JEC Composites has officially opened the call for entries for Startup Booster 2026, the premier global competition for startups and entrepreneurs in composites and advanced materials. The event will take place at JEC World 2026, scheduled for March 10-12, 2026, at Parc des Expositions, Paris Nord Villepinte.
Launched in 2017, Startup Booster has established itself as the top platform for nurturing innovation in materials science, with over 1,300 projects submitted from 60+ countries, resulting in 158 finalists and 34 winners to date. Notable alumni include FibreCoat, Arevo, Continuous Composites, CompPair, Fortify, and Vartega.
This global competition is open to startups, entrepreneurs, and academic spinoffs innovating in six key categories: Raw Materials (fibers, resins, additives, fillers, coatings); Semi-Finished Materials (prepregs, textiles, UD tapes); Manufacturing Processes and Equipment; Digital Solutions (AI, software, data, material informatics); and Circularity and Recycling Technologies.
A jury of industry experts and investors will evaluate all entries, selecting 20 finalists who will pitch their solutions live during JEC World 2026.
Finalists receive: a pitch session in front of investors and experts, visibility in the Startup Village at JEC World, access to JEC Investor Day for 1-on-1 meetings, online media exposure, personalized coaching, and broadcast on JEC Composites Web TV.
Three winners will be announced at the Startup Booster Awards Ceremony on March 11, 2026, receiving financial awards of EUR 5,000 (Grand Winner) and EUR 2,500 (Runner-up & Sustainability Winner), a fully equipped booth at JEC World 2027, a composite trophy, and a comprehensive media package.
Key Dates: June 2025 - Call for entries opens; October 20, 2025 - Application deadline; January 12, 2026 - Finalists announced; March 10, 2026 - Live pitches at JEC World; March 11, 2026 - Award ceremony.
Source: www.jec-world.events
