Applications open for The Spinoff Prize
24 March 2022
Showcasing and celebrating global excellence in the commercialisation of research through the creation of spinoff* companies, The Spinoff Prize from Nature Awards, part of Springer Nature, and in partnership with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is now open for applications.
This year, The Spinoff Prize will focus on spinoff companies founded on research in life sciences or physical sciences, both of which can include digital technology approaches, such as artificial intelligence, deep learning, neuromorphic computing and quantum computing.
Judges are looking for spinoffs that translate original, high-quality scientific research into products and services that address market problems and are well positioned to make a positive impact on society.
Those shortlisted for the Prize will receive a profile in a special Nature supplement ahead of the final, with the shortlist then pitching to an expert panel in a slam before a winner is selected. The winner will receive a cash prize of €30,000 to further develop their research into life or physical sciences.
Applicants are encouraged from anywhere in the world, from all genders and company positions, including companies in early stages of establishment.
Key dates:
- Applications open - 24th March 2022
- Applications close - 29th July 2022
- Shortlist announced - March 2023
- Final slam panel and winner announced at the 2023 Future Insight™ Days - July 2023
The awards form part of the wider Nature Awards suite which look to celebrate and champion scientific excellence globally. Further information on The Spinoff Prize, applying and eligibility criteria can be found on the website here.
Profiles of the 2021 Spinoff Prize winner and finalists are available in the Nature supplement here.
Notes:
*The term spinoff in this case refers to a company that has been formed specifically to commercialise the outputs generated from research conducted at a university or research institute.
Nature Portfolio’s high-quality products and services across the life, physical, chemical and applied sciences is dedicated to serving the scientific community.
Nature (founded in 1869) is the leading, international weekly journal of science. Nature Portfolio is also home to the Nature research and Nature Reviews journals, the leading open access multidisciplinary journal Nature Communications, and open access journals including Scientific Reports. Together, these journals publish some of the world's most significant scientific discoveries.
Online, nature.com provides over nine million unique visitors per month with Nature Portfolio content, including news and comment from Nature, and the leading scientific jobs board, Nature Careers. Nature Portfolio also offers a range of researcher services, including online and in-person training and expert language and editing services. For more information, please visit nature.com and follow @nresearchnews. Nature Portfolio is part of Springer Nature.
For over 175 years Springer Nature has been advancing discovery by providing the best possible service to the whole research community. We help researchers uncover new ideas, make sure all the research we publish is significant, robust and stands up to objective scrutiny, that it reaches all relevant audiences in the best possible format, and can be discovered, accessed, used, re-used and shared. We support librarians and institutions with innovations in technology and data; and provide quality publishing support to societies.
As a research publisher, Springer Nature is home to trusted brands including Springer, Nature Portfolio, BMC, Palgrave Macmillan and Scientific American. For more information, please visit springernature.com and @SpringerNature
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company, operates across healthcare, life science and electronics. Around 58,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From advancing gene editing technologies and discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2021, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated sales of € 19.7 billion in 66 countries.
The company holds the global rights to the name and trademark “Merck” internationally. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operate as EMD Serono in healthcare, MilliporeSigma in life science, and EMD Electronics. Since its founding in 1668, scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to the company’s technological and scientific advances. To this day, the founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company.
Sam Sule | Communications | Springer Nature
sam.sule@springernature.com
