EPO Invention Awards announced

The EPO hosted a ceremony in Malta to present the 2024 European Inventor Prizes, attended by winners in technical fields such as automotive manufacturing, computer vision, magnet technology and renewable energy. The EPO also announced an exciting new twist on its Young Inventor Award and launched the nomination campaign.

European Inventor Award

• Industry Award: Fiorenzo Dioni and Richard Oberle revolutionized the automotive industry with their high-precision aluminum casting method.
• Research Award: Cordelia Schmid, for outstanding contributions to computer science that have enabled the expansion of enhanced applications of machine learning into everyday technology.
• Non-EPO countries: Masato Sagawa is renowned for creating the strongest permanent magnets that are crucial in a variety of high-tech applications.
• SME Award: Olga Malinkiewicz and her team have advanced solar technology with cost-effective and environmentally friendly perovskite solar cells.
• Lifetime Achievement Award: Dame Carol Vivien Robinson, for her work in mass spectrometry, which has greatly advanced biochemical research and medical diagnostics.

Young Inventors Prize

• First Place: Rochelle Niemeijer, a 29-year-old Dutch scientist, won first place for her portable AI-driven chemistry kit that can quickly identify bacteria that cause infections such as urinary tract infections.
• Second place: 23-year-old Ukrainian inventor Valentyn Frechka won second place for inventing a method to convert fallen leaves into sustainable paper, significantly reducing the need to cut down trees in the papermaking process.
• Third Place: The Tunisian youth team of Khaoula Ben Ahmed, Ghofrane Ayari, Souleima Ben Temime and Sirine Ayari won third place for their innovative smart wheelchair control system that enhances mobility and autonomy for people with physical disabilities.

Popular Prizer

• This year’s winners are Olga Malinkiewicz and her team, who were also winners in the SME category for their pioneering work in printing perovskite solar cells.

Future Directions of the Young Inventor Award

• Starting next year, the Young Inventor Award will be presented alternately with the European Inventor Award. The EPO plans to hold the Young Inventor Award in Iceland in 2025, while the next European Inventor Award will be held in 2026.

Although the format may be new, the Young Inventor Award will still maintain its original mission: to support young people and inspire the younger generation to join the world of invention. The EPO has issued a call for a genius aged 30 or younger who achieves one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to become a candidate for the Nobel Prize in 2025. The EPO said that obtaining a European patent is not a prerequisite for winning the Young Inventor Award, and there is no geographical restriction. Young people who meet the conditions have the opportunity to be nominated.