4YFN26 Awards: Meet the 20 startups that are building the future

4YFN26, the world’s leading startup event, returns next year to the iconic Fira de Barcelona Gran Via halls during MWC26 Barcelona, showcasing the most promising startups of 2026. Selected from hundreds of applications, the Top 20 startups of 2026 bring together the brightest ideas and most influential minds across five key industry categories.

Culminating with the 4YFN26 Awards, these 20 leading startups will compete to become the overall winner. On the first day of 4YFN Barcelona, the Top 20 will participate in the semifinals of the 4YFN Awards. This dynamic live pitch competition will take place before a distinguished panel of investors and industry experts. The jury will evaluate the startups based on criteria such as innovation, scalability and impact, with the goal of selecting five finalists that same day.

The five finalists will advance to the main stage of the 4YFN Awards final, where they will compete again before the same jury on the Banco Sabadell Stage at 17:00 on 4 March, this time for the grand prize of the 4YFN Awards. The winning startup will receive €20,000 in cash, courtesy of GSMA Foundry, which will be announced right after the live pitches.

The Top 20 startups selected for the 4YFN26 Awards are:

Climate Tech: solutions for climate resilience, cleaner energy and sustainability.

Greenlyte Carbon Technologies GmbH (Germany): captures CO₂ from air and converts it into green hydrogen and feedstocks for synthetic fuels.
Sensegrass (UK): enhances agricultural productivity through AI analytics, IoT and soil intelligence to optimize inputs and crop health.
Skyfora (Finland): improves weather forecasting with AI-powered climate intelligence to anticipate and adapt to extreme events.
URAPHEX (Spain): regenerates industrial water using sustainable, chemical-free processes that reduce pollution.

Digital Horizons: advanced AI, cybersecurity and emerging digital solutions driving the next wave of enterprise and consumer innovation.

AIM Intelligence (South Korea): AI security middleware that detects, identifies and eliminates risks in enterprise systems.
DeepKeep (Israel): protects AI models and data pipelines with tools designed for emerging threats.
Enhans (South Korea): builds AI-powered commerce infrastructure and operating systems for large-scale digital transactions.
NeuralTrust (Spain): helps companies deploy and scale generative AI securely, protecting applications and agents against misuse or data leaks.

Fintech: startups improving and automating financial services, strengthening digital payments and expanding financial inclusion.

Dost (Spain): automates financial operations for growth-stage companies through AI-driven workflows.
DRUO (USA): enables individuals and businesses to pay directly from their bank accounts, eliminating the need for cards.
Kistpay Private Limited (Pakistan): improves access to smartphones through installment-based financing in emerging markets.
Spendbase (Ukraine): reduces SaaS, cloud and card expenses through unified cost-management tools.

Health Tech: digital tools and medical technologies improving healthcare delivery, early diagnosis and prevention.

AI Diagnostics (South Africa): provides AI-driven diagnostic tools that support screening and early detection of tuberculosis in low-resource settings.
Biorce (Spain): automates clinical trial operations with AI agents that optimize planning and execution for research teams.
Medwise AI (UK): offers clinicians rapid, evidence-based answers to improve care decision-making.
Sycai Medical (Spain): uses AI-powered medical imaging to identify and monitor precancerous pancreatic lesions, enabling earlier intervention.

Mobile Frontiers: startups driving telecommunications innovation and shaping the future of connectivity.

ConnectHear (Pakistan): provides accessible communication for deaf individuals through real-time sign-language interpretation and AI-assisted alerts.
Kreios Space SL (Spain): develops systems that extend satellite lifespan in very low Earth orbits.
OptAI (South Korea): optimizes on-device AI performance with tools that improve speed, privacy and efficiency.
ZIM Connections (UK): simplifies global connectivity by allowing travelers to activate regional eSIMs from a single platform.

Pere Duran, Director of 4YFN, stated: “The 4YFN Awards represent a defining moment for founders and for the world’s most promising startups. Each year, we see our Top 20 raise major funding rounds, secure global partnerships and accelerate their growth, bringing innovative and disruptive ideas to the tech sector. It is an honour to be part of their journey, and I look forward to announcing our five finalists for 2026 on 2 March in Barcelona.”

Register for 4YFN26 today

Each year, 4YFN brings together investors, founders and industry leaders under one roof to explore ambitious ideas and cutting-edge technologies shaping the next wave of innovation. The 4YFN25 edition broke records, hosting more than 1,000 exhibiting startups, 380 speakers and over 900 investors with combined funds totalling €60 billion.

The new 4YFN theme, Infinite AI, sets the tone for 2026, capturing the spirit of entrepreneurs building without limits, scaling fast and taking AI to places once thought impossible. It also reflects 4YFN’s role as a space where ideas intersect, deals take shape and emerging companies experience their first global spotlight.

4YFN will showcase hundreds of startups across five stages in Halls 8.0 and 8.1 through demos, live pitch sessions and a dedicated program connecting entrepreneurs with investors, corporations and international media. Secure your spot at 4YFN26 here.

Stay up to date with the latest 4YFN news here.

About GSMA

The GSMA is a global organization unifying the entire mobile ecosystem to discover, develop and deliver ground-breaking innovations that create positive business environments and drive societal change. Our vision is to unlock the full power of connectivity so that people, industries and society can thrive. Representing mobile operators and organizations across the mobile ecosystem—along with adjacent industries—the GSMA works for its members across three key pillars: Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach. This includes advancing public policy, addressing major societal challenges, ensuring the technology and interoperability that enable mobile communications, and providing the world’s largest platform to convene the mobile ecosystem at the MWC events and the M360 series.

Learn more at gsma.com.