Patents on the soles of your shoes...: EPO awards

Showing posts with label EPO awards. Show all posts

Thursday, May 15, 2025

EPO – Young Inventors Awards 2025 – The Finalists

In 2025, the European Patent Office (EPO) is celebrating young inventors (30 years and under) inventors. Ten inventions have been shortlisted. The inventions fall within the framework of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A vast 15-year program designed to end world poverty, divided into 17 SDGs*.

The following ten inventions are in competition for a 2025 European Patent Prize:

Mark Kennedy Bantugon (Philippines): Material to prevent fuel leakages in planes

Alisha Fredriksson (Sweden/Canada) and Roujia Wen (China): Retrofit carbon capture system for cargo ships

Pilar Granado, Pablo Sosa Domínguez and Luis Chimeno (Spain): Smart labels for food

Laurynas Karpus, Vykintas Jauniškis and Irmantas Rokaitis (Lithuania): AI platform for creating and enhancing enzymes

Franziska Kerber (Austria): Sustainable paper components for electronic devices

Neeka Mashouf and Leila Mashouf (US): Process to transform CO₂ emissions into cellulose

Sandra Namboozo and Samuel Muyita (Uganda): Sachets for extending the shelf life of fruit

Mariana Pérez (Colombia): Air pollution capture and cleaning technology

Teja Potočnik (Slovenia): Automated manufacturing platform for nanomaterial-based semiconductor devices

Marie Perrin (France/US): Recycling rare earth elements from electronic waste

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* #1 No poverty, #2 Zero Hunger, #3 Good Health and Well-being, #4 Quality Education, #5 Gender Equality, #6 Clean Water and Sanitation, #7 Affordable and Clean Energy, #8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, #9 Industry, Innovation and infrastructure, #10 Reduced Inequalities, #11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, #12 Responsible Consumption and Production, #13 Climate Action, #14 Life below the Water, #15 Life on Land, #16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and #17 Partnerships for the Goals.

References

EPO - European Patent Office

www.epo.org

EPO Young Inventor Finalists: Meet the Tomorrow Shapers.

https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/young-inventors-prize-2025-meet-tomorrow-shapers

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

https://sdgs.un.org/goals

Do you know the 17 SDGs goals? (YouTube video)

https://youtu.be/0XTBYMfZyrM

Tuesday, July 9, 2024

European Inventor Awards 2024 (5) – The Winners

The winners of the European Inventor Awards 2024 were announced earlier, at 12:00 Central European Summer Time (CEST), on July 9th, 2024. The high-tech ceremony was live-streamed online from Valletta, the UNESCO World Heritage Center, and capital city of Malta, in the middle of the Mediterranean Ocean, 80 miles from the coast of Sicily. The European Inventor Lifetime Achievement Award was announced, as well as the winning inventors in the four Award categories of Industry, Small and Medium Enterprises, Non-European Countries, and Research. The three Young European Inventor finalists were also each awarded cash prizes. Finally, the Popular Prize was announced, with the polling QR Code flashing onscreen live, well into the ceremony. The hyperlinked list of winners is included below:

Lifetime Achievement:

Dame Carol Vivien Robinson (UK) (info here)

Invention: Mass spectrometry that has significantly advanced biochemical research and medical diagnostics.

Industry

Fiorenzo Dioni (IT) and Richard Oberle (DE) (info here)

Invention: Reduction of carbon emissions in automotive manufacturing using high-precision aluminum casting methods.

Small and Medium Enterprises & Popular Prize (info here)

Olga Malinkiewicz and team (PO)

Invention: Printable solar cell technology that is very cost-effective.

Non-European Countries

Masato Sagawa (JP) (info here)

Invention: Super strength magnets, crucial to various high-tech applications.

Research

Cordelia Schmid (DE) (info here)

Invention: AI solutions for improved machine visual perception.

Young Inventors' Prizes

First place 20,000 euros–Rochelle Niemeijer (NL) (info here)

Invention: Portable AI-driven chemistry kit that quickly identifies bacteria causing infections like urinary tract infections. This invention allows for faster, point-of-service, and more accurate medical treatment decisions.

Second place 10,000 euros–Valentyn Frechka (UA) (info here)

Invention: Method to turn fallen leaves into sustainably made paper, significantly reducing the need for tree harvesting in paper production.

Third place $5000 euros–Khaoula Ben Ahmed, Ghofrane Ayari, Souleima Ben Temime, and Sirine Ayari (TN) (info here)

Invention: Thought, voice and facial movement-driven wheelchair control system, enhancing mobility and autonomy for individuals with severe physical disabilities.

Below, the YouTube video of the 2024 Inventor Award Ceremony.

Congratulations to all!

This year's European Inventor Awards ceremony was also an occasion to announce sweeping changes to the future European Inventor Awards and Young European Inventor Prizes. Going forward, the Awards and Prizes will take place on alternating years. Beginning in 2025, Young European Inventors will compete separately for Prizes that will be announced at a ceremony, taking place for the first time in Iceland. Whereas, the next European Inventor Awards competition and ceremony will take place in 2026 (at a hitherto undisclosed location), independently from the Young Inventors competition. The nominations period for the Young European Inventor Prizes extends from this day through to September 27, 2024.

References

EPO announces European Inventor Award winners

https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/epo-announces-european-inventor-award-winners

Nominations for the 2025 Young Inventor Prizes

https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/young-inventors-prize/nominations

Saturday, June 8, 2024

European Inventor Awards 2024 (1) - The Finalists

On July 9, 2024, the prestigious European Inventor Awards will be conferred upon inventors competing in one of four categories: Industry, Small and Medium (S&M) Enterprise, Research, and Non-European Patent Organization. This year, the ceremony will take place in the beautiful Mediterranean city of Malta, on the Island Republic of Malta, next to the southern Italian island of Sicily.

Below, the list of the 12 finalists and their competing inventions, in each of the four categories.

Industry

Ferham Sigurjonsson and team (Iceland): wound healing fish-skin graft.

EP2485779B1 - A scaffold material for wound care and/or other tissue healing applications.
EP2575795B8 - Stabilized formulation comprising omega-3 fatty acids and use of the fatty acids for skin care and/or wound care.

Ulf Landegren, Simon Fredriksson and team (Sweden): molecular diagnostics for improved disease detection

EP2714925B1 - Multiplexed proximity ligation assay.
EP2920320B1 -RCA reporter probes and their use in detecting nucleic acid molecules.
EP2707502B1 - Unfolding proximity probes and methods for the use thereof.

Fiorenzo Dioni (Italy) and Richard Oberle (Germany): reduction of carbon emission in automotive manufacturing.

EP3554745B1 - Injection assembly for pressure die casting systems.

Small and Medium (S&M) Enterprise

Olga Malinkiewicz and team (Poland): printable solar cell technology.

EP3227394B1 - A film-forming composition and a method for manufacturing a photoactive film.
EP3719001B1- A method for synthesis of organic iodides.

Bruno Mottet, Lyderic Bocquet and team (France): sustainable osmotic energy production.

EP3344374B1 - Device for producing energy by salinity gradient through nano-fluid titanium oxide membranes.
EP2909477B1 - Method and device for producing energy.

Sirpa Jalkanen and Markku Jalkanen (Finland): targeted immunotherapy for cancer treatment.

EP2421888 - Clever-1 receptor antagonists for blocking immune-inhibitory type 2 macrophages.
EP3445785B1 - Humanized anti-clever-1 antibodies and their use.

Research

Cordelia Schmid (Germany): AI solutions for improved machine visual perception.

EP3547211 - Methods for training a cnn and classifying an action performed by a subject in an inputted video using said cnn.
EP3549102 - Determining structure and motion in images using neural networks.

Tonio Sant, Daniel Buhagiar and team (Malta): improved energy storage for offshore wind farms.

EP3256716B1 - Hydro-pneumatic energy storage system.

David Devos, Caroline Moreau and team (France): improved treatment for Parkinson’s disease.

EP3142651B1 - Pharmaceutical solution comprising dopamine for use in treating Parkinson's disease.

Non-European Patent Organization country

David Fattal (USA): 3D imaging without glasses.

EP3175267B1 - Multibeam diffraction grating-based color backlighting.
EP3248058B1 - Unidirectional grating-based backlighting employing a reflective island.
EP3283923B1 - 2D/3D mode-switchable electronic display with dual layer backlight.

Masato Sagawa (Japan): superior strength magnets.

EP3260380B1 - Manufacturing method of a sintered magnet.
EP2889883B1 - NDFEB-based sintered magnet.
EP2696355B1 - Manufacturing method for a sintered neodymium magnet.

Fernando Catalano, Micael Carmo and team (Brazil): reduced noise and carbon emissions in air travel.

EP2137066B1 - Aerodynamic seal for reduction of noise generated on aircraft control surfaces.
EP3676172B1 - Retractable leading edge wing slats having autonomously curvable airflow shield for noise-abatement.
EP3676173B1 - Noise abatement systems for retractable leading edge wing slats of an aircraft.

Reference
European Inventor Awards 2024 -: Meet the finalists
https://tinyurl.com/2p57rc2r

Saturday, July 8, 2023

Interlude - OKUDA + ROSH333 aka Raoul Gandolfo

ROSH333, aka Raoul Gandolfo, commissioned to paint the 2023 Young Inventor Award sail trophies, on the occasion of the European Inventor Awards Ceremony, on July 4th 2023, in Valencia, Spain, is one of Spain’s most famous street artists (in Spanish, artista callejero).

OKUDA, aka Okuda San Miguel, is a Spanish painter and sculptor, known for his distinctive colorful figurative geometric art.

Below, the YouTube video of a 2014 Okuda + ROSH333 project. The project involves a 300-square-meter mural, decorating the Paco de Lucía Metro Station in Madrid Spain. The mural depicts a portrait of Paco de Luc í a, legendary virtuoso flamenco and classical guitar player, and composer (1947-2014).

References

OKUDA
https://okudasanmiguel.com/

Paco de Lucía - discography

https://www.discogs.com/artist/20184-Paco-De-Luc%C3%ADa

Paco de Lucía Obiturary - The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2014/feb/26/paco-de-lucia

ROSH333
www.RLove.es

Streetart database ROSH333
https://streetartdatabase.wordpress.com/2017/11/08/rosh-333/

Friday, July 7, 2023

EPO Inventor Awards 2023 - The Trophies

The winners of the European Inventor Awards receive a trophy in the shape of sail (no puns intended). In other words, a sail-shaped trophy powered by the winds of ingenuity and research, as well as the promise of promotion, considering the increased visibility conferred by such a prestigious award.

The European Inventors Award sail trophy was designed by the German industrial designer Miriam Irle, with the added twist that the sail be manufactured in the city where the European Inventor Awards Ceremony takes place. A local manufacture of the trophy each year, highlighting the iconic craftsmanship of a particular local industry or workshop. For example, the 2015 European Inventor Awards sail trophy, made out of famous venetian murano glass, was blown in Venice, Italy, where the 2015 Awards Ceremony took place. Likewise, the 2016 trophy, made of azulejo ceramic tile, was fired in Lisbon, Portugal, where the 2016 Awards Ceremony took place.

The year 2023 was no exception. The trophies were locally-made of socarrat* red (oxidized iron) and black (manganese) ceramic tile. Each trophy was hand-painted, using different 15th century-stye decorative Valencian designs, one for each of the seven categories of award: Industry, Research, Small and Medium Enterprise, Non-European Country, Lifetime Achievement and Popular Prize. However, in complete contrast, the three trophies awarded to the Young Inventors (<30 years of age), were hand-painted ceramic by Alicante-based ROSH333, currently one of the most famous Street artists in Spain.

Below, images of two of the 2023 traditional, Valencia-ceramic, craft-guild-design trophies, awarded respectively in the Non-European Country and Lifetime Achievement categories, plus one of the contrasting Young Inventor Award trophies, hand-painted by the street artist ROSH333.

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* socarrat, meaning "burnt" in Catalan, refers to the high temperature used to bake the hand-painted pigment into the clay.

References

European Inventors’Award – The 2016 Trophy
https://patentsonthesolesofyourshoes.blogspot.com/2016/06/epo-inventor-awards-2016-trophy.html

European Inventors’Award – The 2015 Trophy
https://patentsonthesolesofyourshoes.blogspot.com/2015/06/european-inventor-awards-2015-trophy.html

Miram Irle
http://www.miriam-irle.com/

ROSS333
www.RLove.es

The Award
https://inventoraward.epo.org/

Tuesday, July 4, 2023

EPO Inventor Awards 2023 – The Winners

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.

https://inventoraward.epo.org/

Thursday, May 25, 2023

EPO Inventor Awards - The 2023 Young Inventor Finalists (3)

Since 2022, the jury of the European Inventor Awards also selects three young inventors (<30), recipients of cash prizes, whose inventions tie into the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN SDGs are the backbone of an ambitious United Nations 15-year program, designed to end world poverty. Launched at the turn of the 21st century, the program was initially driven by the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Upon evaluation of the MDGs, the popular program was then re-launched in 2015, for another 15 years, with 17 new goals for sustainable development, until 2030. Adopted by the 193 member states of the United Nations, the SDGs offer a framework of clearly identifiable and measurable goals, in global partnership with civil society and government agencies.

The following three young inventors were selected as finalists. Their ranking will be announced during the July 4th 2023, European Inventor Awards Ceremony. 20000 Euros, 10000 Euros and 5000 Euros will be awarded respectively to the first, second, and third prize winners.

The contestants hail from Kenya, Portugal, and Ireland. Their inventions are unpatented.

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.

Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 15 - Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.