The secret to startup success: 5 lessons from EEN and EIT’s most impactful collaborations

What could a hydrogen retrofit company and a deep-tech health startup possibly have in common? On the surface, EVARM and PONS are worlds apart, one transforming urban minibus, the other reshaping the field of medical imaging. Yet both thrived thanks to the combined support of the Enterprise Europe Network and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).

For both companies, the Network played a crucial role in opening doors, such as identifying opportunities, introducing the right partners and guiding them through European funding schemes. At the same time, EIT, through its thematic innovation communities such as EIT Urban Mobility and EIT Health, provided specialised expertise, funding and access to sector-specific networks that turned their ideas into real-world solutions.

This combination proved effective. EVARM converted a diesel minibus into a hydrogen-powered vehicle, while PONS advanced its AI-based medical imaging platform into clinical trials. But beyond these achievements lies something even more valuable: the lessons their journeys hold for other startups. Here are five key takeaways from their experience that show how collaboration between EEN and EIT can help small businesses grow:

Lesson 1: Unlock future opportunities by building your network early on

Building the right connections at the right time can set a company on a new trajectory. For startups, networks are not just about collecting contacts. They are often the gateway to projects, funding and collaborations that would be difficult to access alone.

For EVARM, everything started with a clear need. Barcelona’s public transport operator, TMB, wanted to retrofit outdated minibus with hydrogen technology. Enterprise Europe Network’s partner ACCIÓ identified EVARM as the right fit, and then went further, introducing them to German supplier EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies. This cross-border partnership became the backbone of their successful EIT Urban Mobility proposal. As CEO Xavier Ribas recalls: "One of the requirements of this programme was to collaborate with an international partner. That’s when ACCIÓ introduced us to EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies. The connection proved to be a great match, and we began working closely with EKPO to prepare the proposal.”

The Network also helped open doors to industry leaders and experts for PONS by facilitating the company’s participation in the EIT Health’s programme. Winning the 2024 EIT Health InnoStars connected PONS with pharma company Chiesi and regulatory specialists who helped refine their roadmap. The founder of PONS, Soner Hacihaliloglu, emphasises how crucial this was: “Those experts are expensive, and having the opportunity to work with them and optimise our roadmap was very important in the early stages.” 

These experiences show that early engagement with networks does far more than provide introductions. It can uncover concrete opportunities, bring in trusted partners and give startups the support they need to move from vision to execution.

Lesson 2: Combine funding with strategic mentorship

Funding is often the biggest barrier to scaling. Startups can have strong ideas and motivated teams, but without financial resources and expert guidance, turning innovation into impact is nearly impossible. The experience of EVARM and PONS shows that pairing financial support with targeted mentoring creates the foundation for long-term growth.

EVARM faced this challenge head on. With guidance from the Network, they managed to secure an EIT Urban Mobility funding to take their hydrogen bus project forward. As Ribas recalls: “ACCIÓ helped us improve the quality of the application, providing strategic advice to better align it with the goals of the EIT Urban Mobility call. The project was ultimately selected, and today, the TMB minibus has been successfully transformed into a hydrogen-powered vehicle, a concrete result of this joint effort.”

For PONS, scaling required significant investment, but convincing investors was difficult without regulatory clearance and clinical results. To bridge this gap, they focused on non-dilutive funding in the form of grants tied to clinical development (funding unlocked step by step as milestones were achieved). At the same time, accessing the EIT Health’s innovation ecosystem thanks to the Network’s mediation played a decisive role in connecting them with VCs open to deeptech healthcare solutions. As Hacihaliloglu explains: “Our advisory board’s credibility helped bridge trust gaps, framing our tech as a future regulatory-ready solution rather than a science project.”

This balance between financial support and expert guidance turned out to be crucial for both companies. Grants and subsidies provided the stability to keep developing, while mentoring and investor connections gave them the confidence and credibility to scale.

Lesson 3: Collaborate across borders to build stronger solutions

For startups in particular, international cooperation can open the door to expertise, markets and opportunities that simply aren’t available at home. Helping companies connect across borders is at the core of what the Enterprise Europe Network does. Since 2008, more than 260,000 companies have been supported every year, and 83% of clients looking to expand globally say the Network helped make it happen.

PONS shows the value of this approach. They partnered with one of Portugal’s largest research hospitals for a six-month trial and launched their biggest data project with the Mayo Clinic in the United States. These collaborations gave them access to clinical insights and datasets that would otherwise take years to build, accelerating both their research and credibility.

EVARM also benefited from international cooperation. Their partnership with EKPO Fuel Cell Technologies in Germany brought the technical capacity and credibility needed to secure funding and deliver the hydrogen retrofit. What began as a requirement for EIT Urban Mobility funding became a long-term collaboration that expanded EVARM’s knowledge and resources.

These examples underline the added value of thinking internationally from the start. Cross-border partnerships not only strengthen a company’s technical capabilities but also boost trust and visibility in new markets, often turning a local solution into one with global relevance.

Lesson 4: Keep users and clients at the centre of innovation

We all know that user-centred design is good practice, but the data suggest it can also make quite a difference in terms of a company’s profitability. McKinsey finds that between 2016 and 2021, companies leading on customer experience achieved more than double the revenue growth of their counterparts, while customer-journey transformations can deliver 5–10% revenue growth and 15–25% cost reductions.

PONS puts this into perspective. The team reflects that, early on, they focused more on building technology than on asking users what they really needed. Their takeaway is clear: “The most important lesson is to speak with users, with experts, with potential partners very early in the journey… Sometimes technology ends up over-engineered and is not solving a pain that is big enough to make sense.” With the support of EIT Health, PONS was able to connect directly with hospitals and clinicians, ensuring that feedback shaped their product from the pilot stage onward.

For EVARM, the emphasis on clients showed up in their go-to-market approach. Before receiving any grants, they concentrated on building a strong customer base, generating early revenues that they could reinvest to keep developing solutions their customers needed. Through the Network, they were later matched with public transport operator TMB, turning real client demand into a concrete innovation project.

While it can be tempting to centre innovation on technical capabilities or an internal vision, startups that build around real user needs typically reach relevance faster and see stronger adoption and impact.

Lesson 5: Resilience and focus are the true differentiators

Innovation journeys are rarely straightforward. Startups face constant hurdles: from lack of funding to regulatory delays, to scepticism from the market. What often separates those who succeed from those who fail is not just technology or funding, but the ability to stay focused and resilient when challenges arise.

Ribas, the CEO of EVARM, emphasises the importance of resilience: “One of the most important pieces of advice I can offer is to stay focused on your goals, even if no one else believes in them. Your determination will make the difference when things get tough.”

For PONS, the mission is deeply personal. Having lost close family members to late diagnoses, they remain driven by a clear purpose to make medical imaging more accessible. Their advice to other founders, who wish to stay resilient, is to surround themselves with people who share the same ambition, not only on a technical level but also emotionally and psychologically.

Resilience is not just an individual trait, it can be built and strengthened with the right support. The Enterprise Europe Network actively helps SMEs improve their ability to withstand shocks and adapt to challenges, from financial hurdles to global disruptions. 

Turning lessons into impact

EVARM and PONS may work in very different fields - hydrogen mobility and digital health, but their journeys highlight the same truth. When startups combine the support of the Enterprise Europe Network with the opportunities of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, they can accelerate growth and turn ambition into tangible impact. 

Their experiences show that success often involves five factors: engaging networks early, pairing funding with mentorship, building cross-border partnerships, involving users from the start, and staying resilient. These stories highlight approaches that any startup can learn from and adapt to their own journey.

Ready to explore how Europe’s largest SME support ecosystem can help your business grow? 

Learn more about the Enterprise Europe Network and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.