BELLINGHAM, Wash., Nov. 19, 2025 — Seven early-stage startup companies have been selected to compete for a top prize of $10,000 at the 16th annual SPIE Startup Challenge at Photonics West. The Challenge, to be held Jan. 20, is a competitive entrepreneurial platform for new businesses that utilize optics and photonics for innovative products or applications. Participating teams compete for sponsored prizes, in addition to gaining increased visibility with potential investors and exposure to potential collaborators or partners.
Max-IR was the winner of the 2025 SPIE Startup Challenge. (From left) Jenoptik’s Ralf Kuschnereit, Max-IR Lab's Trey Daunis, and 2025 SPIE President Peter de Groot. Courtesy of SPIE.
Cash prizes of $10,000, $5000, and $2500, provided by Startup Challenge founding partner Jenoptik, will be awarded to the top three finalists. The SPIE Startup Challenge is also supported by lead sponsors Avo Photonics and Hamamatsu, and supporting sponsor Luminate.
Competition judges include venture capitalists and business-development experts from the photonics industry who will vet applicants for their business case, financial case, and competitive advantages. Teams competing in the Startup Challenge will get feedback on their business and pitch from business-development experts and investors.
The 2026 SPIE Startup Challenge will also include the inaugural SPIE Jay Kumler Innovation Award, which honors former president of Jenoptik North America and SPIE Fellow Jay Kumler, who died earlier this year. The award, given by the competition judges, will go to the finalist who best exemplifies Kumler’s commitment to advancing optics and photonics innovation.
This year's products encompass innovations in healthcare, nanotechnology, ultrafast lasers, and agriculture. The seven 2026 SPIE Startup Challenge finalists and their technologies are:
• Coalesenz Inc.: Lucerix CZ – iCoagLab. Real-time bedside profiling guides transfusion and anticoagulation.
• Seaborough: EuroLED. Nano-engineered phosphors deliver brighter light, lower carbon, and real savings.
• Seedsight: Seedsight Platform. AI-powered optics for safer, fairer, and more sustainable cereals, nourishing millions worldwide.
• TomoFlow S.r.l.: TF100m. Imaging flow cytometer.
• RayVen Laser GmbH: RayVen. Building solid-state, high-energy, and compact ultrafast laser systems emitting in the 2.1-μm range.
• SPKL LLC: SPKL Flow Monitor. Low-cost, wearable blood flow monitors.
• DeepEn GmbH: DeepEn One. A hair-thin holographic endoscope unlocking subcellular imaging deep inside living tissue.