Celebrating Europe's next generation of researchers and innovators
The EuroTech Universities Alliance has officially launched the 2026 EuroTech Rising Stars Award, recognising early-career researchers whose work has the potential to advance science, drive innovation and generate lasting societal and economic value.
Previously known as the EuroTech Future Award, the initiative enters its next chapter under a new name, reflecting the Alliance’s ongoing commitment to fostering the next generation of research and innovation leaders across Europe. In doing so, it also contributes to Europe’s wider ambition to attract, develop and retain exceptional research talent – an essential foundation for scientific excellence, technological strength and long-term competitiveness.
Presented by the six member universities of the EuroTech Universities Alliance – the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Institut Polytechnique de Paris (IP Paris), Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the award reflects partners’ shared mission to address major societal challenges through research, innovation and collaboration.
The 2026 edition accepts nominations from across all research disciplines through two award tracks:
- Rising Research Stars, highlighting breakthrough scientific work that advances knowledge and understanding while demonstrating potential to generate impact across scientific, technological, societal, environmental, health, industrial or policy domains.
- Rising Innovation Stars, recognising researchers who turn ideas and discoveries into solutions with the potential to benefit society, including early-stage ventures emerging from research with prospects for market uptake and economic impact.
Eligible nominees, put forward by the partner universities, include PhD candidates in the final stages of their doctoral studies and researchers who completed their doctorate within the past five years.
An inter-university jury comprising the Vice-Presidents for Research from each of the six EuroTech universities will select the winners, who will be announced at the award ceremony during the EuroTech Summit in Brussels on 28 October. Across both tracks, the jury will consider not only academic excellence, but also the potential of the work to address real-world challenges and generate impact beyond academia.
Alongside monetary prizes, the award offers winners a platform to amplify the visibility and impact of their work at European level. First-place winners will have the opportunity to pitch their research or spin-off ideas at the Summit, while all winners will be invited to showcase their work in the Summit exhibition. The achievements of nominees and winners will be featured in the EuroTech Rising Stars Award Brochure, promoted through EuroTech’s and its partners’ communication channels, reaching audiences across the Alliance and beyond.
The selected nominees will also be offered a chance to attend the Falling Walls Science Summit on 6-9 November in Berlin – one of Europe’s leading gatherings of scientists, innovators, entrepreneurs and policymakers. The event creates a unique environment for exchanging knowledge, building international connections and engaging with the wider European research and innovation community.
Building on the success of previous editions, the EuroTech Rising Stars Award continues to shine a light on emerging talent, bringing together researchers across institutions and disciplines and recognising ideas with the potential to shape Europe’s future.