Lifeport Semicon Innovation Challenge

Invitation for the Lifeport Semicon Innovation Challenge 2026: for companies and researchers.

26-27 August, @ Nijmegen

You are kindly invited to the Lifeport Semicon Innovation Challenge 2026. LSIC26 is an open innovation platform for professionals working in and around the semicon industry. We are looking for the next breakthrough, the next game-changing idea. Our goal is to identify the most ambitious, inspiring and impactful mind-boggling innovation challenges that will strengthen Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem and position the region as a global leader over the next decade. Together, you will turn these challenges into solutions.

For whom

LSIC26 is for professionals working in the Lifeport semicon industry and researchers working in fields that are relevant for industry (and instead of now giving an endless long list of relevant research fields, we’d like to say: ‘you know who you are’). You can either pitch your own idea or join one of the idea groups. The challenge is open to participants from across the Netherlands.

Why participate?

At this informal and fun event, you will get the chance to exchange ideas with other experts who are open to new innovative projects. This is a fertile ground for public-private collaborations and entrepreneurial adventures with like-minded people to work on challenges that will bring change in semicon.  

Programme

LSIC2026 consists of three stages over the course of 24 hours process in three stages:

Open Stage – 26 August 15:00 – 19:00

We start with an open podium where anyone can pitch their innovation challenge. Think of technologies improving the energy-efficiency of chips, novel material concepts, new security designs or solutions to challenges in chip design, packaging or production. We have room for a maximum of 20 pitches. The day concludes with you selecting the top 10 challenges you want to work on the next 21 hours. We wrap up stage one with drinks and pizza.

Behind the stage sprint – 27 August 10:00 – 14:00

All participants self-select the challenge they want to work on. In these improvised teams (ideally with a mix of researchers and industry professionals) you’ll design a draft innovation programme that includes at least the moonshot statement, the Minimum Viable Project, potential customers and market potential, partners that you have (or want to bring) on board and a first cost calculation and timeline. A template for this will be provided. This stage is the pressure cooker where everything comes together.

Pitch Stage- 27 August 14:00 – 16:00

We finish the challenge with pitches of all groups. We bring in an expert jury (board members, experts, investors) that carries 50% of the vote, and you as participants take the other 50% of the vote.

Closing stage

We end the day with drinks and bitterballen at the heart of the Lifeport semicon ecosystem including the semicon community of the Netherlands. For questions, please send an e-mail to: ellen.vanderlei@oostnl.nl