The FLASHGuard team, comprising students and professors from Instituto Superior Técnico, adds to its victory in the Lab2Market@Técnico 2025 programme in June with its win in the Youth Start-Up Competition (YSC), as confirmed on 12 November. This initiative, which is organised by the European Commission under the European Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SME) Week, aims to support young entrepreneurs aged 18 to 25 by nurturing their innovative ideas to help build a more sustainable, inclusive, and competitive Europe.

The project, supported by the Laboratory of Instrumentation and Experimental Particle Physics (LIP), is a pioneer in medical technology that enables the safe clinical use of FLASH radiotherapy. This innovative technology could transform cancer treatment by protecting healthy tissue without compromising the effectiveness of treatment.

Gonçalo Ribeiro, a Técnico student, presented the project at the SME Assembly 2025, held in Copenhagen, Denmark, from 10 to 12 November. The other finalists were Michael Strudler (Austria) and Jonas Kewenig (Germany), selected from more than 70 applications. The final vote was determined by a combination of jury and public votes.

FLASHGuard will be showcased at the 2026 European Innovation Council Summit in Brussels, where it will gain increased visibility among the European leaders in innovation and health.