The Photonics21 Innovation Award is a competition for business ideas at an early stage. It can be a simple thought, an idea you cannot get out of your head or an idea that you have been working with for a while.

Photonics21 aims to support talented makers, students, and young entrepreneurs, who have
a real interest in developing an idea into a product by combining creativity with photonics. For making this support possible Photonics21 teams up with PhotonHub, the pan-European digital innovation hub for photonics.

The contest consists of a cash prize of €5,000, an entrepreneurial skills training, and contact with Venture Capitalists.

To participate, you will need to send in a maximum two-minute video presentation of your concept, or a written description of your idea/product making clear the nature of innovation and the potential impact to industry. This will be reviewed by a jury of experts.

For more information on the contest, and to fill in the application form, visit photonics21.org.

Application deadline: 10 March 2025

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About PhotonHub Europe

PhotonHub Europe, the full-service one-stop-shop Photonics Innovation Hub, is a pioneering initiative supported by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, dedicated to accelerating the uptake of photonics technologies by European industry. With a mission to boost competitiveness and foster new business models, PhotonHub Europe provides open access and guided orientation to a broad range of services and capabilities covering innovation support, training, and business coaching.