Are you thinking of participating? Please, read this page and see what you could win!
Who can apply?
A participant can be a researcher, a research team or an industry. Note that nationality is not a criterion. Please, read carefully the full eligibility criteria in the rules of the prize.
Which topic is acceptable?
The participants may submit any new physics or technology linked to fusion research that has potential for further exploitation.
How to apply?
You must submit your proposal using the following link to the EU Funding and Tender opportunities portal. Please, read carefully on the participant portal the rules of the prize containing the eligibility, exclusion, award criteria and key dates.
When to apply?
You can apply from Nov 19th 2019 until the deadline set to Mar 5th 2020, 17pm Central European Time. Please, keep checking the SOFT website for update.
What will winners receive?
The respective sums of: 1st prize: 50000 EUR, 2nd prize: 25000 EUR and 3rd prize: 12500 EUR will be offered to the winners.
How will my proposal be judged?
The proposals are studied by an independent jury composed of experts in technology transfer from businesses and academia. The Jury selects the 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed winners who are awarded their prize at the Symposium on Fusion Technology (SOFT) biennial conference.
When and where will the prize be awarded?
The 2020 prize will be awarded in Dubrovnik, Croatia, during the 31rst SOFT conference (September 20-25, 2020).
Who won the previous edition of the prize?
- Jens Reiser coming from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) received the first Prize for the development of a novel ductile tungsten material.
- Simon Kirk from CCFE won the second Prize for his work on the development of a novel cutting and welding robotic tool.
- Yican Wu from Hefei institutes of Physical Sciences got the third Prize for the development of a new powerful software for nuclear design and radiation safety calculations.
What is the Soft Innovation Prize?
EURATOM Fusion Energy department launched in 2014 a European Prize for Innovation in Fusion with the name Soft Innovation Prize. It is organized in association with the Symposium on Fusion Technology (SOFT) biennial conference. The objective of the prize is to reward outstanding researchers or industries who try to find new solutions, possibly with wider applications, to the huge challenges of fusion.
Why innovation?
Supporting future technologies as well as staying at the cutting edge of scientific frontiers is vital to keep Europe competitive, create new spin-offs and highly-skilled jobs. Innovation is a core idea of the European Union research programme Horizon2020.
Who to contact?
Please, send us your question or feedback to RTD-FUSION@ec.europa.eu
Prize winners receiving their award at the 2018 SOFT conference in Taormina, Italy [Picture credit ENEA].
