17th edition Start-Up AwardsXXI

Enter the new edition of the Start-Up AwardsXXI now.

Enter now 

What are the Start-Up AwardsXXI?

They are the boost that your company needs, that will enable you to grow and achieve your goals. We want to reward talent and the ability to provide a solution to the challenges of the future, which is why we are looking for start-ups like yours and helping them to aim higher.

The Start-Up AwardsXXI are an initiative driven by CaixaBank through DayOne with the collaboration of Enisa in Spain and Banco BPI in Portugal.

Who can participate?

The Start-Up AwardsXXI are aimed at technological and digital companies in Spain and Portugal that stand out for their ability to innovate and their high growth potential. We want your company to be part of future change and that’s why when you submit your entry you will be competing in three award categories. Want to know if your start-up meets the requirements?

Awards categories

You’re getting closer to gaining the boost that you need for your project. In addition to visibility, recognition and access to important contacts, the winning companies will receive cash prizes and support programmes at some of the leading global innovation hubs. Your start-up could be one of the 35 winners!

1

Regional Award

Presented to the best company in each region, regardless of the sector it belongs to. All candidates from Spain and Portugal compete according to the location of their registered office. Upon entry, participants will automatically be placed in this category.

2

Special second prizes

Two special second prizes will be presented: the Sustainability award, for the most sustainable company based on the ESG criteria (environmental, social and governance), and the Deeptech award, for the most disruptive technological innovation. All entries, which are judged by experts in each field, have the chance to win these second prizes.

3

Start-Up AwardsXXI Challenges Award

We need solutions now for future challenges which dare us to imagine a better, more sustainable world that respects all forms of life. We need to dream big and do the best we can every day to rise up to the challenges that the future holds.

Awards presented to the companies with the greatest potential to take on the challenges posed in each of the proposed areas. Upon entry, participants will choose which challenge they wish to take part in from a total of 12 options.

The challenges for this 17th edition are the following:

FUTURE PLANET

FUTURE PLANET

Solutions that help to preserve the planet and natural resources.

FUTURE WELLBEING

FUTURE WELLBEING

Projects for civic wellbeing and disease prevention.

FUTURE TALENT

FUTURE TALENT

Developing future talent and work for a constantly evolving world.

FUTURE CITIES

FUTURE CITIES

Value proposals to make the towns and cities safer, more sustainable and more connected, also providing adapted transport.

FUTURE ECONOMY

FUTURE ECONOMY

Driving the digital transformation in companies through innovation and technology.

FUTURE LEISURE

FUTURE LEISURE

Transforming people’s experiences in their free time in areas like travel, gastronomy and leisure.

Rewarding your talent:

CASH
PRIZE

INTERNATIONAL
TRAINING
PROGRAMME

SUPPORT IN
INNOVATION

ALUMNIXXI COMMUNITY
INVESTORS DAY

DAYONE OPEN
INNOVATION
PROGRAM

Calendar for the17th edition

Follow this unique edition of the Start-Up AwardsXXI and keep up to speed with each of the stages.

Application stage

26 October to 12 December

Project assessment

12 December to 30 January

Juries and award ceremonies (Regional category)

February to May

Juries and award ceremonies (Challenges category)

May to June

International training

July

Referentes
4Tomorrow

At the Start-Up AwardsXXI, we recognize entrepreneurs capable of becoming leaders in their sector in the future. Like our 4 references, who today are entrepreneurs who inspire the new minds that will change the world of tomorrow.

Marc Coloma

CEO of Heura. PEXXI19 winner for the region of Catalonia and of the AgroFood sector award

Learn more

Juan Rubio

CEO of Genially. PEXXI17 winner of the Digital Business sector award

Learn more

Beatriz Magro

CEO of Komvida. PEXXI19 regional winner for Extremadura

Learn more

Diogo Correia

COO of Luggit. PEXXI22 regional winner for northern and central Portugal

Learn more

Long-standing awards

Seventeen years ago, we came up with this idea to help innovative individuals to make their dreams come true by providing equal opportunities throughout Spain. To date, we have helped more than 495 companies to grow thanks to the Start-Up AwardsXXI.

17

editions

More than 8,3M

awarded

More than 495

winning companies

Spread the word
about the Start-Up AwardsXXI

Spread the word about the Start-Up AwardsXXI

Can you help us to enable more innovative companies to enter the Start-Up AwardsXXI and become future thought leaders for our ecosystem? Click on the button to download our campaign materials and help us by spreading the word. You can also recommend start-ups to us!

Download the kit
Winners of previous editions

Winners of previous editions

Do you want to know which start-ups have received the award for being the most innovative company, for having the greatest growth potential in each region and for presenting the best solutions to the challenges posed?

Meet them

The Start-Up AwardsXXIin first person

Sara Toledano CEO OF SYCAI MEDICAL
PEXXI22 WINNER FOR CATALONIA

As well as the contacts created by the Start-Up AwardsXXI and its repercussions, the events and training programmes, as well as the community of winners, are a great help to entrepreneurs and show us how to consolidate our vision and think strategically so that we can guide the company.

Fermín Carmona CO-FOUNDER AND CEO OF HOTELVERSE
PEXXI22 WINNER FOR THE BALEARIC ISLANDS AND OF THE VIVEXXI AWARD

For Hotelverse, being recognised by the Start-Up AwardsXXI is the drive we need to continue marking milestones in the industry. We are very proud to receive this award which recognises our value proposal and strong growth perspectives.

Maria Fernanda Gonzalez CEO & Founder of FREGATA SPACE
PEXXI21 WINNER FOR CATALONIA AND PLANETAXXI

I believe that the Start-Up AwardsXXI are an excellent example of healthy competition, in which talent and effort are rewarded, the choices of the judging panels are transparent and there is no self-interest or ideologies. I feel extremely honoured to have taken part and won because the award is perfectly in line with our values as a company. The award is important to us as it vouches for our project. 

Andreu Climent CEO of CORIFY CARE
PEXXI21 WINNER FOR MADRID AND SILVERXXI

Winning the Start-Up AwardsXXI has been a highly enriching experience from every aspect as Corify is now at a more advanced stage, meaning that it has been able to take and use fully the opportunities that this award brings. It has been a learning experience for all of the team from preparing the questionnaire to helping to prepare the pitches and the different presentations. And, above all, the Moonshot training has been a wake-up call to ascend to the next level.

Sónia Ferreira CEO of BestHealth4U
PEXXI20 winner for Norte e Centro (Portugal)

This award helped to put BestHealth4U on the map, fostering contact with the market, both for the business itself, through potential clients and investors, and in terms of collaboration with R & D institutions and hospitals. As founding CEO, my visibility and credibility increased as far as institutions and investors were concerned, as did my nominations for a number of awards.

Carlos Uraga CEO & Co-founder of Nantek
Winner of the PEXXI19 Impact Tech award

My experience of the Start-Up AwardsXXI has been extremely fulfilling. As entrepreneurs with very different profiles whose paths do not usually cross, we have been able to learn a lot from each other. What’s more, we’ve had the chance to get to know in depth the ecosystem of Estonia, the country with the most Unicorn companies per capita.

María González CEO & Co-founder of Tucuvi
PEXXI20 winner for Madrid and WellbeingXXI

I would highlight two aspects of participating in Start-Up AwardsXXI. On the one hand, spending time with other entrepreneurs is always very enriching. And, on the other hand, getting to know first hand how business ventures are evolving in other countries. The immersion in Estonia, a country that is considerably more digitised than Spain, gave me another perspective of how to do things and plan in the long term.

Miguel Silva-Constenla CEO & Co-Founder of AllRead Machine Learning Technologies
PEXXI20 winner for Catalonia and DeeptechXXI

What I most value about the Start-Up AwardsXXI is the enormous visibility that it gives us in terms of investors, public entities and clients. It has given us great visibility on a national scale and has confirmed that what we are doing at AllRead has a real future.

dayOne is a service created by CaixaBank to support young companies that are rapidly evolving on a worldwide scale whilst carrying out activities that add value using their own funds.

In addition, learn about the reports and publications on the entrepreneurial ecosystem published by DayOne at DayOne Observatory.

Media

Access to all the contents (presentations, round tables, interviews) of the Day One Innovation Summit and the territorial delivery acts of the Start-Up AwardsXXI:

Interviews with the 16th edition winners

DayOne Innovation Summits 17th edition

Featured videos 16th edition

@EmprendeXXI_ 07/12/2023 17:09

🔙 La semana pasada parte del equipo de @CaixaBank #DayOne y #PremiosEmprendeXXI asistió a la Gala de @EndeavorSpain, un evento que congregó a más de 150 emprendedores. ¡Enhorabuena a todo el equipo de Endeavor por la excelente jornada!💫 piped.video/k1Y2zVuavZw?si=R6vU…

@EmprendeXXI_ 07/12/2023 12:55

🏆¿Todavía no has completado la inscripción para participar en la 17ª edición de #PremiosEmprendeXXI? ¡Échale un vistazo a todos los detalles y apúntate aquí antes del 12 de diciembre!➡ goo.su/HneMS

@EmprendeXXI_ 07/12/2023 10:18

En el mundo de las startups, un buen plan financiero es como un mapa en una jungla. 🗺️💼 Descubre en el blog de #DayOne por qué es crucial para tu éxito. 💰✨goo.su/PzDY1zc #Startups #FinanzasInteligentes

@EmprendeXXI_ 06/12/2023 13:25

🚀Conocemos más detalles sobre el proyecto de @komvidakombucha de la mano de Beatriz Magro, una de sus fundadoras desde el blog de #DayOne 👉goo.su/5pP7YmX @enisa

@EmprendeXXI_ 06/12/2023 11:15

¡Nuevo capítulo del podcast #PremiosEmprendeXXI en #Spotify!🙌 🎙️¿Cuáles son los retos actuales de la atracción de talento? Paula Sancho (#FINAVES), @Jordi_SimoC (@NuweIo); @patiponga, (#Servethepeople) y Rui Stoffel Fernandes (@BusUp_es) nos lo cuentan ▶️n9.cl/tsbzr

@EmprendeXXI_ 05/12/2023 17:18

¿Todavía no has completado la inscripción para participar en la 17ª edición de #PremiosEmprendeXXI? ¡Échale un vistazo a todos los detalles y apúntate aquí ➡ goo.su/HneMS

@EmprendeXXI_ 05/12/2023 13:03

🔙Así fue la apertura de la nueva oficina de @caixabank #DayOne en Barcelona. ✨ Os contamos todos los detalles desde el blog 👇dayonecaixabank.es/te-presen…

@EmprendeXXI_ 05/12/2023 10:03

Te contamos desde el blog de #DayOne todos los detalles del encuentro entre @caixabank y @GironaNext con el ecosistema emprendedor en #Girona para debatir sobre innovación en #AgriFoodTech. ¡No te lo pierdas! ➡️goo.su/ziUM

@EmprendeXXI_ 04/12/2023 15:54

👉De la mano de @Alex_Ferreiro (@caixabank #DayOne) conocemos más detalles sobre #StartupGalicia y la trayectoria emprendedora de su presidente Óscar de Miguel @omiguel en esta entrevista desde el blog de 👉#DayOne goo.su/HdoOX

@EmprendeXXI_ 04/12/2023 13:30

🗣️¡Atención emprendedores! ¿Te gustaría conocer el @MIT la cuna de la innovación? 💥 Los #PremiosEmprendeXXI con el programa de formación “Moonshot Thinking te llevan a #Boston 👉emprendedorxxi.es @enisa
Follow @EmprendeXXI_

FAQs

How are the winners chosen?

The first stage reviews the eligibility of the candidacies. The candidacies that do not meet the terms and conditions or which have not presented the required documentation are ruled out from the process.

Later, all the candidacies are scored. All the evaluators have evaluation tables that specify the criteria to be assessed and the scores to be assigned based on said criteria. The candidacies are reviewed by several evaluators. Once the candidacies have been evaluated, rankings are created by category of challenges and these are sent to the different selection bodies.

Each award has an independent selection process. This means that there will be 50 technical committees and juries to select the 35 regional winners, and sector and second prize winners and finalists. This phase requires the candidates to present and defend their application in person before the committee or jury either in person or virtual.

Who is on the juries?

The different Technical Committees and the juries are formed by members of the innovation ecosystem: investors (venture capital funds and business angels), successful entrepreneurs, prestigious businessmen, previous award winners, representatives from universities and business schools, business accelerators, organising and collaborating entities in the different territories, and representatives of the granting entities.

How are the winning companies notified?

Between the months of February and May 2024, summits and regional territorial delivery events are held. The event and a closing ceremony where the delivery of the challenge phase takes place will take place in May or June 2024. All dates will be published on the website of the Start-Up AwardsXXI.

Do the Awards cover other costs?

The organisation covers the travel costs to Barcelona for one representative of each finalist company of the phase Start-Up AwardsXXI Challenges Award called by the sector committees and juries. The costs for the other trips associated with the territorial awards are to be covered by the participants.

CaixaBank Group Partners
Imagin Agrobank CaixaBank Banca Privada CaixaBank Negocios CaixaBank Empresas CaixaBank Séniors MicroBank CaixaBank Dualiza Payments and Consumer VidaCaixa CaixaBank TECH
Regional organisers / Collaborators

START-UP AWARDSXXI | Caixa Emprendedor XXI