Gonçalo Ribeiro wins Youth Start-Up Competition 2025 for his innovation in cancer treatment

Presented at the SME Assembly 2025 in Copenhagen, FLASHGuard enables the safe clinical use of FLASH Radiotherapy, a cutting-edge cancer treatment that protects healthy tissue while maintaining tumor control. By bridging science, technology, and care, the project places Europe at the forefront of advanced health tech innovation.

Selected as one of three finalists by the expert jury from over 70 entries, Gonçalo's project went on to win the audience vote at the SME Assembly, where participants chose the most promising start-up among this year's finalists. FLASHGuard impressed with its potential to enhance Europe's competitiveness in medical research and improve the quality of life for patients worldwide.

The jury, including Igor Kalinic (EISMEA, European Commission), Sofie Jæger (Danish Business Authority), Prof. Dana Redford PhD (Start-up World), Anita Krohn (European Innovation Council), and Frederico Mauritty (winner of YSC 2024 and co-founder of HidroQapa), praised Gonçalo's work as a shining example of European innovation with global impact.

Gonçalo will now take FLASHGuard to the 2026 European Innovation Council Summit in Brussels, where he will gain greater visibility and connect with Europe's leaders in innovation and healthcare.

Other finalists:

• Michael Strudler (Austria) - Wendy Windenergy : Vertical wind turbines with a folding system to improve efficiency and support clean energy generation.
• Jonas Kewenig (Germany) - AIRIS : an AI-powered disaster response tools helping emergency services act faster and more effectively.

The highlights video will be available soon: stay tuned!