Ten startups and non-profits from across Europe and Central Asia gathered virtually on 25 February 2026 for the BOOST x City Experiment Fund (CEF) Green Urban Tech Sprint Demo Day. They pitched green and urban technology solutions to an expert jury drawn from city administrations and urban innovation communities across the region. After a full afternoon of presentations and jury deliberation, three teams emerged as award winners – recognized for their innovation, impact potential, and the strength of their pitch.
Greatest Impact Potential: LoRaSi
LoRaSi took home the award for greatest impact potential with SAMST, a smart digital twin for power grids that uses sensor networks to help utilities prevent failures, improve reliability, and adapt to extreme climate events. The jury recognized the solution for addressing one of the most urgent infrastructure challenges facing cities across the region – at a moment when energy resilience has moved firmly to the top of the urban agenda.
“Renewable energy is really crucial in cities right now, especially in the context of Ukraine.” — Max van Meerten, Manager for Digital Innovation and Smart City, City of The Hague
Most Innovative Solution: QX
QX was recognized as the Sprint’s most innovative solution for its city-owned, open-source AI platform, which provides city employees, residents and and visitors with verified, trustworthy information based on official city data. Jury member Petra Dzurovčinová highlighted the solution’s broader significance for European digital sovereignty: a locally developed AI model that cities own and control, rather than relying on commercial platforms.
“A local digital solution created in Europe, aligned with the AI Act — this can be impactful for city employees, visitors, and residents.” — Petra Dzurovčinová, Slovakia 2040 Vision Lead
Best Pitch: TUMO Labs
TUMO Labs won the audience vote for best pitch with ClimateNet. This locally maintained, student-built IoT network collects real-time weather and environmental data across Armenia and feeds into an open cloud platform used by researchers, institutions, and communities.
The three award winners emerged from a strong cohort, with seven other participating teams, each bringing distinct and city-relevant solutions to the Demo Day stage.
The Demo Day may mark the end of the Sprint, but it is the beginning of something larger for all ten participating teams. Every team that took part in the Green Urban Tech Sprint is invited to join the BOOST Alumni Network, which is a growing community of innovators from across BOOST’s programmes.
As alumni, the teams will gain access to a range of learning and networking opportunities as well as discounted tools and support from global tech providers. Alumni organizations may also be invited to take part in future BOOST events and initiatives, keeping them connected to the wider ecosystem of urban innovators, city partners, and public-sector stakeholders that BOOST has built across Europe and Central Asia.
For the winning teams, the Sprint also opens doors to deeper engagement: their solutions are now visible to municipalities and city representatives who participated in or followed the Sprint.
The BOOST x CEF Green Urban Tech Sprint is organized jointly by BOOST and the City Experiment Fund, an initiative working with cities in Armenia, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Ukraine to tackle complex urban challenges through strategic innovation and experimentation. It is supported by the Slovak Transformation Fund, financed by the Ministry of Finance of the Slovak Republic.
*References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of UN Security Council Resolution 1244 (1999).
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