Karl Heinz Beckurts Prize

The Karl Heinz Beckurts Prize annually honors outstanding scientific achievements that have been realized through close cooperation between research institutions and industry and have demonstrably resulted in innovative technological applications. With an endowment of €30,000, the award is aimed at researchers from universities, colleges, non-university research institutes, as well as industry, who have successfully transferred scientific ideas into industrial practice together. Nominations can only be made by authorized institutions such as universities, research organizations, professional societies, or companies. A prerequisite is that the awarded work was carried out at a publicly funded institution and has already provided recognizable impetus for concrete applications. The board of trustees of the Karl Heinz Beckurts Foundation decides on the award of the prize based on a two-stage selection process.

Particular emphasis is placed on the degree of innovation, the success of technological application, and scientific excellence, evidenced by publication record, third-party funding acquisition, or patents. Additionally, the demonstrable societal or economic benefit of the achievement is taken into account in the decision. The submission deadline for nominations is March 31, 2026; required documents include a letter of support from the nominated institution (maximum three pages), a nomination dossier (up to ten pages, excluding references, patents, and licenses), as well as the CVs of the nominees. The Karl Heinz Beckurts Prize thus specifically promotes sustainable technology transfer and strengthens the bridging function between science and industry to enable long-term societal and economic progress.