About the prize

Kick off the 7th European Startup Prize for Mobility with innovation, networking, and future movers in person!

The European Startup Prize for Mobility is coming to Lisbon and YOU are invited!

Join us at the Unicorn Stage in the Beato Innovation District for the exciting opening ceremony of our 7th edition! It all kicks off on April 14, 2026 at 6:00 PM (WEST).

Come meet innovators, enjoy great vibes, and celebrate the future of mobility startups in Europe. Don’t miss out on this awesome chance to connect and get inspired!

Why watch?

The European Startup Prize for Mobility is Europe’s largest acceleration and investment-readiness programme dedicated to smart and clean mobility startups.

Co-founded in cooperation with the European Parliament and supported by major European institutions and industry leaders, the Prize identifies the most promising mobility startups across Europe and connects them with high-level investors, corporates, and policymakers.

Over six editions, the Prize has supported more than 100 top startups, helping them scale, raise funding, access markets, and shape the future of European mobility.

The 7th edition will continue this mission — at a time when Europe’s industrial sovereignty, climate transition, and innovation leadership are more strategic than ever.

The Opening Ceremony marks the launch of a new European platform connecting public policy, industrial strategy and startup innovation in mobility.

This Opening Ceremony is a high-level European mobility networking cocktail, bringing together political leaders, investors, corporates and founders from across Europe.

Representatives from the European Commission, European Investment Bank, European Parliament, City of Lisbon, Principality of Monaco, Mastercard, TUM Venture Labs, Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking, Voies Navigables de France, Luxinnovation, Technoport, Groupe ADP and Brisa will be present.

Join us in Lisbon for strategic conversations and high-level networking, followed by a standing networking reception.

The event is designed for:

• Mobility and climate tech startups considering applying to the 7th edition.

• Investors and corporates seeking deal flow in transport, infrastructure and urban mobility.

• EU policymakers and innovation stakeholders.

• Anyone interested in the intersection of clean mobility, industrial strategy, and European competitiveness.

Applications to the 7th edition will officially open on the day of the ceremony and remain open until mid-June.

The event will be livestreamed here by The Brussels Times or you can access it via startupprize.eu.

Moderator

Marianna Evenstein – News Anchor, Deutsche Welle TV channel

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Introduction

Karima Delli – President and Co-Founder, European Startup Prize for Mobility
Nic Knapp – Managing Director, TUM Venture Lab Mobility (Prize Co-Founder)
Gil Azevedo – Executive Director, Unicorn Factory Lisboa (Event Co-Host)
Dan Sobovitz – Managing Director, European Startup Prize for Mobility

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Opening Address

Maria Luisa Aldim – Lisbon City Councillor for Innovation

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Agenda

Panel Discussion 1 – What Europe can do for you: how EU institutions enable innovation

Featuring video contributions from:

Jean Todt – United Nations Special Envoy for Road Safety
Laurence Tubiana – CEO, European Climate Foundation

Opening Remarks:

Sofia Moreira de Sousa – Head of Representation of the European Commission in Portugal

Panellists:

Tilly Metz – Member of the European Parliament
João Fonseca Santos – Head of EIB Group Office in Portugal
Giorgio Travaini – Executive Director, Europe’s Rail Joint Undertaking

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Panel Discussion 2 – From European ambition to national delivery

Featuring a video contribution from:

Philippe Tabarot – French Minister for Transport

Panellists:

Perrine Lavelle – Voies Navigables de France (French inland waterways operator)
Diane de Polignac de Barros – Deputy Council of the Principality of Monaco to Portugal
Mickaël Borger – Startup Luxembourg
Erez Arye – Head of the Automobility Incubator, Technoport, Luxembourg

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Panel Discussion 3 – Industry & market adoption: scaling mobility innovation

Panellists:

Friedo van Gelder – Vice President, Urban Mobility, Mastercard
Claudia Machado – Head of Group Strategic Innovation, Brisa Group
Pierre Roché – Mobility and Intermodality, Group ADP

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