The brightest innovators of Kaunas were honoured: the startup Fivrec, which extracts rare metals from batteries, triumphed
The last month of the year in Kaunas began with an innovative spirit - the Kaunas Startup Awards 2025 took place on the evening of December 2. Nine of the most outstanding, profound, advanced, and promising startups were announced. The top prize, Startup of the Year, went to Fivrec, a company that brings rare metals back to life by extracting them from batteries.
Two awards - Rookie of the Year and Audience Favorite - were won by the youngest team, Thunderclap Labs, whose members include high school seniors developing a drone detection system. Medical technology startups also won two awards: BrainPredict was chosen as the winner of the Startup Project, and KELI Therapeutics was named the Deep Tech Startup.
In the Growth of the Year category, the global gaming ecosystem developer eneba won, while the defense technology startup Luna Robotics, born in the Šauliai hackathon, became the Investors’ Favorite. The Ecosystem Hero statuette was awarded to Tech-Park Kaunas, and the Impact on Society prize went to edON, a startup developing tools to reduce internal organizational bureaucracy.
The eagerly awaited innovation community event, Kaunas Startup Awards 2025, is organized by one of Lithuania’s largest innovation communities, Tech-Park Kaunas, together with the Kaunas Economic Development Agency Kaunas IN.
Startups transform quality of life
Participants and guests emphasized that every year many relevant, promising startups emerge in Kaunas and Lithuania, indicating a strong, internationally competitive innovation ecosystem in the country that quickly responds to new needs.
"We can recall the COVID-19 period, the start of the war in Ukraine in 2022, or the balloons - you are the first with your solutions and technologies. Although it is not easy to find funding for prototype creation and testing, you find ways to create them. You improve and change our quality of life. You change the face of our country and city. And for that, we are very grateful", - said Paulius Nezabitauskas, director of Tech-Park Kaunas, opening the event.
"Sometimes we overdramatize or criticize ourselves too much. I grew up with this ecosystem. Sixteen years ago, this field in Lithuania was a wilderness, and there is no shame in that. Over these years, we have created a great innovation ecosystem valued worldwide and in Europe. It is just a pity that sometimes we do not appreciate ourselves enough. Without organizations, specialists, and ecosystem heroes, this innovation ecosystem wouldn’t exist", said Paulius Petrauskas, Deputy Minister of Economy and Innovation.
Reducing dependency on third countries
Kaunas Startup of the Year Fivrec develops lithium-ion battery recycling solutions that reduce the shortage of critical raw materials in Europe and dependence on imports. Their goal is to mine battery metals from already produced and used materials - from scooters to electric vehicle batteries—thus creating a closed circular supply chain.
"We are glad that Fivrec was awarded Kaunas Startup of the Year, acknowledging our field, which is truly unconventional - recycling innovations. We work to close the critical raw materials loop in Lithuania, while also reducing Europe’s dependency on external sources. Did we expect to win? Probably yes, because we believe our work is significant", - said Linas Pečiulaitis and Algirdas Aleksandras Aniulis, representatives of Fivrec.
This year, the Fivrec team achieved significant milestones: their technology successfully entered operational stage, received an environmental activity license to serve clients (one of the well-known clients is Bolt). The startup participates in several EU-funded projects - together with strong partners Gorenje, Fraunhofer, and Leonardo, it won the Rockit organized Energy Bootcamp 2025 Palanga, and was among the winners at Startup Fair 2025.
Kaunas Startup Awards 2025 Nominees and Winners
Impact on Society: edON
Startup Project Winner:
Lerni
BrainPredict (winner)
Kosmeteka
Softfordent
A.D.I.M.
SmarterSoap
Ecosystem Hero:
Inga Kanapeckienė, LSMU Sveikatos inovacijų vystymo centro projektų vadovė
KTU Startup Space
LSMU prof. Jurga Bernatonienė
Tech-Park Kaunas (winner)
Kaunas IN
Rookie of the Year:
Cova Green
Thunderclap Labs (winner)
BrainPredict
Deep Tech Startup:
KELI Therapeutics (winner)
Vilimed
Agrodronas
Startup of the Year:
LupaSearch
Luna Robotics
Fivrec (winner)
Investors’ Favorite: Luna Robotics
Audience Favorite: Thunderclap Labs
Growth of the Year:
edON
OBDeleven
eneba (winner)
Organizers:
Tech-Park Kaunas is an innovation center connecting science, technology, and business, supporting over 100 companies and startups in IT, engineering, health, energy, and social innovations.
Kaunas IN is the city’s agency for tourism, business, and investment development and international marketing, promoting Kaunas as a modern, innovation-friendly city fostering tourism, business growth, and international cooperation.
