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Awarding outstanding economic impact in PhD research

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

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THE VALORISATION AWARD

The Valorisation Award offers a unique opportunity for PhD researchers to transform groundbreaking ideas into impactful economic contributions. This award celebrates outstanding doctoral research with strong potential for economic valorisation, recognizing work that shows a clear path to industry collaboration, commercialisation and societal economic growth.​
 

We look forward to hearing about your innovative research and its potential to shape the future!

ELIGIBILITY REGUIREMENTS

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
    Open to PhD students from all higher education institutions in Belgium.

  • Team applications
    Open to individuals or teams of up to 4 PhD candidates, with each member’s role in the valorisation potential clearly defined (not all team members have to be PhD researchers).

  • Research area
    The research must demonstrate potential for economic impact for a start-up company across any discipline, including STEM, social sciences, humanities and arts.

  • Economic potential
    Research should demonstrate potential for commercialization, industrial partnerships, patents or marketable products or 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
    An initial strategy for implementation and valorisation, including partnerships, industry collaborations or commercialization, is required.

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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.

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

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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 or addressing important societal challenges.

Selection Process

SELECTION PROCESS

STEP 1 

Dit is een paragraaf. Klik hier om je eigen tekst toe te voegen.

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

STEP 2

Dit is een paragraaf. Klik hier om je eigen tekst toe te voegen.

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

Dit is een paragraaf. Klik hier om je eigen tekst toe te voegen.

The winners 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 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.

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HOW TO APPLY?

Submission requirements

  • Research summary
    Describe the research focus, how it addresses a market or societal need, its innovative aspects and team member contributions for group submissions.

  • Economic impact statement
    Outline potential markets and sectors, provide a commercialization roadmap, and discuss intellectual property considerations.

  • Feasibility assessment
    Detail the steps required for valorisation, identify key stakeholders, and outline any potential challenges.

  • Resume
    A full academic CV for each team member.

  • Letters of support (optional)
    Letters from industry partners or stakeholders endorsing the economic potential of the research.

HOW TO APPLY?

APPLICATION PROCESS

  1. Complete the application form available below.

  2. Submit all required information (research summary, economic impact statement, feasibility assessment,

  3. Upload your CV (one for each team member) and optional letters of support in .pdf format.

  4. The submission deadline is January 15, 2026.

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APPLICATION FORM

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

  • Overview of the research, its findings, and economic valorisation potential

  • Description of the research’s relevance to market or societal needs

  • Explanation of innovative elements and differentiation from existing solutions

  • Team submissions: contributions of each team member

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

  • Potential markets, industries or sectors for application

  • High-level roadmap for commercialization

  • Intellectual property (IP) considerations or patent filings

Outline the steps required to achieve economic valorisation:

  • Key stakeholders (industry partners, investors, policymakers ...)

  • Potential challenges and solutions for scaling

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

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

Contact

CONTACT US

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