"This year, we've seen a significant increase in submissions in the areas of industrial safety and health. The products are impressive in their market readiness," says Dr. Klaus Hecker, Managing Director of OE-A, the international working group for flexible and printed electronics within VDMA and a partner of LOPEC.
LOPEC is a global exhibition and conference for printed electronics, bringing together industry, research, and end users each year.
During the LOPEC Award Show ceremony, the winners received their awards. A jury of international experts evaluated the submissions in three categories. LOPEC visitors were also able to vote at the OE-A booth, choosing their favorite innovation for the “Public Choice Award.” The competition encourages the industry to present its latest innovations each year.
Winners of the OE-A Competition 2026
Best Prototype and New Product: Leak Detection System for Industrial Plants – Flexoo, Germany
Best Freestyle Demonstrator: Monochrome MiniLED Display – TracXon, Netherlands
Best Publicly Funded Project:Intelligent Sensor System for Diabetic Foot Ulcer Care – Hochschule Niederrhein, Germany
Public Choice Award: Printed Speaker in Headrest – CeNTI, Portugal
More information and photos of all the projects are available on the OE-A website: https://oe-a.org/oe-a-competition-2026.
OE-A Webinar “OE-A Competition 2026 – The Winners” on April 16.
The webinar “Printed Electronics Insights: OE-A Competition 2026 – The Winners” will be held on April 16 at 3:30 p.m. The winners will present their projects, offering the community a firsthand look at the award-winning projects. The event is geared towards the printed electronics community and anyone interested.
New opportunities for entrepreneurs: LOPEC Start-Up Competition.
As part of the LOPEC Business Conference, the OE-A supports emerging startups with the Start-Up Competition. “The goal is to connect young entrepreneurs with partners and investors. These contacts help them develop their business ideas in a focused way. LOPEC offers young companies the opportunity to present their ideas and highlight their innovations in a special startup area,” explains Dr. John Fahlteich, president of the LOPEC Start-Up Competition.
LOPEC Start-Up Competition 2026 Awards
Best Business Case: Jörg Dickerboom, Kronos Mechatronics GmbH, Germany – “Printing the Future in Every Dimension”
Most Impactful Technology: Dr. Erik Khranovskyy, GRAFREN AB, Sweden – “New Generation of E-Textiles through Ordered Placement of 2D Nanocrystals on the Surface of Individual Fibers”
