SPIE Startup Challenge and Entrepreneur Program

The SPIE Startup Challenge is a high-stakes, global competition where entrepreneurs with light-enabled products have 5 minutes to pitch their businesses to a team of expert judges. Winning teams share more than $85,000 in cash and other prizes.
Traditionally, the SPIE Startup Challenge is held annually at Photonics West in San Francisco; the largest research conference and trade show for light-based products in North America with over 1,300 companies and 22,000 attendees. In this challenging year, the Startup Challenge's 11th year, the industry-judged competition will be moving to an all-online, live-pitching format.
Save the date: The 2021 Startup Challenge will launch 14 April with our live online kick-off event announcing this year's semifinalists!
Questions? Contact us at innovation@spie.org
Live 2021 kick-off event
14 April 2021 | 9:00AM PT
Register for free › |
2020 Winners
Read the press release