The Lithuanian final of PowerUp! – the largest start-up competition in Central-Eastern Europe, including areas such as energy, mobility and smart technologies – has already finished. The judges for the Country Final granted the first place to Unicorn Scooters, recognizing its potential for growth and success. The company will now battle it out with 13 other finalists for the top prize, in the Grand Final on 21 May at Impact’19 in Krakow.

Unicorn Scooters has created an electric kick scooter designed exceptionally for sharing. Unicorn scooter is robust, durable, powerful, sustainable, has a swappable battery, has just the right functionality and is easy-to-use. Our scooters can be used for sharing in the cities or for business purposes, e.g. for moving inside the factories, airports.  

“We couldn’t resist an opportunity to participate in the competition where we were able to meet specialists from various areas and gain experience from leading, innovative companies and individuals. The fact that we won first place in Lithuania means a lot to us and gives us the motivation to move further even more ambitiously. From the beginning with Unicorn Scooters team, we are reaching to become global micro mobility player in the global market, so the victory allows us to perform in the bigger playground. We are going to put all our efforts so as the name of Lithuania would be heard all over the world and Lithuanian “unicorns” would be used not only in Lithuania but in other cities and continents as well” – says Ignas Survila, co-founder of Unicorn Scooters.

5 editions, 24 countries, almost 900 participants

PowerUp! is the biggest competition for start-ups in the Central-Eastern Europe region, and is organized by InnoEnergy. Almost 300 teams operating in fields including energy, mobility, heating, cleantech, clean air and smart technologies took part this year, in what is the fifth edition of the competition.

The Country Final in Vilnius saw 15 ambitious start-ups showcase their products and solutions to a panel of judges and an audience of industry experts.

A recipe for success: business awareness and market potential

“Key criteria for the judges included the potential for ideas to be successful on a global scale, as well as the potential for the long-term development of viable products and services. The start-ups participating in the Country Final presented a variety of fantastic products and solutions, but we saw the greatest potential in the name of the winning start-up. The company is now preparing for the Grand Final, where they will have the honour of representing our country” – says Dr. Kestutis Morkunas, Head of EIT InnoEnergy HUB Lithuania.

Michał Maćkowiak, Head of Innovation at RAFAKO S.A. – PowerUp! Gold Partner adds:

“This year’s PowerUp! has seen the competition reach new levels of quality. Having sponsored the event for the last three years, we can testify to this increase in standards, and to the effort put into its preparation. When deciding the best entries, I focus on three key criteria: the first is evidence that the solutions on show are the kind of innovations that RAFAKO is seeking; the second is the market value of projects and their scalability, and the third is the way in which the entries are presented. This year’s winner met these criteria more strongly than any other candidate, and I look forward to seeing how the company develops in the near future”.

In addition to RAFAKO, Ukrainian company DTEK has also joined the list of Gold Partners this year. DTEK aims to use its status as a partner to discover innovative new products and services.

“We are looking for solutions in gas and coal production, thermal generation, renewable energy, grids, e-mobility, energy efficiency and customer service” – says Emanuele Volpe, DTEK Chief Innovation Officer.

The final 14: the PowerUp! Grand Final at Impact’19

Unicorn Scooters along with the winners of the other 13 national finals, will compete for the top prize of 50 000€ and the chance to join the prestigious Highway® by InnoEnergy business accelerator, which offers financial investment up to 150 000€. The winner of the fifth edition of PowerUp! will be selected on May 21 in Krakow during Impact’19 – one of the leading economic events in the Central- Eastern Europe region.

More information about the competition!