Awarding outstanding economic impact in PhD research

Apply for the PhD Valorisation Award and
turn your ideas into impact!

THE VALORISATION AWARD

The SO Kwadraat PhD Valorisation Award recognizes and rewards outstanding doctoral research
with significant potential for economic impact via a start-up company. The award identifies
research that demonstrates a clear pathway to economic valorisation, including
commercialization, industry collaboration, and contribution to societal economic growth.

ELIGIBILITY REGUIREMENTS

Doctoral status
Applicants must have completed their PhD within the previous five years or be in the final two years of their PhD program at the time of application.
Research institution affiliation
Applicants come from higher education institutions in Belgium.
Team applications
Both individual PhD candidates and teams of up to 4 people can apply. The
other team members may be but do not have to be PhD researchers – they may contribute other relevant skills. For team applications you clearly demonstrate how each team member’s work / experience / ambition contributes to the overall valorisation potential.
Research area
The research must demonstrate potential for economic impact for a start-up
company across any discipline, including but not limited to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), social sciences, humanities, and arts.
Economic potential
The research should highlight its potential for commercial applications, industrial partnerships, patents, or marketable products/processes that contribute to
economic growth.
Innovation
The research must present a novel solution, process, or technology addressing a
market need or societal problem, focusing on economic benefits.
Feasibility
The research should include an initial idea of the strategy for implementation and
valorisation, including possible partnerships, industry collaborations, or commercialization options.

THE AWARD

The winner of the SO Kwadraat PhD Valorisation Award will each receive:

a cash prize of € 5.000 to support further valorisation efforts.
networking opportunities with industry leaders and investors.
media recognition and promotion through award channels.

The top-3 of participants will automatically receive free coaching from SO Kwadraat.

APPLY NOW

AWARD CRITERIA

COMMERCIALIZATION
POTENTIAL

Potential to generate new products, services or technologies that can be introduced to the market via a new start-up company.

INDUSTRY
COLLABORATION

Demonstration or having potential for significant collaboration between the start-up and industry, including joint projects, funding or innovation partnerships.

SOCIOECONOMIC
IMPACT

Potential to generate broad societal economic benefits, such as job creation, market development and/or addressing important societal challenges.

Selection Process

SELECTION PROCESS

STEP 1

Submissions will be reviewed by a panel of experts from academia, industry and the innovation sectors.

STEP 2

Shortlisted candidates, whether individual or team applicants, will be invited for an interview or presentation to further discuss the economic valorisation potential of their research.

STEP 3

The winner will be announced during the second quarter of 2026.

Evaluation critertia

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Innovation
The novelty and originality of the research.
Economic impact
The potential of the research to generate substantial economic benefits, including commercialization opportunities and market applicability.
Feasibility
The clarity of the start-up/valorisation plan and the likelihood of successful implementation.
Scalability
The potential for the research to be scaled and applied beyond its initial scope or prototype.
Collaboration potential
The extent to which the research can engage with industry, investors, or other relevant stakeholders.

HOW TO APPLY?

Complete the application form available below.
Submit all required information (research summary, economic impact statement, feasibility assessment,
Upload your CV (one for each team member) and optional letters of support in .pdf format.
The submission deadline is January 31, 2026.

More detailed information on the submission requirements can be found in the form below.

HOW TO APPLY?

APPLICATION FORM

First name

Last name

Phone number

E-mail address

Research summary (max. 2,000 words)

A concise summary of the PhD research, its main findings and the potential for economic valorisation.

Describe the research itself
Describe how the research addresses a specific market and/or societal need
Highlight the innovative aspects and how it differs from existing solutions or technologies
Team submissions: clearly explain the contributions of each team member

Economic impact statement (max. 1,000 words)

A detailed explanation of how the research can generate economic value.

Describe potential markets, industries, or sectors where the research could be applied
Provide a high-level roadmap for commercialization
Identify any intellectual property (IP) considerations or patent filings

Feasibility assessment (max. 1,000 words)

Outline the steps required to achieve economic valorisation:

Identify key stakeholders (e.g., industry partners, investors, policymakers)
Discuss potential challenges and solutions for starting up and for scaling up the research outcome

CV/Resume

A full academic CV for each team member, highlighting relevant research experience, collaborations and any prior industry engagement.

Letters of Support

Optional, but encouraged. These may include letters from potential industry partners, collaborators or other stakeholders attesting to the potential economic impact of the research.

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