LOPEC Startup Competition & Award
At the LOPEC Forum, selected founders will present their business ideas in short, ten-minute presentations.
Startup Competition & Award at LOPEC 2026
As part of the Startup Competition at LOPEC 2026, selected founders will present their ideas in short presentations. The aim is to attract partners and investors. A panel of experts will review the applications and nominate the startups that will present their business ideas at the LOPEC Forum on February 25, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
The best presentations in the categories Best Business Potential and Most Impactful Technology/Product will be honored with the LOPEC Startup Award 2026.
As a special honor, the two winners will each be provided with a startup full service stand package worth around EUR 2,300 free of charge at LOPEC 2027.
Both the Get-together and the Award Show are open to all exhibitors, conference participants and exhibition visitors.
The finalists
- AilArian, United Kingdom
ailarian.co.uk - Shimi Sanat, Iran
- Grafren AB, Sweden
grafren.se - KRONOS Mechatronics GmbH, Germany
kronos-mct.com - Tangho Green Canada Inc., Canada
nanopaper.io
Next milestones
The deadline for submissions expired.Thank you to all of the applicants!
The finalists will give presentations.
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
11:00 to 12:15 in the LOPEC Forum, ICM Foyer
Presentation of the LOPEC Startup Awards.
Wednesday, February 25, 2026
From 18:30 at the LOPEC Get-Together in the LOPEC Forum
Board of Experts LOPEC Startup Competition & Award
A high-caliber board of experts will evaluate the submitted applications and select the startups that will present their business ideas live at the LOPEC Forum as part of LOPEC 2026.
Then, from among the finalists, a jury selects the winners in the categories Highest Business Potential and Most Impactful Technology/Product.
The Startup Competition & Award 2026 Board of Experts will consist of the following members:
Chair: Dr. John Fahlteich, Managing Director, KETMarket GmbH (DE)
- Dr. Kerry Adams, Business Chair LOPEC, Director and Founder, Ventoux Consulting Ltd. (UK)
- Dr. Michael Hack, Vice President of Business Development at both Universal Display Corp. and UDC Ventures (US)
- Sebastian Mähler, Managing Director Business Consulting, FINNOVAL GmbH (DE)
- Dr. Václav Smítka, CTO, Amires s.r.o. (CZ)
- Dr. Anne Umbach, Investment Manager—Industrial Tech, High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH (DE)
Stand packages for startups
In the Startup Area, we give young, innovative companies a unique opportunity to access the global printed electronics community.
The Startup Area is a communal booth located at the heart of the trade fair. Startup exhibitors receive the all-inclusive startup package at a reduced price.
Visitor information
Stay up to date! Subscribe to our visitor information service and never miss out on the latest news!