- By joining the 5G-DiGITs accelerator final Info Day on Thursday, 3 September 2026, at 11:00 a.m. CEST, participants will be able to learn more about the open call, ask their questions directly to the challenge owners, and make sure they have all the information needed before submitting their application.
- Organisations from Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Malta and Turkey have set five challenges to develop solutions in areas including security, emergency response and new telecommunications services using 5G, 6G and artificial intelligence.
- Selected teams will receive 50 hours of specialised training, expert mentoring and other benefits while developing their proposals, which they will have the opportunity to present at a final demo day. The application deadline is on Thursday, 10 September 2026, at 17:00 CEST.
Brussels, Wednesday, 21 August 2026 – The deadline to apply to the 5G-DiGITs Accelerator Open Call is approaching, and interested student innovators will have the last opportunity to clear their doubts during the second and final accelerator online Info Day on 3 September.
After the first Info Day hosted in June, university students, VET learners, young entrepreneurs and educators from across Europe are invited to this final touchpoint before applying.
The Open Day Agenda
Organised by the 5G-DiGITs consortium and with the presence of the challenge owners, the session will introduce the Erasmus+ 5G-DiGITs accelerator, its challenge-based model, workshops, mentoring and pitching journey. Participants will discover the 5G and green technology challenges, learn how to apply and about the key dates, and have the opportunity to ask questions during a live Q&A before the session closes.
The leading industry companies and the accelerator challenges
Five leading industry companies from Portugal, Sweden, Finland, Malta and Turkey submitted specific 5G or green technology challenges, offering students the opportunity to work on projects with direct market relevance and real-world impact. The five companies are: Türk Telekom, Opticoms, Karlstad Municipality, Tieto Tech Consulting R&D and the Malta Communications Authority.
The challenges focus on practical applications of these technologies, ranging from improving security in public spaces to using private 5G networks to support emergency response. Specifically, the challenges are:
- Safer Public Spaces – by KARLSTADS MUNICIPALITY
- 5G/6G ISAC & Digital Twin Sensing – by TIETO TECH
- AI-Driven EMF Exposure Mapping & Hotspot Identification – by MALTA COMMUNICATIONS AUTHORITY
- AI Emergency Response on Private 5G – by OPTICOMS GMBH
- 5G Network Slicing & Telco API Platform for Dynamic, Demand-Based Premium Services – by TÜRKTELEKOM
Participants can choose to solve one of these challenges or propose their own solution independently.
Only a few weeks left until the deadline
The Accelerator application deadline is on 10 September at 17:00 CEST. All the information about the open call is available at the following links from the 5G-DiGITs consortium:
🔗Newsletter about the accelerator
The call is open to university students, VET learners, startup teams and aspiring entrepreneurs interested in innovation, technology and sustainability. Eligible applicants include those from EU Member States and Associated Countries.
By joining the programme, selected teams will benefit from 50 hours of specialised training, expert mentoring, real industry challenges, and access to a European innovation ecosystem spanning 8 countries. They will connect with investors and the challenge owners, pitch their solutions at a final Demo Day, compete for awards, and receive post-programme support to grow their startups, while retaining full ownership of their intellectual property.
🔗Register for the final Info Day on 3 September 2026 at 11:00 a.m.
About 5G-DiGITs:
The 5G-DiGITs project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union and brings together universities, vocational education providers, innovation organisations and technology experts to strengthen digital skills and foster innovation across Europe.
The consortium: Envolve Entrepreneurship, Universitat Politècnica de València, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Infolysis, Karlstad University, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Inercia Digital, CNC Solutions, Finnova Foundation, Acceler8, TECHIN, F6S.