Coalesenz Inc., SPKL LLC., and Seaborough Take Home Top Prizes at 2026 SPIE Startup Challenge

The annual competition supports new businesses and potential startups in optics and photonics

BELLINGHAM, Wash.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SPIE, the international society of optics and photonics, announced Coalesenz Inc. as the $10,000 first prize winner of their 16^th annual SPIE Startup Challenge at Photonics West in San Francisco. The winning pitch was for Lucerix CZ, a hand-held coagulation analyzer that returns actionable results in 5 to 10 minutes at the point of care.

The SPIE Startup Challenge supports new optics and photonics businesses and potential startups working on novel products, applications, and technologies within the areas of healthcare and deep tech. Seven teams pitched their concepts to a panel of six judges from the optics and photonics industry in hopes of winning one of three prizes, in addition to gaining increased visibility with potential investors and exposure to potential collaborators or partners. This year’s finalists showcased innovative, investment-ready optics and photonics technologies and applications.

“This is tremendously exciting,” Coalesenz Inc., Founder, Seemantini Nadkarni, said after her big win. “I’ve been involved with SPIE since I was a PhD student a long time ago. I started off in medical imaging and then moved into optics. We always come to the Startup Challenge and it’s really awesome to be a part of it, and also win today.”

The second place, $5,000 prize went to SPKL LLC for the SPKL Flow Monitor, a low-cost, portable monitor that can detect a stroke ahead of a patient arriving at a hospital, allowing faster treatment. Seaborough was announced as the third place, $2,500 prize winner for the EuroLED®, a nano-engineered phosphors delivering brighter light, lower carbon, and real savings.

“We’re very excited,” said Arnold Estrada, CEO and Co-Founder of SPKL LLC. “The notoriety I think that we’ll get from placing in this competition will be invaluable.”

“It’s very nice to get confirmation, especially from this type of audience, that what we’re doing is meaningful and interesting,” Seaborough CEO and CTO, Marie Anne van de Haar said. “I’ve already made some connections.” Although this was van de Haar’s first SPIE Startup Challenge, she’s attended Photonics West for nearly a decade. “I love the exhibition. It’s a great way to connect. It’s so large, there’s something for everyone.”

New to the competition this year was the SPIE Jay Kumler Innovation Award. Presented along with Jenoptik, the founding sponsor of the Startup Challenge, the award honors Jay Kumler, the former President of Jenoptik North America and SPIE Fellow, who passed away last year. Kumler was a longtime leader and mentor in the industry as well as the Founder of the Startup Challenge.

“The award encompasses [Jay’s] passion for entrepreneurial activity – developing new products and solutions for emerging markets and applications as well as mentoring teams and individuals involved in these endeavors,” said Gregg Borek, interim president of JENOPTIK Optical Systems.

This year, the $3,000 SPIE Jay Kumler Innovation Award was given to Coalesenz Inc., whose work best demonstrates Kumler’s commitment to advancing optics and photonics innovation.

The SPIE Startup Challenge provides an entry point for entrepreneurs into the community of high-tech business development. Many previous Startup Challenge recipients have gone on to wider commercial success, including, Double Helix Optics, PhotoniCare, Circle Optics, and In A Blink. In addition to Founding Sponsor Jenoptik, the SPIE Startup Challenge is also supported by Lead Sponsors Avo Photonics and Hamamatsu, and Supporting Sponsor Luminate. More information about the 2026 finalists and the SPIE Startup Challenge can be found here.

About SPIE

SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, brings engineers, scientists, students, and business professionals together to advance light-based science and technology. The Society, founded in 1955, connects and engages with our global constituency through industry-leading conferences and exhibitions; publications of conference proceedings, books, and journals in the SPIE Digital Library; and career-building opportunities. Over the past five years, we have invested more than $26 million in the international optics community through our advocacy and support, including scholarships, educational resources, travel grants, endowed gifts, and public-policy development. spie.org.

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