The International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) has opened applications for the Brian and Joyce Blatchford Team Prize for Innovation, which carries €15,000 for the winning individual or team. Applications close on 10 December 2026, and the prize will be presented at a dedicated ceremony during the ISPO 21st World Congress in Bangkok, Thailand, in March 2027.
What is the Blatchford Team Prize for Innovation?
According to ISPO’s announcement to its community, the prize was established by the Blatchford family to honour the memory of Mr Brian Blatchford and Mrs Joyce Blatchford. It recognises outstanding research and innovation in prosthetics, orthotics and rehabilitation engineering, and ISPO encourages individuals and teams who have carried out groundbreaking research or created impactful technological innovations to apply.
What does the Blatchford Team Prize include?
The winning individual or team receives €15,000 and an official certificate of recognition. The winners also receive complimentary congress registration for one author, and reimbursement of one author’s travel and accommodation up to a total of €1,500 to attend the World Congress.
How to apply and key dates
The submission deadline is 10 December 2026. The announcement will be made at the Bangkok congress in March 2027. Applicants should check ISPO’s awards pages for the application route and full criteria. ISPO’s awards page describes the prize as being for teams with an outstanding record of innovation in hardware or scientifically based new techniques that lead to better devices, and notes that the 2025 prize was presented at the 20th ISPO World Congress in Stockholm.
IMEA CPO Perspective
For CPOs, engineers and researchers in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia and South Asia, the prize is a chance to put regional innovation on a global stage. Much of the region’s most practical work, from low-cost and 3D-printed devices to digital fitting workflows, is developed in clinics, universities and NGOs that rarely have research funding. A €15,000 prize with travel support to Bangkok could help a small team show its work, find partners and publish. Teams should read the full criteria on the ISPO site before preparing an application, because the announcement summarises the prize but does not set out the assessment process.
Related coverage on IMEA CPO includes the ISPO World Congress 2027 programme highlights for CPOs, the ISPO 21st World Congress 2027 event listing, and O&P Technology News.
Suggested hyperlinks / sources
- ISPO awards page (background on the Blatchford Prize and the 2025 award)
- ISPO: 2025 Brian and Joyce Blatchford Prize page
- IMEA CPO: ISPO World Congress 2027 programme
- IMEA CPO: O&P Technology News