The Start to Spark Awards, supported by the Santander Foundation, recognise the best innovation and entrepreneurship projects developed by students at Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa. These projects are part of the Start to Spark programme, integrated into the 1st Cycle Integrated Project (PIC1) curricular unit.
The programme is promoted by the Department of Engineering and Management (DEG) and the Department of Bioengineering (DBE), in collaboration with the Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT), the Centre for Management Studies of Instituto Superior Técnico (CEGIST), the Centre for Innovation, Technology and Policy Research (IN+) and
ScientISST.
The Start to Spark programme allows students to work in multidisciplinary teams to identify relevant problems, develop solutions, and structure projects with practical application potential. Throughout the programme, students develop essential skills in innovation, entrepreneurship, teamwork, and communication, bridging the gap between academia and the professional innovation ecosystem.
Teams participating in the programme can apply for the awards and present their projects at the Demo Day, which will take place on June 1, 2026, at the Técnico Innovation Center powered by Fidelidade.
During the event, projects will be evaluated by a panel of academic representatives and partners from the innovation ecosystem. The winners of the 2025/2026 edition will be announced with the following prizes:
Start to Spark Award: €2,500
Honourable Mentions: 2 prizes of €1,500 each
Applications are open until May 29, 2026, on the Santander Open Academy platform, exclusively for teams that participated in the Start to Spark programme.
