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Key people at European Startup Prize for Mobility.
The European Startup Prize for Mobility is an EU-based public-private acceleration and investment program that scouts, ranks, and supports sustainable mobility startups operating across the European continent. The initiative evaluates between 600 and 700 prospective applicants annually, having processed a cumulative total of more than 2,000 startup applications since its initial launch. Through its structured three-month remote acceleration program, the organization selects the top 10 startups for dedicated expansion support, while the top four receive additional strategic guidance. The program operates with the financial and operational backing of 15 dedicated partners, facilitating direct connections between emerging clean mobility companies and major institutional entities such as the European Investment Bank, the European Commission, and Europe’s Rail. The European Startup Prize for Mobility was officially founded in 2017 by Karima Delli, Boston Consulting Group, and Via ID.
Key people at European Startup Prize for Mobility.
I need to clarify an important distinction: the European Startup Prize for Mobility (EUSP) is not a company—it is an acceleration and investment program.[2]
The European Startup Prize for Mobility is a EU-founded acceleration and investment programme designed to support sustainable mobility startups across Europe.[2] Rather than being a commercial entity, it functions as a prestigious award and support ecosystem that identifies, mentors, and connects the continent's most promising clean mobility innovators with investors, corporate partners, and EU institutions.
The program's core mission is to accelerate the international expansion of Europe's best mobility startups by providing visibility, mentoring, strategic consulting, and access to investment opportunities. It unites major EU institutions including the European Parliament, European Commission, and European Investment Bank alongside multinational companies to scout and boost innovative solutions in sustainable transportation.[7]
The EUSP was created in 2017 by three co-founders: Karima Delli (then Chairwoman of the European Parliament's Committee on Transport and Tourism), Boston Consulting Group, and Via ID (a startup accelerator specializing in new forms of mobility).[2] The initiative emerged from a recognition that sustainable and innovative transportation systems represent a major challenge in harmonizing mobility across Europe.[1]
The program launched its first edition in 2018, when nearly 500 startups applied and ten were selected for a tailored European support program, with an award ceremony held in Brussels.[1] Since then, it has evolved into what is now described as Europe's largest acceleration programme for clean mobility startups, with the sixth edition currently underway as of 2025.[5]
The EUSP distinguishes itself through a multi-tiered support structure:
The EUSP operates at the intersection of three critical European priorities: climate action, startup ecosystem development, and sustainable mobility innovation. It addresses the accelerating challenges faced by European mobility startups by positioning Europe as "the new playground for startups" capable of meeting tomorrow's climate and transportation challenges.[1]
The program leverages the credibility of major EU institutions and established consulting firms to create a bridge between early-stage innovators and capital, corporate partnerships, and policy influence—resources typically fragmented across the continent. By touring its ceremonies across European capitals (Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Monaco) and broadcasting to hundreds of thousands of online viewers, it builds visibility for an entire sector rather than individual companies.[5]
The EUSP has matured from an experimental first edition into an established pillar of Europe's clean mobility ecosystem. Its evolution reflects growing institutional commitment to sustainable transportation innovation and recognition that startups require coordinated support across mentoring, capital, and market access to scale internationally.
As Europe intensifies its green transition and mobility becomes increasingly central to climate goals, the EUSP's influence will likely expand—both in attracting larger applicant pools and in shaping EU policy through its manifesto process. The program's success ultimately depends not on its own growth, but on how effectively its alumni scale across Europe and influence the broader mobility sector.
