process-automation suite for unstructured workflows
- Last Mile Semiconductor (Germany) – DECT NR+ edge sensors automating real-time LCA data
- Magneto Systems (Netherlands) – Magnetocaloric pumps recovering waste heat without refrigerants
- Magnotherm Solutions (Germany) – Solid-state magnetic chillers for rack-level cooling
- PowerUp Energy Technologies (Estonia) – Hydrogen fuel-cell back-up replacing diesel gensets
- Raiku Packaging (Estonia) – 100 % compostable wood-based protective filler
- Scantrust (Netherlands) – Secure QR codes enabling digital product passports
- Teraloop (Finland) – High-power flywheel storage smoothing peak loads
Post-activity deal-making support will be provided to EIC-backed companies and the corporation to help both sides turn proposals into pilots and commercial deals.
The close engagement between EIC-backed companies and corporations enables large firms to not only access new technologies but also to accelerate product development cycles, test new business models, and diversify revenue streams. By facilitating such meaningful collaboration, the EIC aims not only to enhance individual company growth but also to stimulate Europe's broader innovation ecosystem, strengthen industry leadership, and foster sustainable economic development across the continent.
On this Corporate Day, we witnessed Europe’s start‑up talent present tangible solutions to ABB’s innovation focus areas on energy efficiency and product sustainability. The rigorous EIC selection and coaching ensured that every discussion focused on technical feasibility and business value. I left Bergamo confident that the conversations sparked here could soon mature into concrete pilots and long‑term partnerships that help to keep European industry at the forefront of innovation.
Manuel MENDIGUTÍA, Head of the Corporate Partnership Programme, European Innovation Council.
Additional information
About the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme
The EIC Corporate Partnership Programme allows EIC-backed innovators to boost their network and do business with relevant decision-makers from the largest companies in Europe. Since 2017, the EIC Corporate Partnership Programme has organised 80 initiatives with +120 corporate partners including ABB, Airbus, BMW, CaixaBank, CommerzBank, Enel, Ferrovial, L'Oreal, Medtronic, Neste, Roche, Saint-Gobain, Shell, Siemens Energy, Solvay or Telefonica. Over 1200 EIC-funded start-ups and scale-ups and +2500 corporate high-level representatives have been able to participate in these initiatives reporting a significant business impact, follow-ups, and business deals.
The EIC is looking for large corporations with an open innovation spirit, interested in integrating innovations coming from start-ups, scaleups and research projects directly into their business offering, procurement and R&D activities as well as investing in highly innovative/deep tech companies. Open application for corporations.
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The EIC Corporate Partnership Programme is an initiative of the wider EIC Business Acceleration Services.
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DISCLAIMER: This information is provided in the interest of knowledge sharing and should not be interpreted as the official view of the European Commission, or any other organisation.