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The Future is Bright: Top 20 Startups at 4YFN26

The world-renowned 4YFN26 event is set to take place once again at the Grand Via Fira de Barcelona during the prestigious MWC26. This much-anticipated startup event aims to spotlight the most innovative and promising startups of 2026. Among a plethora of submissions, the top 20 startups have been selected, showcasing groundbreaking ideas and visionary leaders in five key sectors.

Following a competitive gala, these 20 standout companies will be vying for the coveted title of winner at the 4YFN Awards. The competition will kick off with semi-final presentations on the opening day of 4YFN Barcelona, taking place before a distinguished panel comprising industry experts and investors. These panelists will evaluate the finalists based on innovation, scalability, and overall impact, ultimately narrowing the field down to five finalists.

These finalists will then face off in the grand final at the Banco Sabadell stage, where they will once again present their innovative ideas on March 4. The ultimate winner will be rewarded with a €20,000 cash prize, generously sponsored by GSMA Foundry.

Spotlight on the Top 20 Startups

Here’s a look at the standout startups in their respective categories:

1. Climate Technology

• - Greenlyte Carbon Technologies GmbH (Germany): Captures CO₂ from the atmosphere to create green hydrogen and raw materials for synthetic fuels.
• - Sensegrass (UK): Enhances agricultural productivity through AI, IoT, and soil intelligence analytics, optimizing farm inputs and crop health.
• - Skyfora (Finland): Leverages AI meteorological solutions to improve weather forecasting and adapt to extreme conditions.
• - URAPHEX (Spain): Regenerates industrial water using sustainable, chemical-free treatment processes to reduce pollution.

2. Digital Horizons

• - AIM Intelligence (Korea): AI security middleware that detects and mitigates risks in enterprise AI systems.
• - DeepKeep (Israel): Safeguards enterprise AI models and data pipelines with tailored security solutions for emergent threat landscapes.
• - Enhans (Korea): Develops AI-driven commerce infrastructures and operating systems for large-scale digital transactions.
• - NeuralTrust (Spain): Aids businesses in safely implementing and scaling generative AI while protecting applications from misuse or data leakage.

3. Financial Technology

• - Dost (Spain): Automates financial operations for growing companies through AI-driven workflows.
• - DRUO (USA): Enables direct payments from bank accounts for individuals and businesses, removing the need for cards.
• - Kistpay Private Limited (Pakistan): Increases smartphone accessibility through installment financing targeted at users in emerging markets.
• - Spendbase (Ukraine): Streamlines cost management for businesses with unified tools, reducing SaaS, cloud, and card expenditures.

4. Health Technology

• - AI Diagnostics (South Africa): Provides AI-powered diagnostic tools supporting early tuberculosis detection in resource-limited healthcare environments.
• - Biorce (Spain): Automates clinical trial processes with AI agents, streamlining planning and execution for research teams.
• - Medwise AI (UK): Delivers rapid, evidence-based answers to doctors, enhancing care decisions at the point of treatment.
• - Sycai Medical (Spain): Utilizes AI imaging to identify and monitor precancerous pancreatic injuries for earlier clinical intervention.

5. Mobile Frontiers

• - ConnectHear (Pakistan): Creates accessible communication for the deaf through real-time sign language interpretation and AI-assisted alerts.
• - Kreios Space SL (Spain): Develops systems to extend the operational life of satellites in low earth orbit.
• - OptAI (Korea): Optimizes on-device AI performance with tools that enhance speed, privacy, and efficiency.
• - ZIM Connections (UK): Simplifies global connectivity, allowing travelers to activate region-specific eSIM plans via a single platform.

This year’s 4YFN theme, Infinite AI, encompasses the daring energy of founders pushing the limits of artificial intelligence while also positioning 4YFN as a vibrant hub where ideas converge, deals are made, and startups achieve global prominence. In 2026, attendees can expect hundreds of startups displayed across five stages in halls 8.0 and 8.1, packed demo rooms, live pitching sessions, and a comprehensive program designed to connect founders with investors, companies, and global media.

Join us for 4YFN26 and witness firsthand the innovative landscape of tomorrow’s technology. Secure your spot today! Register here.