e-Novia and 28DIGITAL launch a partnership: Pre-Incubator dedicated to Physical AI

Deep-tech research in Europe is globally competitive. In recent years, the bigger challenge has been building the conditions for that knowledge to become a business—moving from scientific advances to an industrializable product. Doing that well takes method, complementary capabilities, and strong connections with industry and capital.

With this goal in mind, 28DIGITAL is activating a dedicated edition of SPIN—its pre-incubation and entrepreneurial training programme—in partnership with e-Novia. The programme supports high-potential projects from the earliest stages through to the maturity needed to become fundable ventures and credible industrial opportunities, with a focus on Physical AI and advanced technologies.

An initiative aligned with Europe’s current momentum

Through the EU Startup and Scaleup Strategy, the European Commission is working to make the Union a more competitive place to start and grow technology companies. The strategy aims to strengthen Europe’s ecosystem across the entire growth journey—from company creation to global scaling. The direction is clear: make the transition from research to market easier by acting on regulation, access to capital, talent, and infrastructure, and by creating more favourable conditions to turn innovation and IP into industrial value.

In this context, the deep-tech pre-incubation programme led by 28DIGITAL, delivered in partnership with e-Novia, is more than training: it is an operating mechanism that accelerates the path from research to market, reinforcing Europe’s ability to retain IP and generate entrepreneurial value.

SPIN: a dedicated edition for deep-tech ventures

At the core of the collaboration is a special edition of SPIN, 28DIGITAL’s flagship programme for entrepreneurial education and pre-incubation. This edition is designed to support deep-tech ventures in key areas:

• Smart manufacturing and Industry 5.0
• Autonomous and sustainable mobility
• Distributed energy and storage
• Collaborative robotics and advanced sensing
• Physical AI applications across other strategic domains

The ambition is clear and practical: transform scientifically solid results into market-ready entrepreneurial initiatives—able to activate industrial partnerships and attract capital to create value.

Complementary capabilities across the research-to-company pathway

The partnership combines entrepreneurial education, ecosystem access, and venture-building capabilities to support teams from early validation through to the development required to enter the market and generate value.

28DIGITAL’s contribution

• Mobilising its pan-European network to scout high-potential projects
• Entrepreneurial education and tools to support the transition from research to venture creation
• Fundraising support and investor-readiness guidance

e-Novia’s contribution

• Venture studio services: venture building and support in defining business strategy
• Matchmaking with industrial partners and investors
• Hands-on support on engineering and technology roadmap definition, accelerating industrialisation and adoption

Together, the programme translates into structured work on milestones, market testing, and the building of industrial and financial relationships.

From pre-incubation to company formation

For the most promising projects, the partnership can support the journey all the way to venture formation. At that stage, 28DIGITAL and e-Novia may invest through equity stakes alongside founders and investors, creating clear alignment of incentives throughout the venture’s development and growth.

This is particularly relevant in deep tech: turning a technology into a company requires continuity, execution capability, and multidisciplinary expertise spanning product, industrialisation, go-to-market, and capital strategy. A model that integrates these elements from the outset increases the likelihood of building initiatives that can enter the market and generate value—working with industrial partners and capital.