The solution, designed to develop automation systems combining spectral sensors and proprietary analysis software for material characterisation and valorisation, won the Raw Materials category.
ProSpec, an INESC TEC spin-off, is one of the major winners of the 2025 EIT Innovation Awards, an initiative promoted by the European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) and representing the conclusion of the EIT Jumpstarter acceleration programme. Out of 42 teams in the final, from 17 countries and across seven categories, ProSpec impressed most in the Raw Materials group, taking home a €10K cash prize. According to Nuno Azevedo Silva, supervisor and advisor to ProSpec, the award represents “another step towards validating the commercial potential of the technologies” being developed by the institution “in the field of spectral imaging.”
The team’s participation in the competition was secured through selection for the acceleration programme, which received 908 applications from across Europe. This was followed by approximately seven months of work on a project focused on “developing automation systems that combine spectral sensors and proprietary analysis software,” explained Tomás Lopes, INESC TEC researcher and CEO of ProSpec. “These systems allow real-time material analysis on site, without the need to send samples to a laboratory.”
The work carried out during this phase builds on research previously developed within INESC TEC’s Photonics domain, focused on hyperspectral imaging spectroscopy, always in close collaboration with industry and with growing European relevance. This collaboration (with companies such as Egitron, Sonae, BA Glass, and Savannah Resources) has allowed the team to “identify, in the field, the limitations and opportunities existing in the market.” Based on this analysis, the team proposed a technological solution “capable of addressing real industrial challenges in material characterisation and valorisation.”
Regarding the proposal submitted to the competition, the ProSpec team highlighted the clear contrast with current practices. According to Tomás Lopes, in mining, for example, samples collected in the field are generally sent to offsite laboratories – a process that can take days and consequently delay decisions about where to mine or when to stop, leaving the process dependent on human decisions prone to error. With ProSpec, these analyses “can be performed in situ, within seconds, using multimodal spectroscopy and Artificial Intelligence (AI).”
“We believe that this project has the potential to contribute to a more efficient and sustainable industry, helping companies recover value and reduce the environmental impact of their operations,” emphasised Tomás Lopes.
Contributions to a more efficient, precise, and sustainable industry
The winning project at the 2025 EIT Innovation Awards, in the Raw Materials category, exemplifies ProSpec’s value proposition: complete hardware and software solutions customised for challenges in material characterisation in mining and secondary industrial flows. Using technologies based on spectral imaging (which allows machines to “see”) and responsible AI – which enables them to support decision-making – the solutions are organised in a modular logic.
In addition to fast and accurate classification, ProSpec’s solutions stand out for their intuitive operation and regulatory compliance – with an approach that includes flexible service models, strategic pilot partnerships, and the combination of integrated hardware with scalable AI software.
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