Tuesday, July 4, 2023

EPO Inventor Awards 2023 – The Winners

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

The winners of the European Inventor Awards 2023 were announced on July 4th, in a festive ceremony, live-streamed online at 12:00 Central European Summer Time (CEST), from the historic Edificio de Correos y Telegrafos (Post Office Building) in Valencia, Spain. Winners were announced in the four Award categories of Industry, Small and Medium Enterprises, Non-European Countries, and Research, as well as for the three Young Inventor’s cash Prizes, the Life-Time Achievement Award, and the Popular Prize. The list of winners is included below. 

Industry

Pia Bergström, Annika Malm, Jukka Myllyoja, Jukka-Pekka Pasanen & Blanka Toukoniitty​ (FI) 

Invention: The transformation of a wide variety of wastes and residues into premium-quality renewable products, such as fuel.

Small and Medium Enterprises

Rhona Togher & Eimear O’Carroll (IE)

Invention: Reducing noise with advanced acoustic material.


Non-European Countries

​​Kai Wu and team​ (CN)

Invention:  Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that lower fire and explosion risks due to overcharging.


Research & Popular Prize (both prizes were awarded to the same Center for Scientific Research team from France) 

Patricia de Rango, Daniel Fruchart, Albin Chaise, Michel Jehan & Nataliya Skryabina​ (FR) 

Invention: This team of scientists from the National Center for Scientific Research (Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - CNRS) in France, invented a safe and sustainable way to store hydrogen.


Young Inventors' Prizes

First place 20,000 euros - Richard Turere (Kenya - KE)

Invention: Lion Lights™ - solar-powered LED lights, programmed to flash in randomly selected patterns, both to prevent lions from attacking livestock, and farmers from killing lions in defense of livestock. The invention thus also contributes to saving lions from extinction in Kenya.

Second place 10,000 euros - Filipa de Sousa Rocha (Portugal - PT)

Invention: Block-based Accessible Tangible Programming Systems (BATS) – a programming language for the visually impaired, using legos and cute robots.

Third place $5000 euros - Fionn Fereira (Ireland - IE)

Invention: Method of removing microplastics from water, using a magnetic liquid that binds to particles.

Life-Time Achievement Award
Avelino Corma Canós (ES)

Spanish chemist, pioneer in the field of catalysts, and founder of the Instituto de Tecnología Química (ITQ) de València, Spain (Chemical Technology Institute of Valencia).

Below, the YouTube video of the 2023  Inventor Award Ceremony. Congratulations to all!




References
EPO Awards 2023 -The Winners.

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