The PRIMA projects SmaCuMed and TECHONEY emerged as winners from twelve PRIMA-funded projects competing in the PRIMA2BUSINESS Pitching Contest on 24 June 2025, each securing €10,000 Go-to-Market support vouchers to accelerate their path to commercialization.
The projects were trained and accompanied by META Group throughout this journey, as part of the FUTURE4PRIMA, a partner of the project with a longstanding collaboration with PRIMA.
The PRIMA2Business services represent a key milestone for the Horizon Europe FUTURE4PRIMA project, led by DLR Projektträger and the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT), together with META Group providing participants training and pitch preparation support.
Why Pitching Matters
Pitching transforms research into market reality. It forces PRIMA project teams to articulate their value proposition clearly, connect with potential investors and partners, and bridge the critical gap between laboratory innovation and commercial application. For PRIMA projects, pitching accelerates the journey from research excellence to Mediterranean market impact.
Contest Results
The online competition, organized under the Horizon Europe FUTURE4PRIMA project, featured projects across sustainable agri-food and water systems. A jury including PRIMA’s Project Officers Ali Rhouma and Mohamed Waigeh, alongside external expert Amira Ramadan (Women in Tech Egypt), Heba Labib (Nile University) and Mohamad Diab (iPARK) evaluated teams on innovation, market potential, and commercialization readiness.
Competing Projects: BIOfreshCloud, FARMS4CLIMATE, ImPUlSe, GourMed, TECHONEY, BONEX, CHANGE-UP, DELICIOUS, InovFarmer.MED, INTEL-IRRIS, SmaCuMed, and FunTomP.
Following an intense three-hour pitching session and a closed jury deliberation, the winners were announced in a celebratory closing session led by Dr Amr Radwan (ASRT) and Luca Gessani (META Group). The event commenced with opening remarks by Tanja Gillmann (DLR Projektträger), who emphasised FUTURE4PRIMA’s mission to support the transition of research outcomes into tangible market solutions. Stephan Epe (DLR Projektträger) then introduced the jury panel and outlined the evaluation process, which focused on key criteria including innovation, market potential, relevance of voucher use, and team competence.
Next Steps
Winners SmaCuMed and TECHONEY will receive tailored business and technical services including prototyping, legal support, and investment coaching through February 2026. Two more pitching rounds are scheduled for 2026 and 2027, continuing PRIMA’s commitment to transforming Mediterranean research into market-ready solutions.
This contest demonstrates how PRIMA’s partnership model successfully connects innovation with commercialization opportunities, paving the way for PRIMA2 and sustained regional impact.
Article inspired by the Press Release produced by Tanja Gillmann and published on FUTURE4PRIMA website, (DRL Projekttraeger)
