Last month brought outstanding successes for Nuqleus alumni startups, who stood out at several major national and international competitions. At EUREKA International Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition, Zagreb Connect, Festival of Ideas, and Women TechEU, our teams secured valuable awards, recognition, and European-level visibility. Once again proving that Nuqleus startup community is developing projects with strong market impact and societal value.
EMHANCE among the top 40 in Europe at Women TechEU
A special recognition comes from the European level: the startup EMHANCE has been awarded 75.000€ through the Women TechEU program, one of Europe’s most important initiatives supporting startups led by women in the deep-tech sector. EMHANCE was selected among 40 awardees out of 1.107 applications, placing it among the most promising European projects in the field of health technology.
Women TechEU provides not only financial support through non-dilutive grants but also access to a top-tier European network of mentors and investors, connecting founders with experienced experts who have navigated the challenging journey of building deep-tech startups. For EMHANCE, this award is an additional confirmation that their work and technology have real potential to improve healthcare systems.
EMHANCE develops a non-invasive medical device that uses pulsating electromagnetic fields to treat and remotely monitor patients with brain disorders. The system continuously tracks patients’ vital parameters, adjusts therapy in real time, and sends data to healthcare institutions, reducing the need for hospitalization and enabling high-quality care at home.
Dr. Jasmina Isaković, scientific associate and co-founder of EMHANCE, emphasized that this award comes at the perfect time for their small but dedicated team:
“We will primarily use the funds to further protect our intellectual property and to develop an AI model for interpreting electrophysiological measurements and personalizing therapy. We are currently preparing for animal testing and developing the necessary documentation for the further development of a Class IIb medical device. As a small team of three, this kind of support is extremely meaningful, not just financially, but as confirmation that we are on the right path.”
She also highlighted the significance of Women TechEU in recognizing the role of women in the deep-tech industry:
“Being among the 4% selected is a huge motivation and an extra push forward. The early stage in MedTech is particularly challenging, and every bit of support makes a real difference. We are also excited that initiatives like this clearly signal that investing in women in technology is not a ‘nice to have’ – it’s a necessity.”
Success at Zagreb Connect: eDNAture and VirusHunter among the top performers
At the prestigious Zagreb Connect startup competition, organized by ZICER, Nuqleus alumni startups once again achieved outstanding results:
Startup eDNAture took 2nd place and won a 10.000€ prize. eDNAture uses environmental DNA (eDNA) technology to quickly and accurately detect the presence of any organism from water, soil, or air samples. Their digital platform and proprietary sampling kits deliver results within 24 hours, which is especially important for the early detection of pathogens such as Legionella.
VirusHunter secured 3rd place and a 5.000€ prize. VirusHunter develops an innovative kit for detecting and identifying viruses, capable of recognizing potentially pathogenic agents in less than 24 hours, without the need for specific reagents or primers. The goal is simple: to provide fast and reliable diagnostics in places where it currently does not exist.
Ulpian and Deltasort awarded at the EUREKA Competition
At the international EUREKA – International Innovation & Entrepreneurship Competition, organized by ZŠEM, Nuqleus alumni startups Ulpian and Deltasort secured 3rd place and prizes totaling 2.500€.
Ulpian develops an advanced AI platform for lawyers that enables fast and easy access to accurate answers for legal questions based on national and EU regulations. The system uses generative artificial intelligence and provides clearly cited sources, multi-dimensional search, and time-relevant information, helping legal professionals make decisions in line with the latest legislation.
Deltasort brings automation to the waste management sector through AI-powered robots for sorting and quality control. Their solution helps sorting facilities compensate for workforce shortages, increase operational capacity, and reduce costs, while simultaneously achieving sustainability goals.
Green Energy Pal wins 2nd place at Festival of Ideas for smart energy solution
Green Energy Pal, with its project “Enpulse”, won 2nd place at the Festival of Ideas, a Croatian competition that supports market-ready projects in technology, social impact, and sustainability. The festival aims to provide promising ideas with mentorship, media visibility, and opportunities for further development.
With the Enpulse platform, Green Energy Pal offers a smart energy solution: a single device installed at the entrance of an apartment or house analyzes electricity consumption and, using advanced algorithms, identifies how much energy each device uses. This provides users with per-device consumption insights, helping them optimize energy use, reduce bills, and become more energy-efficient.
The results achieved at these competitions confirm what we at Nuqleus build every day: a startup community that connects vision, knowledge, and technology. The total prize money, international visibility, and recognition demonstrate that Nuqleus alumni startups are developing solutions with real market potential and significant social impact.
We congratulate all the teams on their successes and proudly follow their continued growth!
