Fit 4 Start launches new call for applications

No sooner has the 16^th edition of the Fit 4 Start programme been completed than all eyes are on the next one. At the end of the Fit 4 Start Graduation Ceremony, organised on 10 June 2026, the Luxembourg Minister of the Economy, SMEs, Energy and Tourism, Lex Delles, officially launched the call for applications for the 17^th edition.

Facilitating scaling in the European market

To enter the market and get off to a strong start, startups need quality support that is relevant to their stage of development. The international coaches, high-quality jury members and experts of Fit 4 Start, Luxembourg’s leading startup acceleration programme, offers precisely this.

Coaching sessions, thematic expert sessions and feedback from the jury – notably including experienced entrepreneurs and investors – provide participating startups with all the components needed to put together a concrete business plan, assess the viability of their company as well as its attractiveness to potential investors, and identify the right business partners.

Fit 4 Start combines a group approach with personalised coaching adapted to each startup. Participants become part of a vibrant and international community of startups that often use Luxembourg as a launchpad for reaching European and global markets.

In addition, selected companies that incorporate in Luxembourg receive €50,000 of non-equity funding. Startups that successfully graduate from the programme, raise private capital and employ at least two people can be eligible for up to another €100,000.

Strategic focus on defence tech

A major announcement was made for this new edition: a new vertical has been added to the programme, defence, which complements the existing focus on digital, health technologies and space.

"The integration of a vertical dedicated to defence is a decision that is part of Luxembourg's Defence Industry Strategy and the announcement of the Defence Campus. Luxembourg wants to create an innovation ecosystem to meet current sovereignty challenges," said Minister Delles. "By encouraging the development of advanced technologies in the field of defence, we are strengthening the resilience of Luxembourg and Europe. In addition, we are opening up a new field of economic growth with high added value. Fit 4 Start will provide the ideal framework to accelerate the development of promising startups in the 'defence tech' sector, thus promoting the emergence of dual-use solutions that will be crucial for our future."

A total of 24 startups will be selected for the Fit 4 Start #17 edition of the programme, in the four verticals:

• Digital (10 places)
• Healthtech (5 places)
• Space (5 places)
• Defence (4 places)

The selected startups will be unveiled in October at the Luxembourg Venture Days, following two days of pitches by the pre-selected companies.

Initiated in 2015 by the Ministry of the Economy, the Fit 4 Start acceleration programme is managed by Luxinnovation in collaboration with Technoport, the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), the Luxembourg City Incubator, the Luxembourg House of Financial Technology (LHoFT), the Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity and LuxProvide. To date, the programme has attracted more than 3,500 applications from all over the world in response to its various calls.

Apply now for Fit 4 Start #17.