The annual competition supports new businesses and potential startups in optics and photonics
BELLINGHAM, Wash., January 21, 2026–(BUSINESS WIRE)–SPIE, the international society of optics and photonics, announced Coalesenz Inc. as the $10,000 first prize winner of their 16th 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 industest 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 revealcased innovative, investment-ready optics and photonics technologies and applications.
“This is tremfinishously exciting,” Coalesenz Inc., Founder, Seemantini Nadkarni, declared after her large 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 relocated 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 rapider 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,” declared Arnold Estrada, CEO and Co-Founder of SPKL LLC. “The notoriety I believe that we’ll obtain from placing in this competition will be invaluable.”
“It’s very nice to obtain 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 declared. “I’ve already created some connections.” Although this was van de Haar’s first SPIE Startup Challenge, she’s attfinished 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 industest as well as the Founder of the Startup Challenge.
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