Today, the European Commission announced the winners of the 2026 edition of the Symposium on Fusion Technology (SOFT) Innovation Prize. This award gives recognition to outstanding proposals that foster collaboration between researchers and industry. It supports innovative ideas in fusion research with market potential. The European Union funds the SOFT Innovation Prize through the Euratom Research and Training Programme.
This year’s winners are:
Lasermag
€50 000
Originating from R&I led by the ‘Renaissance Fusion’ start-up (FR), Lasermag presents a major breakthrough in the fabrication and assembly of High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) magnets, using laser-engraving of wide tapes and winding them into magnetic coils. The innovation addresses convincingly some key industrial, technical and financial barriers in stellarator development. What stands out is the market and economic impact potential: 2025 global demand of ~8,000 km (12mm-equivalent) HTS tape, exponential growth driven by fusion pilot plants, and a Total Addressable Market (TAM) of €1.65 by 2030.
Miami
€30 000
Delivered by a team from the ‘Forschungszentrum Jülich’ (DE), the Miami innovation provides a major improvement of the Ion Beam Analysis (IBA) technology – a method for material analysis –, addressing key limitations such as low throughput, high costs, and complex data evaluation.The Miami technology demonstrates strong economic potential within the fusion field and beyond (e.g., battery development and geology). Its compact design, high throughput, and ability to deliver high-resolution tomographic data make it attractive for a broad range of stakeholders, from academic researchers to industrial use.
microRaman
€20 000
Resulting from research works led by a team at the ‘Karlruhe Institut für Technologie’ (DE), the microRaman innovation aims to critically enhance in-situ gas analysis for fusion applications, by enabling simultaneous, real-time measurement of all hydrogen isotopologues. The innovation is based on a first-of-a-kind integration of proprietary technologies yielding a compact, alignment-free, user-friendly platform for tritium-compatible environments. It has a very promising potential for replication and a successful transfer of technology from public research to industry, resulting in a commercially available product for tritium-related research and adjacent applications
Background
SOFT Innovation Prize
The SOFT Innovation Prize aims to stimulate the research community in order to strengthen innovation and foster an entrepreneurial culture in fusion research. In 2024, the Commission received eight proposals that were then checked and evaluated by an independent jury composed of experts in fusion research and market exploitation. The jury assessed the proposals based on originality and replicability, technical excellence, economic impact, and exploitation of the innovation.
Euratom Research and Training Programme
The Euratom Research and Training Programme is the EU nuclear research and training programme with an emphasis on the continuous improvement of nuclear safety, fusion and fission research, radioactive waste management and geological disposal as well as radiation protection, ensuring open access to infrastructures, education and training, and international cooperation. It supports the energy transition objectives of Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation programme, as well as the implementation of the European fusion and fission roadmaps.
