Awarding outstanding economic impact in PhD research

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

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

PhD status
Completed within the last 3 years or in the final 2 years of study.
Institution affiliation
Open to PhD students from all universities 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.
Research area
Open to all disciplines with economic impact potential, including STEM, social sciences, humanities and arts.
Economic potential
Research should demonstrate potential for commercialization, partnerships, patents or marketable products.
Innovation
Must address a market or societal need with a novel solution, process or technology that provides economic benefits.
Feasibility
An initial strategy for implementation and valorisation, including partnerships or commercialization, is required.

THE AWARD

The two winners of the PhD Valorisation Award (one from the Flemish universities and one from the French-language universities) will each receive:

a cash prize of € 5.000 to support further valorisation efforts.
one-on-one coaching by SO Kwadraat.
networking opportunities with industry leaders and investors.
media recognition and promotion through award channels.

If you win or not, SO Kwadraat ensures that strong ideas receive coaching to maximize their valorisation potential.

APPLY NOW

AWARD CRITERIA

COMMERCIALIZATION
POTENTIAL

Potential to generate new products, services or technologies that can be introduced to the market.

INDUSTRY
COLLABORATION

Demonstration or having potential for significant collaboration with 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

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

STEP 2

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to discuss their research's economic potential in an interview.

STEP 3

Two winners will be selected: one from a Flemish university and one from a French-language university.

STEP 4

The winners will be announced during the [insert award event name here] on [insert date here].

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.

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 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.

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

Economic impact statement (max. 1.000 words)

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

Potential markets, industries, or sectors for application
Commercialization or industry engagement roadmap
Intellectual property (IP) considerations or patent filings

Feasibility assessment (max. 1.000 words)

Outline the steps required to achieve economic valorisation:

Key stakeholders (industry partners, investors, policymakers)
Potential challenges and solutions for scaling

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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