Logo

Fifteen EIC-backed deeptech firms to exhibit at MWC Barcelona 2025 — what this means and what to watch

Brussels, January 21st 2025
Summary
  • ›The European Innovation Council selected 15 EIC-backed startups and SMEs to exhibit at the European Pavilion during MWC Barcelona 2025.
  • ›The delegation will benefit from pre-departure training, bespoke coaching and on-site matchmaking including reverse pitches and one-to-one meetings.
  • ›MWC remains one of the largest global connectivity stages but trade fair presence is a visibility play that requires follow-up to convert leads into commercial deals.
  • ›The EIC ITF 3.0 programme is intended to accelerate internationalisation for EIC beneficiaries and builds on earlier Overseas Trade Fairs work.

Fifteen EIC-backed companies head to MWC Barcelona 2025 — programme details and practical context

A delegation of 15 companies that have received European Innovation Council backing will exhibit at the European Pavilion during Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2025 from 3 to 6 March. Their selection was organised under the EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0 which is part of the EIC Business Acceleration Services. The programme offers participating companies a mix of visibility, coaching and matchmaking on a global stage dominated by mobile, telecoms and adjacent connectivity technologies.

Who was selected

CompanyCountryPrimary sector or focus (short)
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY INNOVATIONS SLSpainSustainable energy / cleantech
AXELERA AI B.V.The NetherlandsArtificial intelligence
BEAMMWAVE ABSwedenmmWave / RF / telecom components
CyRaCo GmbHGermanyRemote inspection and digital auditing
DIMETOR GMBHAustriaTelecom analytics and PNT security
DREAMWAVES GMBHAustriaSpatial audio / audio augmented reality
Galera Cluster by CodershipFinlandDistributed database clustering / enterprise software
ManoMotionSwedenVision AI for gesture control and industrial safety
NANOPOWER SEMICONDUCTOR ASNorwayUltra-low-power semiconductor / IoT power reduction
Neuron Soundware (NSW)Czech RepublicAI for industrial monitoring and predictive maintenance
NIL TECHNOLOGY APSDenmarkNanofabrication / precision manufacturing
OPENNEBULA SYSTEMS SLSpainEnterprise cloud and virtualization platform
QRUISE GMBHGermanyQuantum-control software and advanced simulation
VIDEO SYSTEMS SRLItalyMachine vision and AI inspection systems
XELERA TECHNOLOGIES GMBHGermanyCompute acceleration for low-latency and AI workloads

What support the EIC provides and the immediate programme plan

Preparations for the MWC delegation began with an online pre-departure workshop on 14 January. The workshop brought together the selected companies, EIC representatives, market experts and MWC and 4YFN organisers. The stated aim was to brief participants on trade fair opportunities and the on-site matchmaking approach. In the run-up to and during MWC, the EIC says the companies will receive additional coaching services and take part in structured matchmaking activities including reverse pitch sessions and one-on-one meetings with potential investors and corporate partners.

EIC International Trade Fairs Programme 3.0:A strand of the EIC Business Acceleration Services, ITF 3.0 is positioned as an instrument to help EIC awardees internationalise by attending curated trade fairs across Europe and extra-EU markets. It builds on the previous Overseas Trade Fairs Programme 2.0 and bundles practical services such as pre-departure market briefings, tailored coaching, B2B matchmaking and follow-up support.
On-site matchmaking and reverse pitches:Matchmaking typically includes one-on-one meetings with potential investors, corporate partners and customers. Reverse pitching is where large buyers or investors outline concrete needs to a curated group of startups to accelerate relevant conversations. These mechanisms increase the chances of targeted conversations but do not guarantee commercial deals which require post-event diligence and integration work.

Why MWC matters and what kind of exposure to expect

Mobile World Congress is one of the connectivity ecosystem’s largest annual gatherings. The EIC cited MWC 2024 figures indicating attendance from more than 205 countries with over 101,000 participants and thousands of exhibitors and speakers. The show draws extensive media attention and creates a concentrated opportunity to demonstrate products to telcos, device makers, investors and system integrators. For deeptech companies the benefit is profile and access to decision makers often hard to reach in normal sales cycles.

Event scale and metrics cited by the EIC:The EIC referenced MWC metrics from the previous edition: more than 101,000 attendees from 205 countries, over 2,700 exhibitors, around 1,100 speakers, coverage by some 2,600 journalists and tens of millions of social media impressions. Those numbers underline the potential visibility but should be read with the caveat that attention at large trade fairs is fragmented and short lived.

Selected companies in context — short notes on technologies represented

The delegation mixes software and hardware deeptech across connectivity, semiconductors and industrial AI. Below are concise technical notes to help readers understand the technology categories that will be on display and why they matter in telecoms and adjacent markets.

mmWave and RF components:mmWave refers to radio frequencies above roughly 24 GHz used for high-throughput, short-range links. Companies working on mmWave hardware supply components for next-generation wireless networks and specialized links. Challenges include propagation limitations and the need for new antenna and packaging techniques.
DPU, SmartNIC and compute acceleration:Compute acceleration software and SmartNIC/DPU stacks aim to offload networking and security workload from general purpose CPUs, reducing latency and improving throughput for cloud, telco and AI applications. The value proposition is higher deterministic performance and lower TCO but adoption often requires integration with existing data centre stacks and careful validation of performance claims.
Ultra-low-power semiconductors for IoT:Subthreshold and near-zero power designs reduce the current draw of battery-powered sensors into the nanoampere range. This can dramatically extend battery life for distributed IoT. The technology is promising for large scale deployments but needs ecosystem support such as compatible radios, certification and robust supply chains to scale.
Vision AI, gesture control and industrial safety:Camera-based hand and body tracking powered by computer vision models can enable touchless control and predictive safety in industrial settings. These systems need rigorous testing to meet safety standards and certification regimes before they can replace existing machine guarding and safety interlocks.
Edge AI for predictive maintenance using sound:Audio-based condition monitoring uses sound vectors and machine learning to detect anomalies across machinery fleets. Edge processing reduces bandwidth and latency but the solution depends on robust labelled datasets and the ability to integrate alerts into plant maintenance processes.

A realistic assessment — what trade fair exposure does and does not deliver

Participation in a high-profile event like MWC delivers visibility, contacts and potential conversations with strategic buyers and investors. It is rarely alone sufficient to secure commercial contracts especially for deeptech products that require integration, testing and certification. Startups must convert interest into pilot projects and procurement processes that can take months to close. The EIC package of coaching and matchmaking helps, but tangible commercial outcomes depend on product maturity, regulatory fit and post-event business development capacity.

Common pitfalls for deeptech scaleups at trade fairs

1) Over-reliance on booth traffic without structured follow-up. 2) Underestimating integration and procurement timelines for enterprise and telco customers. 3) Mismatch between hype at the show and readiness to meet contractual compliance or regulatory demands. 4) Not having a clear KPIs-driven plan for converting meetings into pilots and contracts.

How to follow up, where to find more information and contacts

The EIC directs interested parties to follow open calls and programme updates on the EIC Community Platform and to subscribe to the EIC Business Acceleration Services newsletter. Companies selected to participate in ITF 3.0 receive tailored coaching and matchmaking support. For questions about this specific MWC delegation the EIC Community Helpdesk can be contacted by selecting the category "EVENT – EIC ITF Programme – MWC 2025".

How companies were chosen and eligibility:ITF 3.0 participants are EIC beneficiaries selected through open calls published on the EIC Community Platform. The EIC uses external experts to review applications that typically include information on market alignment, commercial readiness and internationalisation strategy.

Final note and official disclaimer

The EIC frames the ITF programme as an instrument to help European deeptech innovators access international markets. The agency also repeats the standard disclaimer that the information shared is for knowledge purposes and does not necessarily represent the official view of the European Commission. From a critical standpoint, trade fair participation is a useful but partial tool in a broader commercialisation toolkit and it should be combined with structured follow-up, clear commercial milestones and realistic timelines.

Read More

EIC awards €74 million to 18 experimental projects aimed at green and digital transitions

2021-02-26Read Now

EIC advisory board urges systemwide action to fix Europe’s gender gap in deep tech

2021-06-03Read Now

EIC launches €4 million tender to mainstream innovation procurement for startups and SMEs

2023-03-10Read Now

Inside the EIC Business Acceleration Services: what they offer, who benefits, and how to access support

2024-09-25Read Now