KPMG Global Tech Innovator Final

Global Innovators Converge: KPMG Crowns Tech Visionaries at Web Summit Lisbon 2025

Mr. Michael Bancroft, TV Host and Executive Producer at Globalive Media, hosted the KPMG Global Tech Innovator Final at Web Summit Lisbon 2025. This fifth annual competition showcased 21 leading companies from across America, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. These finalists, having triumphed in national and regional rounds, presented diverse innovations spanning AI, fintech, health tech, and climate tech, all aiming to solve pressing global challenges.

A distinguished panel of judges, including Ms. Emily Fontaine (IBM), Mr. Owen Duan (Inside Partners), Ms. Carolyn Weiss (Plug and Play), and Mr. Eugene Malabrotsky (One Way Ventures), evaluated the pitches. They expressed enthusiasm for the breadth of solutions, emphasizing the importance of impactful ideas beyond just AI. Each company had a tight three-minute window to articulate their vision and demonstrate their potential to transform industries.

The competition featured Mr. Wilfred Chege of Zendawa (Kenya) with a digital platform for pharmacies, and Mr. Jurgen Meyerhofer of Inspired (Austria) optimizing battery storage. Mr. Luis Magali of 02 Eco (Brazil) introduced smart water regeneration, while Ms. Alejandra of Salva Health (Colombia) unveiled “Julieta” for early breast cancer detection. Ms. Christy Lember from IO (Estonia) detailed precision fermentation for sustainable oils. Mr. Timo Valtonen of Flow Computing (Finland) boosted CPU performance with PPU. Mr. George from Ethia (Portugal) presented AI-powered ethical hacking. Mr. Jeet Karmaka of Step Out (India) showcased AI-driven sports analysis.

Mr. Alex Mazawa of Rhinoflux (Japan) demonstrated unlocking biomass for clean electricity. Mr. Cristobal Fonseca of Microendo (Mexico) highlighted restoring soil microbiota for sustainable agriculture. Ms. Lottie Welton of Selection Lab (Netherlands) presented an AI platform for fairer hiring. Mr. Bo Descarga of Better Team AI (Philippines) introduced an AI platform predicting employee resignation. Dr. Ali Al Hassan of Nano Palm (Saudi Arabia) detailed nano robots for targeted gene therapies. Mr. Sean of Altify (South Africa) presented a platform democratizing alternative investments.

Ms. Paula Runstein of Rebamba (Sweden) showcased circular energy storage using upcycled EV batteries. Mr. Volka Yilmaz of We Rover (Turkey) introduced AI monitoring for wind turbine blades. Mr. Alfredo Sanger of Electrogenis (UAE) presented a patented electrocatalyst for green hydrogen production. Ms. Rachel Curtis of Anneio AI (UK) unveiled “Budgie” for consumer financial management. Mr. Jacob Roskamp of Traceless Materials (Germany) showcased compostable biomaterials. Ms. Naomh Donnelly of Akara (Ireland) presented AI-powered sensors for hospital efficiency. Dr. Viadur Mahajan of Caral (US) introduced an AI platform integrating radiology solutions.

During deliberations, Mr. Lambert Hogenhout, a global leader in responsible innovation, provided insights on AI’s potential, emphasizing the critical need for trust, ethical design, and human oversight. Mr. Conor Moore, Global Leader – Private Enterprise at KPMG, joined Mr. Bancroft to announce the competition results. The 2nd Runner-up was Step Out, the 1st Runner-up was Akara, and the People’s Choice award went to Selection Lab. The prestigious KPMG Global Tech Innovator 2025 title was awarded to Rhinoflux from Japan, represented by Mr. Alex Mazawa, for their innovative biomass-to-electricity solution.