European Inventor Award Finalists 2024

The European Patent Office (EPO) has revealed the fifteen finalists for this year’s European Inventor Award and Young Inventors Prize. These outstanding teams and individuals from over 15 countries are dedicated to enhancing life on our planet and the environment.

The European Inventor Award, a prestigious symbol of innovation in Europe and beyond, is granted by the EPO, the governing body for patents on new inventions. The finalists cover a wide range of fields such as healthcare, energy storage, and manufacturing, striving to create more sustainable societies and improve daily life through technological advancements.

Watch the final awards ceremony live on July 9 at midday CET in the video player above.

Lifetime Achievement Award

Carol Vivien Robinson from the UK will receive the Lifetime Achievement award for her groundbreaking work in mass spectrometry, revolutionizing our understanding of proteins and contributing to advancements in drug discovery and personalized medicine.

Award Categories

The finalists compete in four main categories: Industry, Research, Non-EPO Countries, and SMEs. From innovative healthcare solutions to eco-friendly manufacturing techniques, these inventions address pressing global challenges.

European Inventor Award Finalists

• Industry: Fiorenzo Dioni (IT) and Richard Oberle (DE)
• Research: Cordelia Schmid (DE), Tonio Sant and Daniel Buhagiar (MT), David Devos and Caroline Moreau (FR)
• Non-EPO Countries: Fernando Catalano and Micael Carmo (BR), David Fattal (US), Masato Sagawa (JP)
• SMEs: Sirpa Jalkanen and Markku Jalkanen (FI), Bruno Mottet and Lydéric Bocquet (FR), Olga Malinkiewicz (PL)

Youth Innovation

The Young Inventors Prize recognizes individuals under 30 working on sustainability solutions. Among the finalists are teams like Khaoula Ben Ahmed, Ghofrane Ayari, Souleima Ben Temime, and Sirine Ayari (Tunisia) with their smart wheelchair-control solution and Valentyn Frechka (UA) with eco-friendly paper technology.

Winners Announcement

The winners of the European Inventor Award will be announced on July 9. The jury, comprising former finalists, will evaluate the proposals based on technical, business, and intellectual property expertise. The jury for 2024 is chaired by Wolfgang M. Heckl and includes members like Catia Bastioli and Nuno Correia.