Formnext, the 3D printing industry’s leading European trade show, has extended the deadline for applications to its 2021 Start-Up Challenge until Friday, 16th July.
Preparations are currently underway for the seventh edition of the Start-Up Challenge, which will once again invite innovative 3D printing companies that have been trading for less than five years, to apply for the award.
Entrants will be assessed by a panel of industry experts featuring 3D Printing Industry’s own Editor-in-Chief Michael Petch, who will then declare the winners.
The Formnext Start-Up Challenge 2021
Since its inception, the competition has sought to provide a platform for emerging 3D printing businesses.
Over the years, winning the competition has enabled a variety of now-established 3D printing firms to raise their profile and find prospective clients and investors, the likes of which include 3D printing software company 3YOURMIND, automated post-processing provider DyeMansion, and SLS 3D printer manufacturer, Sinterit.
To be eligible for the award, businesses are required to have a market-ready product or service, must be founded after January 1st, 2016, and not be majority-owned by an established company.
The five winners will receive a 3D printed award in addition to a Formnext exhibition and marketing package, which includes a fully-equipped exhibition booth in the show’s Start-up area, and inclusion within the event’s marketing and communication activities.
This year’s Formnext trade show will see exhibitors and visitors return to the exhibition floor between 16-19 November for face-to-face interactions once more, after taking place in a fully digital format in 2020.
The Start-Up Challenge winners will be given the opportunity to take part in a pitch event at the show and receive a company profile from a media sponsor. Corporate coaching from a member of the judging panel will also be available.
AM Ventures Impact Award 2021
Entrants to the Formnext Start-Up Challenge 2021 will also be eligible for the AM Ventures Impact Award, which recognizes the positive environmental impact of 3D printing innovation.
Launched for the first time last year by investment firm AM Ventures, the award will be given to the 3D printing firm that advances the 17 environmental goals set out by the United Nations, and that also addresses the social aspects of sustainability, such as education and equality.
The winner will need to prove that they have had a notable environmental impact within their chosen field regarding the technology they provide, its applications, and the actions they have taken on sustainability, including within their supply chain.
Application deadline extended
The deadline for applications to the Formnext Start-Up Challenge 2021 has been extended to Friday, 16th July, 2021, with winners due to be announced in September. Eligible start-ups that would be interested in submitting an entry can apply here.
2020’s Start-Up Challenge winners impressed the judging panel with a variety of technical developments from automated design software and new materials, to production monitoring and automated post-processing.
The five best innovations identified by the panel at the conference included real-time monitoring technology for additive manufacturing processes from Addiguru, metal circular economy firm MolyWork’s NASA-recognized Greyhound system, ETH Zurich spin-out NematX’s commercialization of high-performance polymer 3D printing technology, topology optimization for engineering components by TOffeeAM, and AM-Flow’s efforts to digitize and automate the 3D printing post-production process.
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Featured image shows the deadline for applications for the Formnext Start-Up Challenge 2021 has been extended until 16th July. Photo via Mesago/Matthias Kutt.
