The Textile Innovation Awards 2021 were awarded on March 4th

You can still watch the online award ceremony.

Textirama Foundation funds innovative projects in the textile industry. This year again we awarded 3 winners in two categories, for Concept and Take-Off projects. 9 candidates have been nominated for the prestigious They pitched their innovation in front of our camera. Click on the link below to watch.

Follow the live stream of the Award Ceremony

Textile Innovation Award are submitted in the following categories:

category 1: TAKE-OFF AWARD
Entrepreneurs with take-off projects

Receive
€ 40.000 of seed capital

This is a call to entrepreneurs with projects that contribute to the innovative power and digital transition of the Belgian textile sector. Have you already passed the idea formation phase? Do you have a calculated business plan and a minimum viable product? And does your project, product of service also meet the requirements below:

technologically innovative
an entrepreneurial mindset
fits in with the vision of the Textirama Foundation

Then this is your chance to make a breakthrough.
Need some inspiration? Check out the Awards 2020 tab. You will find more info and pitch movies of each nominee there.

Submit your project

How to participate

Ask a question

category 2: CONCEPT AWARDS
Open to everyone with concept ideas

2 Finalists will win
€ 5.000 in cash

No idea is too early. Are you an ideator with an innovative idea or concept? Are you a private person, a company, a student or do you represent a school? Go ahead, participate! The ideas submitted in this category need further detailing. The proposals are in the concept- or ideation phase. You may have an early prototype, but the feasibility has yet to be examined and the market research still needs to be conducted. The concepts also meet the requirements below:

technologically innovative
characterised by a starter or an entrepreneurial mindset
fits in with the vision of the Textirama Foundation

Need inspiration? Check out the Awards 2020 tab.

Submit your concept

How to participate

Ask a question

Some frequently asked questions

1What is the difference between Concept and Take-off awards?

Both categories call for innovations in the textile industry, but to submit a project in the take-off category, your innovation will have to be 'market ready'. This means you have a proof of concept, a minimum viable product and the market has been researched. All the above is not necessary for entries in the Concept awards. A bold idea, well substantiated, based on the hypothetical needs of a target audience meets the demands. But take care, it looks easier than it is. Your submission wil have to comply to the formal demands. Find them here

2I am a civil servant, am I allowed to participate?

The answer is simple: yes. Everyone is eligible, whether you are a private person, a legal entity (a company) or a school. You can participate if you live or are established in Belgium and your proposal meets the formal requirements. Find them here

3How can I participate as a university or school?

We are particularly pleased that schools are willing to participate and encourage this. As a Belgian school you can participate in different ways. You can represent your school with a team, you can register as a department (for example textiles, multi-media, IT, marketing, healthcare, ...) or as a student. We invite heads of departments to introduce the Textirama Foundation competition to their students and - why not - to supervise and help teams who want to be part of the competition. We will be happy to answer your questions: ask them here

4Is my idea, product or design protected when I participate?

Yes and no. Yes, because everyone, jury and Textirama Foundation employees, sign an NDA or a confidentiality agreement. So your idea is safe as long as we are evaluating the applications. Once we are at the Textirama awards, then your idea becomes public and therefore it is better to protect your idea upfront. But don’t worry the Textirama Jury and employees will remind you during the process of necessary steps to safeguard your invention prior to this moment. First thing you can do is to register your idea through i-DEPOT. You can register your idea or product online via the BOIP website. This registration puts a date stamp on your idea, which is important to prove you were the first. However, in order to protect your idea, you will need some more steps. Have a look at this website, a scan made by the Flemish government to advise you on what kind of protection suits best for your invention. And in case you still get confused about all this ‘protection’ topics, just reach out to the Textirama Team and we will help you out.

5What can I do and NOT do with the money I might win?

As long as you use the resources for the purpose for which the Award was created, you are free to decide what the investment entails.

6I have a specific question, how can I talk to you?

We are happy to answer all of your questions. Please send us a mail via this link. We will reach out to you as soon as we can.