STM Innovator Fair 2026 | Calling Innovators

Ready to put your innovation in the spotlight?

Applications are now open for the STM Innovator Fair 2026. Whether you’re working on research integrity solutions or wider publishing infrastructure tools and services, we’re looking for the innovators who are solving the real-world challenges across scholarly communications.

What’s this about? At STM, we champion the technologies, services, and ideas shaping the future of trusted research. Every year, as part of STM’s Innovation and Integrity Days, the Innovator Fair provides a unique opportunity for innovators to present their work to senior decision-makers from publishers, societies, university presses, and other industry providers.

Selected innovators can

  • meet and network with the innovation leaders and decision makers in the STM industry
  • present concepts on stage in brief lightning talks
  • showcase innovations via a table-top booth and poster, offer live demos and answer questions
  • engage in quality conversations with pre-scheduled meetings with STM members and attendees

Process at-a-glance

  • Presenters are invited to submit their innovation to STM via the form below by 30 September 2026.
  • On 12 October, STM will announce the participating organisations and invite conference delegates to pre-schedule one-on-one meetings with presenters
  • On 8 December, during the Innovator Fair, presenters will pitch their concepts to attendees (academic publishers, societies, universities, and other start-ups) at the BMA House in London — with ample opportunities to connect with conference delegates and fellow innovators at the interactive fair.

How to participate 

  • Please submit your solution concept using the form below by 30 September 2026
  • If your concept is approved, you will be alerted by STM by 12 October — and a fee of €150 per person will be required to participate for up to two presenters — a fraction of standard admission.
  • Questions? Reach out to Hylke Koers via email.

Pitch your innovation!

STM Innovator Pitch Submission Form 2026 (#46)

Selection Criteria

STM will review submissions and select presenters based on the following criteria: 

  • Impact — potential reach and impact in advancing trusted research and scholarly communication innovations
  • Scope – We welcome proposals across all areas of scholarly communication, with a special emphasis on innovations in research integrity 
  • The creativity of concept — bold, innovative ideation 
  • Adaptability — potential for the concept to be integrated by academic publishers and relevant stakeholders 
  • Novelty — we will prioritise concepts that have not been presented in earlier editions of the STM Innovator Fair 

Please note: STM will review submissions and will make selections based on its own discretion using the criteria above. Explanations are not owed to submitters. 

Back to the Innovator Fair landing page