Urban Air Mobility UAM Plazza Accelerator
What will you get?
The Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Plazza Accelerator helps startups in the field of urban air mobility find and validate their product-market fit, showcase their solutions and bring them to market through:
- Connections with the European UAM ecosystem, key stakeholders, investors and living labs;
- Workshops on business strategy and development, pitching, fundraising, regulation and social acceptance;
- Events with key industry players where to network and pitch;
- Fundraising opportunities like a recommendation for investment as part of the EIT Urban Mobility startup portfolio.
Why join?
The Urban Air Mobility (UAM) Plazza Accelerator programme is looking for the six most promising emerging companies in the field of urban air mobility in the EU or EU-associated countries with a focus on the transport of medical goods, surveillance, security, safety, and ground-enabling infrastructures. These companies will benefit, for six months, of:
- Connection and access to the European UAM ecosystem, key players, investors and multiple living labs, including municipal entities, for understanding needs and perceptions;
- Workshops on business development and strategies, pitch sessions, fundraising and investments for startups, regulation, technology readiness level, insurance and social acceptance of UAM;
- Participation in an insightful, tailor-made “UAM Plazza Accelerator kick-off” event;
- Invitation to industry events related to UAM, including two tickets to EIT Urban Mobility’s flagship event Tomorrow.Mobility;
- The opportunity to get recommended for EIT Urban Mobility’s startup investment portfolio;
- Promotion of the startup on the EIT Urban Mobility webpage and communication channels;
- €2,500 lump-sum contribution (eligible cost categories of travel, accommodation, and subsistence costs);
- Six months subscription to Startups Growth Lab premium – the largest community of mobility entrepreneurs, including scouted opportunities for startups (funding, pilots, programmes and advisory services) and exclusive perks for premium members.
The consortium supporting the UAM Plazza Accelerator programme is composed of Toulouse Métropole, home of a pioneering aeronautics innovation ecosystem; Aerospace Valley, the leading European competitiveness cluster in the aerospace sector; and CARNET, an open hub of automotive and mobility research and innovation.
Ana Martins
COO & Business Development for Connect Robotics
“Being part of the UAM Plazza Accelerator programme was a game-changer – our first shot at an international programme all about urban air mobility. Learning from the best experts, getting customised advice for us, and quickly understanding how this ecosystem works have been incredibly valuable. Plus, the focus on making connections in the UAM community not only brought us fantastic partnerships but also positioned us as pioneers in the market. Working alongside incredible people, partners and startups has truly made us feel like we’re on the forefront of something big. The UAM Plazza Accelerator programme has truly been a springboard for our startup’s success and we look forward to building on this momentum in the future.”
Andrea Puiatti
CEO & Founder, Skycharge
“The UAM Plazza Accelerator programme proved to be a valuable expedition, enabling us to collaborate closely with drone operators and address the regulatory hurdles impeding the Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone market. Through our joint project discussions, we not only pinpointed the obstacles but also discerned the essential requirements to introduce a drone solution to the market, backed by the support of key stakeholders. Engaging in networking and collaboration for an actual drone project that brought together all stakeholders was a unique process. We gained insights on strategically positioning the company in the context of urban drone deployment.“
Vilko Klein
CEO StratoWave Connect
“In Toulouse, we met representatives of startups with complementary solutions, as well as an aviation expert. We believe that, in synergy, we can offer added value. Workshops led by experts in business planning and development strategy, as well as networking, have been particularly beneficial. A milestone for us was the connection with other stakeholders in the UAM (Urban Air Mobility) world, and we anticipate that successes will emerge in the near future.“
The UAM Plazza Accelerator programme, co-funded by EIT Urban Mobility and with the expertise of its partners in mobility and aeronautics, is well positioned to foster the implementation of aeronautical innovative technologies in the field of urban mobility and solve the present and future city challenges by taking a part of ground transportation to the air.
Eligibility criteria
- A team with at least two full time employees (FTEs), not a single founder. FTEs are not necessarily connected to monetary compensation;
- Startup incorporated in the EU or EU-associated countries according to the official list of countries by the European Union and third countries associated to Horizon Europe. The registration certificate will be required to participate in the programme;
- Startup incorporation date after 31/12/2013;
- The startup must be registered on the Startups Growth Lab;
- A focus on transport of medical goods, surveillance, security, safety or ground-enabling infrastructures.
Further details about the eligibility criteria and award criteria can be found at the Guide for applicants.
Key dates
1 February – 19 April 2024
10 May 2024
27 May 2024
20 April – 3 May 2024
21 and 22 May 2024
July - December 2024
Partners
Startups
H2 DRON ENERGY is a clean energy technology and product manufacturing company. We design, manufacture and integrate solutions for the electric power generation using hydrogen fuel cell, at present we are focussed in UAVs.
The core competence of OmniOpti is Logistics / Mobility, specifically the advanced algorithm for alternative routes, for the route optimization process. Our system provides more alternative routes to choose from and saves 5-15% of the money.
The company supports its customers in the use of UAVs in terms of training, services, sales and research and development. Reflet du Monde also works in the field of agriculture with its 25 kg drone used for various services.
We are bringing the future of delivery vehicles to final mile delivery businesses by providing autonomous delivery drones as a new, more efficient, carbon neutral replacement for current road vehicles.
AldoraTech offers a drone delivery solution that aims for an efficient, sustainable and safe transition to a greener automated logistics. We have developed drones to deliver packages and a process to automate their manufacture, reducing costs.
We’re changing how the world breathes and moves with sustainable and innovative ways to improve medical deliveries. Delivrone is a French start-up looking to revolutionize the medical last mile delivery industry using drones.
Developing a Flying Car that can drive on the road and fly in the sky to offer true Door-to-Door mobility for First/Last-Mile Cargo delivery in urban areas to reduce the delivery cost for e-commerce companies.
We aim to make drone flight much safer and reliable such that it can be integrated seamlessly into everyday life as well as expand their feasible commercial applications by developing cutting edge flight controllers, control algorithms, and software.
FAQs - Frequently asked questions
How do I apply to the Accelerator programme?
Click here and you will be redirected to the application platform of EIT Urban Mobility.
You will need to register and validate your account if this is your first time accessing the platform. If you have already created an account, you will need to log in.
Once logged in, it is as easy as starting a new application and selecting the programme.
You will be required to fill in all compulsory fields. You can save and edit your application until the deadline. Make sure to submit your application before the call is closed.
Who can I contact in case of questions?
Do you have general questions related to the Accelerator programmes and application processes? Please contact: [email protected].
Which countries are eligible?
Startups incorporated in EU27 or EU associated countries are eligible. This includes the following countries:
European Union member states (EU27): Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
Horizon Europe associated countries: Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Iceland, Israel, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Tunisia, Türkiye, Ukraine, Morocco and the United Kingdom.
Which rules apply to the eligibility of costs for the lump sum contribution of €2,500?
Here is the official guide: EIT Urban Mobility Eligibility of expenditures + Annex.
