Patents on the soles of your shoes...: EPO Young European Inventors Awards

Saturday, June 21, 2025

EPO Young European Inventors Awards – The 2025 Trophy

The winners of the Young European Inventors Awards not only receive cash prizes. The winners also receive a trophy. A trophy masterminded by Miriam Irle, an industrial designer located in Munich, Germany. The trophy is truly special on several counts. First, the shape of the trophy is symbolic. Crafted as a “sail” (no pun intended), the trophy was designed as a symbol of the exploration and ingenuity that propels inventors on the frontiers of discovery. Secondly, the trophy is fabricated each year from locally significant materials, in the city or country where the Awards ceremony is held. Thus, for example, in 2016, when the European Inventor Awards were held in Lisbon, Portugal, the sail trophies were each uniquely crafted from Portuguese azulejo ceramics. Likewise, in 2017, when the European Inventor Awards were held in Venice, Italy, the sail trophies were each uniquely crafted out of the famous Murano glass.

The year 2025 was no exception. To celebrate the winning Young European Inventors, each team received a uniquely designed sail trophy, crafted from black sand and glass, by Brynhildur Þorgeirsdóttir, a renowned artist in Reykjavik, Iceland. Black sand resulting from the erosion of volcanic rock, found on the beaches at Reynisfjara, on the south coast of Iceland. And glass, reminiscent of the glacial landscape in Iceland, where a thriving community of glassmakers exists.

Below, the image of a black sand and glass model for the sail trophies that were presented on June 18th, during the Awards Ceremony, held in Reykjavik, Iceland. According to Miriam Irle (personal communication forwarded to her):

"The trophies were produced by a local glass artist (https://www.brynhildur.com/about). Color was slowly dropped into the hot glass to achieve the melted structure. After being polished, a double layer of black volcanic sand was added, and the letters were sandblasted (the trophy in the photo was the backup, hence no labeling). The trophies were color-matched to the four categories and were produced in blue, black, red, and yellow."