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
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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:
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a cash prize of € 5.000 to support further valorisation efforts.
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one-on-one coaching by SO Kwadraat.
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networking opportunities with industry leaders and investors.
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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.
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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
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 CRITERIA
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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
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Research summary
Describe the research focus, how it addresses a market or societal need, its innovative aspects and team member contributions for group submissions.
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Economic impact statement
Outline potential markets and sectors, provide a commercialization roadmap, and discuss intellectual property considerations.
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Feasibility assessment
Detail the steps required for valorisation, identify key stakeholders, and outline any potential challenges.
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Resume
A full academic CV for each team member.
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Letters of support (optional)
Letters from industry partners or stakeholders endorsing the economic potential of the research.

APPLICATION FORM