Nexperia startup challenge
Imagine a not-so-distant future: humanoid robot assistants manage tasks in your home, solar-powered Light Electric Vehicles (LEVs) silently navigate urban streets, and autonomous robots (AGVs/AMRs), cobots, and humanoid robots work seamlessly alongside humans in production and logistics.
Micro-mobility systems, spanning urban personal transport, service and security robots, electric maritime leisure craft, and advanced charging infrastructure, will form the invisible backbone of a cleaner, safer, and more productive world, bringing you forward while doing it.
Unlocking this future requires breakthrough innovations in power electronics, battery and energy management systems, charging technologies and efficient energy conversion.
We invite European hardware startups to partner with #TeamNexperia and shape the future of micro-mobility.
Ready to shape the future of micro-mobility? Tell us about your solution by completing the application form below.
Startup Challenge Partners: BayStartUP and Avnet Silica.
Boost the performance of your micro-mobility platform with Nexperia semiconductors
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Light electric vehicles (LEVs)
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Moving robotics
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Electric maritime propulsion
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Micro-mobility charging infrastructure
How can your technical solution overcome key design challenges in power electronics systems and subsystems related to:
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Power / Energy efficiency
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Motor control optimization
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High power densities
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System miniaturization
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Advanced thermal management, semiconductor cooling or high-temperature operation
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Power and switching performance optimization for 48 V and 72 V systems
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High-frequency power conversion and magnetics design
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Intelligent gate driving and power stage control
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Paralleling MOSFETs for robust and reliable solutions
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EMI / EMC and low-parasitic design
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AI-assisted power electronics circuit design and performance optimization
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Reliable and sustainable power electronics packaging and systems
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Cost-optimized power electronics for mass-market micro-mobility applications
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Your benefits of joining the challenge
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Free Nexperia semiconductor samples and available demo boards
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Access to Nexperia’s semiconductor and product application experts
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Technical support for device selection and system performance optimization during the demo build
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Technology validation with a semiconductor industry leader
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Selected startups will be invited to pitch your technical solution to Nexperia senior managers, ecosystem partners and investors at pitching-event in Hamburg in December 2026
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Get online visibility through Nexperia’s marketing channels and its partners, BayStartUp and Avnet Silica
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Finalists exhibiting and promoted on May 13th at the Nexperia booth at PCIM, Europe's largest power electronics trade fair
What awaits you
Following the October 31st application deadline, Nexperia and BayStartUP will evaluate all submissions to select the Top 10 startups. In December, these companies will be invited to Nexperia’s semiconductor fab in Hamburg to pitch their innovative system or sub-system solutions for micro-mobility applications. During this event, a jury of Nexperia leaders, investors, and industry customers will select three winning finalists for the collaboration phase.
From December 2026 to mid-April 2027, these finalists will collaborate directly with Nexperia’s engineering teams to develop their demonstrators and reference designs. Throughout the collaboration phase, partner Avnet Silica will provide Nexperia samples and essential components, while BayStartUP delivers tailored business coaching, pitching guidance, and access to their investor network. This joint initiative culminates on May 13th, 2027, when the finalists showcase their co-developed solutions alongside Nexperia at PCIM Europe.
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31st of October, 2026 Application phase closed
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25th of November, 2026 Selection phase closed: You are notified if selected as one of the top 10 startups for the pitching event
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15th of December, 2026 Pitching event at Nexperia's Hamburg fab: Selection and award ceremony of finalist startups participating in the collaboration phase
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December 2026 to 15th of April, 2027 Collaboration phase: Demonstrator or reference design ready until mid - April
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13th of May, 2027 Collaboration showcase at Nexperia's booth at PCIM
Frequently asked questions
General questions for the Nexperia startup challenge
- The goal of the challenge is to support innovative, growth-oriented startups in the micro-mobility market segment with design/redesign, thereby enabling them to achieve a faster time to market and develop more competitive solutions
- European - based hardware startups
- Startups with in-house development capabilities designing their own power-electronic-based systems and / or sub-systems for micro-mobility or robotics applications
- Startups with clear fit with at least one of the challenge application areas and design-challenges highlighted above
- Startups with a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of ≥ 4 and with potential of reaching Level 6 within the demo-build period
- Startups in the design phase of the next product generation or having an existing design that can realistically design-in Nexperia’s semiconductor products within the demo-build period
- Startups with first market traction, ideally with existing pilot customers or initial customer projects. Strong scalability and growth potential beyond individual pilot projects
- 3 startups to showcase their micro-mobility system and sub-system solutions at the Nexperia booth during PCIM - Europe's largest power electronics trade fair
- Application phase opening September 25h
- Application submission phase closing October 31st - Nexperia together with partner BayStartUP selects the top 10 startups
- On November 25th you are informed if you have been selected among the top 10 startups to pitch your company’s solution to Nexperia senior management, ecosystem partners and investors
- The pitching event and finalist award ceremony is held December 15th at Nexperia’s fab in Hamburg, including selection of startup finalists for the collaboration phase and for showcasing at PCIM 2027
- Collaboration phase: Between December 2026 and mid-April 2027, the 3 finalists build and develop your demonstrators and reference designs
- The finalized system or sub-system demonstrator and reference designs for micro-mobility applications are presented to Nexperia on April 15th (Online meeting)
- PCIM showcase: Your startup showcases the developed system or sub-system for micro-mobility applications at the Nexperia booth at PCIM on May 13th in Nürnberg
- No, the product does not need to be market-ready yet. However, a first functional prototype should already exist, with the potential to further develop it into technology readiness level 6 within the collaboration phase
- Application to the Nexperia startup challenge “Efficient powering of micro - mobility platforms” opens on September 25th and closes on 31st of October, 2026
- Fill out the challenge application form under apply now, thereby briefly describing your company, the focus application, the system or sub-system technical solution and information supporting the Nexperia pre-selection process
- From all the applications, 10 startups will be selected to participate in the pitch event in December 2026 in Hamburg. During the pitching contest, a jury, encompassing Nexperia senior management, partners and investors will select at least 3 finalists for the collaboration phase
- The startups will be prepared for the pitching and showcase event by our partner BayStartUP
- Technology: degree of innovation, use of Nexperia components
- Customer & market: customer benefit, USP, strategic fit with micro-mobility topic
- Business potential: scalability, revenue and realization potential
- General: physical demonstrator, presentation
- The work phase runs from mid-December 2026 to the mid April 2027
- Free Nexperia semiconductor samples and available demo boards
- Direct access to Nexperia and Avnet Silica field application engineers (FAEs) and product experts
- Technical support for device selection and system performance optimization during the demo build
- Technology validation with a global semiconductor industry leader
- Access to industry partners, potential customers, and investors through the BayStartUP network
- Coaching from BayStartUP throughout the collaboration phase, including pitch training and preparation for investor meetings
- Promotion through Nexperia, BayStartUP, and Avnet Silica marketing channels
- At the end of the collaboration phase, each participant must be able to show a physical demonstrator and submit a brief description in the form of a presentation
No. As a general rule, signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) is not required to participate in the Challenge. We recommend that you do not disclose any confidential or business-critical information during the initial stages. If, at a later stage of the Challenge, it becomes useful or necessary to exchange confidential information, for example during the collaborative working phase, an NDA can be agreed on an individual basis. Please feel free to reach out to us early if you believe an NDA may be required.
- The startups and Nexperia actively seek follow-up technical and business collaborations
- Access to Nexperia samples
- The challenge is organized by Nexperia, and our partners Avnet Silica and BayStartUP
Have questions about the challenge? Contact the organizing team at: startup.challenge@nexperia.com
* Please be aware that questions may be answered by our collaboration partner BayStartup
Resources for Nexperia's startup challenge
Learn more about the resources support that Nexperia can provide throughout your micro-mobility challange.
Our partners
Join the Nexperia’s startup challenge 2026 / 2027
We are looking for European - based hardware startups
Application close on October 31st