BioSTART Competition 2026

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF THE COMPETITION

• Applicants guarantee that the submitted proposal is not the result of work done under an employment contract, consulting agreement, or any other formal arrangement that grants full ownership or control to another entity. The applicant must not be restricted by prior commitments that would give another party (such as a university, a research center or a company) full ownership or control over the submission. The goal is to ensure that the applicant has legal rights to the submitted business, idea proposal, or presentation and guarantees unrestricted copyright over it, without any claims or restrictions from a third party. This ensures no other party, like an employer or university, can claim full ownership or impose restrictions on its use.

• The BioSTART Competition Committee consists of members selected by BioInnovation Greece. 

• The decision of the evaluation committee is final, and no correspondence will be entered into. The decision will be published on BioInnovation Greece websites. Finalists will be contacted at the email address provided in the submitted application and winners will be announced at the BiG Forum.

• Applicants must disclose any personal or professional relationship with a member of the Evaluation Committee or BioInnovation Greece in their submission. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

• BioInnovation Greece has the right to publish the awarded ideas/proposals/presentations submitted (either in full or in part), including but not limited to publication in the conference BioInnovation proceedings and/or website and/or other BioInnovation Greece relevant publications. In all such cases, the author's name(s) will be appropriately acknowledged.

1. Who is the competition open to?

The competition is open to current undergraduate, Masters or graduate/PhD students, and to prospective students (i.e. students who have been accepted into an academic programme that will begin in 2026).

2. Can students from outside of Greece apply?

Yes. Students from universities outside of Greece are eligible to apply.

3. Can PhD students apply?

Yes. PhD students are eligible as graduate students.

4. Can recent graduates apply?

Yes, if you have graduated (i.e. obtained an undergraduate, Masters or PhD degree) this academic year (within 2025-2026), you are still eligible.

5. Can individuals apply, or do I need a team?

Individual applicants may apply, although interdisciplinary teams are strongly encouraged. 

6. Can more than one person present at the pitch?

Yes. It is possible for more than one person to present, as long as all presenters are students. 

7. There is a senior researcher in our team. Are we still eligible?

Yes, as long as the presenter or presenters are students. Senior researchers, faculty members, mentors, or advisors may support the team, but the competition presentation must be led by eligible student participants.

8. Do teams need to have a registered company to apply?

No. Teams do not need to have a registered company to apply.

9. Do applicants retain ownership of their ideas?

Yes. Applicants retain ownership of their ideas. BioInnovation Greece does not take ownership of submitted projects.

10. Should applicants include confidential information?

Applicants should avoid including confidential or proprietary information that they are not comfortable disclosing for evaluation or potential publication if awarded.

11. Can finalists present remotely?

Finalists are expected to present during the BioInnovation Greece Forum. Teams that cannot attend in person should contact the organizers as early as possible.