Transforming Europe’s Urban Mobility – Civitta driving Slovak Cities of Tomorrow

Since 2022, we have led the Slovak Hub for EIT Urban Mobility, bringing European resources to local needs. From piloting city tech to launching innovative pilots, we help mobility innovation move faster.

EIT Urban Mobility is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) committed to revolutionising urban mobility across Europe. Through collaborative innovation, the initiative transforms how people and goods move in cities, making urban transportation more sustainable, efficient, and accessible for everyone.

We serve as the bridge between Europe’s biggest urban mobility network and local innovators. Through our role as the Slovak Hub of EIT Urban Mobility, we connect cities, startups, academia and communities with tools to experiment, scale, and thrive.

Slovak urban innovation:

• Connecting local startups to the European innovation ecosystem 
• Providing access to EIT Urban Mobility programmes and funding 
• Driving innovation from urban ideas to real-world impact
• Supporting the growth and scaling of startups 

1. Academy

EIT Urban Mobility develops talent through diverse educational programs.
Accelerator Programs help startups validate solutions and enter markets with expert mentoring. Professional training introduces innovative mobility solutions through summer/winter schools like Smart Cities Summer School. Master’s and PhD Programs develop urban mobility expertise through interdisciplinary projects connecting universities, cities, and innovation partners across Europe.

2. Investment

EIT Urban Mobility is a leading European urban mobility investor. Through Impact Ventures, it provides startups with direct investment up to €2 million, supporting growth and real-world impact. In 2024, Slovak startup AgeVolt received €300,000 for EV charging infrastructure development, with potential for up to €1 million total support.

3. Innovation

Innovation programs support testing and commercialization of solutions with cities, companies, and research partners. SME Market Expansion and City RAPTOR facilitate city-startup collaboration on urban challenges through pilot testing with €60-80k budgets. Innovation Call pilots solutions across multiple countries with €1-2 million budgets, creating scalable solutions with long-term impact.

• Active mobility
• Future mobility
• Sustainable city logistics
• Creating public realm
• Pollution reduction
• Mobility & energy
• Mobility data
• Transport system efficiency

Ecosystem Development & Community Building

1. Urban Mobility Day (2022 – ongoing)

Urban Mobility Day is the flagship event of Civitta as EIT Urban Mobility Hub in Slovakia, designed to advance the urban mobility ecosystem, support startups, and foster innovation. Touring across regions in Slovakia over the years, the event took place in Bratislava, Košice, Zvolen, and Nitra, bringing together local mobility experts, government representatives, and industry leaders to address Slovakia’s urban transportation challenges.

The program features startup competitions that have evolved from selecting 4 companies to present to expert juries during 2022-2024, to a startup showcase with 9 participating startups in 2024. The pitch competition brings together promising urban mobility startups, evaluated by a jury of industry experts and city representatives, helping promote local companies like Devonic while providing financial and mentorship support to selected participants.

The event drew over 300 participants from the public and private sectors, creating a powerful platform to showcase regional use cases and connect local innovators with key stakeholders.

4. Challenger Accelerator Urban: Creative (2020 – 2022)

As part of the broader Košice 2.0 ecosystem, we launched Challenger Urban: Creative – acceleration programs for startups developing innovative products or services with potential to contribute to Košice’s urban development. The program offered equity-free acceleration with workshops, individual mentoring, and a €10,000 prize, culminating in a public Demo Day with participation from investors and city representatives.

The acceleration program was successfully completed by 12 teams, including notable graduates such as ParkingAround (IoT parking sensors), BringAuto (autonomous vehicles), YourLOX (smart lockers for sports equipment rental), and Nordics.io (AI vendor management platform). Read more about all of the participant teams.

Startup & Innovation Support

1. City Raptor (2022-2024)

The program connects local governments with innovative startups to address real urban mobility challenges. The initiative bridges the gap between cities with specific transportation needs and technology companies offering practical solutions, creating a collaborative ecosystem for urban innovation across Europe.

Operating in Slovak cities selected from 12 European cities annually, City Raptor follows a structured approach where cities across the EU compete for inclusion in the program. Slovak cities participate in this competitive selection process, with clearly defined urban challenges followed by matching with the most suitable startups. The program provides comprehensive support including proposal development, matchmaking services, and strategic guidance.

• Bratislava (2022)
  Partnered with a startup developing a mapping and monitoring platform for sustainable urban development, addressing the city’s need for data-driven urban planning tools.
• Dubnica nad Váhom (2023)
  Collaborated with Romanian startup Rastel.io, which created modular and secure parking units for bicycles, solving the city’s micromobility infrastructure challenges.
• Košice (2024)
  Worked with French startup WISP Solutions to implement an intelligent prioritization system for public transport and emergency services, enhancing the city’s transportation efficiency and emergency response capabilities.

2. RAPTOR Winner – ParkingAround (2025)

ParkingAround is a smart parking management platform designed to reduce parking pressure in public spaces by unlocking the potential of underused private parking spots in residential buildings, offices, and commercial areas by connecting drivers looking for parking with private space owners through an easy-to-use digital platform. Having previously participated in Slovak Hub for EIT Urban Mobility led by Civitta’s Challenger Urban:Creative acceleration programme, ParkingAround participated in EIT Urban Mobility’s RAPTOR (Rapid Applications for Transport) programme – a platform where startups propose innovative solutions to specific urban mobility issues identified by European cities.

ParkingAround won €40,000 in funding to pilot their solution in Mannheim, Germany, addressing the city’s challenge of reducing parking pressure in public spaces by facilitating underutilised private parking areas over a six-month period.

3. Investment from EIT Urban Mobility’s – AgeVolt (2025)

AgeVolt revolutionizes public EV charging by introducing a sharing economy model that enables businesses to support their core operations while expanding EV charging access. Through support from Slovak Hub for EIT Urban Mobility led by Civitta, AgeVolt participated in EIT Urban Mobility’s scale-up programme – a flagship accelerator designed to help startups connect with leading investors, secure funding, and build strategic partnerships. 

Following their participation in the scale-up programme, AgeVolt became the first Slovak startup to receive EIT Urban Mobility investment, securing €300,000 in funding.

4. Startup Mentorship & Scale-up Support (2022 – ongoing)

We provided mentorship support to Slovak startups seeking to scale internationally. We conducted mentoring sessions with more than 40 startups, focusing on accelerator application preparation, investment round structuring, and connecting founders with international partners. Each startup received guidance tailored to their specific needs and growth stage.

The program resulted in 10 startups successfully applying to accelerator programs and investment calls. The initiative helped establish connections between Slovak startups and the broader European urban mobility ecosystem, creating ongoing partnerships that support the local innovation community.

• Strategic Innovation Open Call
• SME Investment Open Call
  (tbd October/November 2025)
• RIS Education Open Call
• Master School and Fellowship Open Call