The Prize Package<\/strong><\/p>\n This year\u2019s stakes were high! Valued at over \u20ac1 million, the prize was juicier than ever! Packed with funding opportunities and credits for great tools and services to supercharge a startup\u2019s growth, this prize was set to transform the winner\u2019s entrepreneurial journey. Let\u2019s see what was in it:<\/p>\n The Jury<\/strong><\/p>\n The selected teams received valuable feedback from a jury of well-known venture capital investors. This year\u2019s judging panel included:<\/p>\n Pitching on the Main Stage<\/strong><\/p>\n From CleanTech and DroneTech to HealthTech and AI, the 15 finalists represented the diverse, bold future of European innovation.<\/p>\n The startups that took the stage were: Agilica<\/a>, Agnia Aerospace<\/a>, AlterEcho<\/a>, Arclight Aerospace<\/a>, Asvel<\/a>, Cooled Motors<\/a>, DAITABLE<\/a>, eMomentum<\/a>, Entrelacs<\/a>, Muun Health<\/a>, Snoika<\/a>, Systellar Space<\/a>, Vecify<\/a>, Warden Machinery<\/a>, and Xydra Labs<\/a>.<\/p>\n Each pitch delivered unique ideas, powerful missions, and scalable solutions, making the jury\u2019s decision harder than ever. The level of competition was sky-high, and the Maltese sun wasn\u2019t the only thing generating heat!<\/p>\n And the winner is \u2026 AlterEcho<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n Founded in 2025 in Denmark, AlterEcho<\/a> is developing a robotic embodiment platform for the life sciences sector, combining robotic avatars and AI agents to support remote work in cleanrooms and hazardous environments. Its technology aims to remove the risk of human contamination from pharmaceutical and medical settings, helping operators carry out complex procedures with dexterity, spatial awareness, and zero physical presence inside controlled environments.<\/p>\n AlterEcho enables skilled professionals to control robotic avatars from outside cleanrooms through immersive interfaces. The platform supports tasks such as pipetting, plate handling, microscopy preparation, sterile compounding, and hazardous sample preparation, while integrating common laboratory tools, fixtures, and task-specific end-effectors where needed.<\/p>\n Rather than replacing human operators, AlterEcho changes how they work. Operators remain in control from a console, with the ability to oversee and take over procedures instantly. The system records commands, motions, images, timings, and robot observations, allowing repeated procedures to gain assistive automation over time and creating a path towards increasingly autonomous workflows.<\/p>\n The company serves pharmaceutical manufacturers, specialty laboratories, and clinical settings working in aseptic processing, radiopharma, infectious disease, vaccine R&D, sterile compounding, and ATMPs. Founded by a team with experience building FDA-approved robotics and AI at Novo Nordisk, AlterEcho is backed by Techstars and Innovation Fund Denmark and was also the winner of the SXSW Pitch Competition 2026.<\/p>\n OUR EVENT SPONSORS<\/strong> Malta Enterprise<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>is Malta\u2019s economic development agency, facilitating economic growth, investment, and innovation by offering a range of support services for local and foreign enterprises setting up a productive presence in Malta. As a key player in Malta\u2019s economic landscape, it contributes to the nation\u2019s prosperity by attracting investments, supporting businesses, and driving innovation, thereby reinforcing Malta\u2019s position as an attractive destination for entrepreneurs and investors alike. Malta Enterprise actively cultivates a vibrant startup ecosystem, playing a pivotal role in fostering a conducive environment for startups and offering tailored support and incentives to empower emerging businesses.<\/p>\n![\"EUSS26-Prize\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/EUSS26-Prize-Package-300x61.png\")
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