Engage

From idea to action.

About Engage

As part of OptoSuRe’s spillover activities, we are excited to introduce "Engage," a pioneering program designed to empower women researchers in their commercialization pursuits. Recognizing the unique challenges women face in entrepreneurship, such as systemic obstacles and gender biases, it is essential to provide them with the extra support needed to overcome these hurdles.

Expression of interest - 2026
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Engage is...

  • a 9-week training program for women at the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey who want to commercialize a scientific idea;
  • delivered virtually to enable pan-European participation;
  • free of charge;
  • without obligations and;
  • qualifying for further entrepreneurship and business development training.
Register for briefing event
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Criteria and benefits

Participation criteria

This opportunity is open to researchers at the Master, PhD, and Post Doc levels. Applicants should have a particular interest in one of the following areas of focus:

  • Optics and Photonics.
  • Micro and Optoelectronics (spanning the value chain from Components over Systems to Applications such as Visualisation, Illumination, Sensing, and Medicine/Health).
  • Digitization (excluding pure software development, pure machine learning/AI approaches).
  • Smart Manufacturing.
  • Linking the focus areas with aspects of sustainability, energy efficiency and resource efficiency.

Benefits of participation

  • Broadening of peer network, which can lead to valuable connections and collaborations.
  • Cultivating an innovation and growth mindset to drive personal and professional development.
  • Implementing a methodology that encourages the identification and exploitation of commercial opportunities stemming from individual’s research.
  • Gaining insights from successful entrepreneurial role models.
  • Acquiring new skills, tools, and knowledge to enhance capabilities.
  • Discovering and recognizing individual strengths and talents.
  • Gaining a clear understanding of the path to commercialization for research endeavors.
Expression of interest - 2026

Program details

Key program dates

Program schedule

Award

Cohort

Cost

Intellectual property

Questions

Email a query

For e-mail queries, please contact ipcei-optosure@ams-osram.com

Email

Office hours

Office Hours is a 15 minute chat with the program lead to see if Engage is a good fit for you.

Book office hours

Engage team

Engage, custom-designed by Alinea for ams OSRAM, is shaped by industry experts and underscores a commitment to excellence. It is founded on the principles of mentorship, complemented by administrative assistance, and delivers meaningful educational results.

Dr. Anja Schulz

Senior Project Manager Global Public Funding

Helen Fullen

Engage Program Lead

Express your interest

Expression of interest - 2026