SOFT Innovation Prize
Pays up to €50,000 to fusion researchers or companies for market-ready innovations.
Applicants submit a technical description, a state-of-the-art assessment and an account of market potential (up to 20 pages) through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal. Independent experts score submissions against the award criteria, and the Commission awards three prizes — €50,000, €30,000 and €20,000 — announced at the SOFT Conference alongside the biennial Symposium on Fusion Technology the prize…
Looks for any physics or technology innovation from magnetic confinement fusion research that has market potential or has already been taken up by industry for further development. There are no set categories — entries are judged on originality, technical excellence and economic impact.
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