The organization 28DIGITAL has announced a call for applications for the SPIN: Rise 2026 program. The program will enable early-career researchers to gain valuable skills through a specialized training program that culminates in a final in-person bootcamp at one of Europe’s leading innovation hubs. The program focuses primarily on the field of deep tech, and prospective applicants can choose from four thematic areas. The deadline for submitting applications is September 5, 2026.
The SPIN: Rise 2026 program combines three key elements: expert-led online training, individual mentoring, and an intensive in-person bootcamp. Together, they provide researchers (especially early-career researchers, such as doctoral students and postdocs) with the practical foundations for conducting cutting-edge research with the potential for commercial impact— from intellectual property assessment and market validation to the development of business models, funding strategies, collaboration with industry, and the founding of startups.
Participants can apply individually or as part of a team. The call is open to researchers from universities and research institutions across the European Union and in countries associated with the Horizon Europe program. Participation is completely free of charge for selected applicants. They will gain full access to all training sessions, mentoring sessions, and the bootcamp program, as well as to 28DIGITAL’s pan-European network of universities, companies, and investors.
Four thematic areas
The call offers a total of four strategic areas, each focusing on key areas of innovation in industry. Each of the four focus areas is led by a leading European partner with deep expertise in the field and culminates in an intensive in-person bootcamp:
Climate Innovation Bridge, host and bootcamp: IE University, Madrid, Spain (LINK)
Focus: Clean energy, circular economy, advanced materials, environmental monitoring, and resource-efficient technologies
Ventures in Emerging & Critical Technologies for Aerospace & Robotics, host and bootcamp: Fondazione LINKS, Turin, Italy (LINK)
Focus: Robotics, autonomous systems, drones, space technologies, intelligent automation, and advanced sensors
Health Pioneers, host and bootcamp: Eurasante, Lille, France (LINK)
Focus: Diagnostics, medical devices, neurotechnology, healthcare solutions using artificial intelligence, and human-machine interfaces
Empowering Next-Generation Dual-Use Technologies, host and bootcamp: Plug and Play Italy, Turin, Italy (LINK)
Focus: Advanced sensing, secure communications, resilient infrastructure, edge computing, and technologies with both civilian and defense applications
A total of 100 spots are available for this program (25 in each category—Green Tech, Health Tech, Aerospace and Robotics, and Dual Tech Use).
The deadline for submitting applications is September 5, 2026. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis, and results are announced within 2 weeks of submission.
SPIN Webinar: Rise 2026, July 7, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., online at TC Prague
The Prague Technology Center is hosting its second webinar on the RISE 2026 call for proposals on July 7. Matteo Falsetta, a representative of 28DIGITAL, will provide a detailed presentation of this current opportunity, including its four thematic areas. Advance registration is required for the event. (LINK)
SPIN: Rise is a hybrid program focused on startup creation and the pre-incubation phase. It is designed for early-career researchers and scientists interested in how their work can drive change and have an impact beyond the academic sphere. Through a combination of online training, individual coaching, and an intensive in-person boot camp at a leading European innovation center, participants explore ways to monetize intellectual property and technologies – from licensing and collaboration with industry to founding startups—while developing the entrepreneurial skills needed to transform their research findings into tangible social or commercial benefits.