STARTS Prize 2026 Opens Global Call for Creative Tech Innovators with €30,000 in Awards

Europe’s long-running STARTS Prize, a competition that spotlights inventive work at the crossroads of science, technology and the arts has launched its open call for the 2026 edition, inviting global innovators, including those from Africa, to submit projects by 4 March 2026 (23:59 CET).

The award, supported by the European Commission’s STARTS Initiative, honours creative collaborations that bring together artistic inquiry and technological development to confront societal, industrial and environmental challenges.

A Global Platform with Deep Roots

The STARTS Prize is an annual recognition platform established to accelerate innovation where technology and creative practice converge. Since 2016, the initiative has evaluated tens of thousands of submissions from more than 120 countries, underlining its growing prominence as a global stage for boundary-pushing work.

Projects eligible for consideration span a broad spectrum of practice, from human-computer interaction, artificial intelligence and green tech to material research, sustainability, biotech, and more. What unifies them is a compelling integration of technology and artistic or creative thinking with demonstrable potential to reshape understanding or application in society or industry.

Prize Structure and Recognition Opportunities

For the 2026 cycle, the STARTS Prize will award two Grand Prizes, each accompanied by €20,000, recognising:

• Innovative Collaboration — exceptional partnerships that fuse industry or scientific inquiry with creative disciplines.
• Artistic Exploration — artistic research that could change how technology is perceived or used.

Winning entries will also be invited to present their work at the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria (9–13 September 2026), a key global showcase for innovation and inter-disciplinary exploration, and featured at events hosted by partner institutions across Europe.

What This Means for African Innovators

While the STARTS Prize is not limited by nationality,  openings are global and inclusive, the competition amplifies opportunities for African creators and teams to secure international visibility and collaboration networks. Past editions of STARTS Prize Africa, a regional iteration with a €30,000 prize pool, illustrate the appetite for nurturing homegrown creative tech ecosystems and demonstrate a pathway for innovators on the continent to gain exposure on the world stage.

For Nigerian technologists, artists and interdisciplinary teams looking to bridge creativity with problem-solving technologies, this competition offers not only financial awards but access to influential networks of researchers, industry partners and cultural organisations.

How to Apply

Entrants must prepare a submission that clearly articulates the innovation’s technological and creative dimensions, supported by documentation or visuals that convey impact and potential. Applications are accepted through the official STARTS Prize portal until 4 March 2026.