The winners of the Start to Spark Awards 2025/2026 were announced during the Demo Day, held on June 1, 2026, at the Técnico Innovation Center.

Developed within the scope of the 1st Cycle Integrative Project (PIC1), Start to Spark is a hands-on innovation program where Técnico students transform early-stage ideas into real, impactful solutions.

The awards are part of the Instituto Superior Técnico Innovation and Entrepreneurship Awards competition (I&E@Técnico) and are supported by the Santander Foundation.

Winners

TrashTalk (Team C)

Winner | €2,500

With the motto “Recycle fast, recycle right”, TrashTalk won the Start to Spark Award 2025/2026 with a proposal aimed at improving waste management through an intelligent recycling support infrastructure.

The team presented a solution designed to reduce contamination in recyclable waste streams while improving the efficiency of selective waste collection systems.

“We realized there was a real problem and that the solution could be more accessible than we initially imagined,” explained team member Sofia António, a student in Industrial Engineering and Management at Técnico. “Receiving recognition from professionals connected to innovation gave us confidence that what started as an idea can genuinely become a product with impact.”

The winning team was composed of:

• Sofia António (Industrial Engineering and Management)
• João Taka (Industrial Engineering and Management)
• Jokubas Jasinskas (Chemical Engineering)

Honorable Mentions

STEP – Stimulation Technology to End Paralysis

Honorable Mention | €1,500

STEP presented a wearable device capable of detecting, responding to, and reporting episodes of freezing of gait, temporary walking impairments commonly associated with Parkinson’s disease.

The solution enables real-time monitoring of each occurrence, supporting both patients and healthcare professionals with valuable information for follow-up and intervention.

BackUP

Honorable Mention | €1,500

BackUP developed a technological solution to monitor spinal posture through automatic alerts that help users correct their body position during prolonged use of digital devices.

Addressing the growing prevalence of lower back pain worldwide, the team presented a project focused on prevention and behavioural change through continuous posture monitoring.

A Program Designed to Turn Ideas into Impact

The second edition of Start to Spark brought together 23 students, who worked in multidisciplinary teams to tackle real societal challenges through innovation and entrepreneurship.

According to Ana Vieira, Técnico professor and member of the jury, the program gives students the opportunity to build their own path toward finding solutions while developing skills that are increasingly valued in professional environments. The initiative encourages participants to approach concrete challenges from an interdisciplinary perspective and to create solutions capable of generating meaningful value for society.

Representing the Santander Foundation, Pedro Andrade, alumnus of Técnico and supporter of the program, highlighted the importance of fostering entrepreneurship within universities and creating opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience while developing projects with social impact.

Closing the event, Pedro Amaral, Vice-President for Corporate Interface, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Técnico, praised the commitment demonstrated by all participating teams throughout the program and encouraged students to continue pursuing their entrepreneurial ambitions.

Participating Teams

The 2025/2026 edition featured six teams:

• Sleepy Boyzzz
• STEP – Stimulation Technology to End Paralysis
• BackUP
• TrashTalk
• Team Babying
• Kneova

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