Patents on the soles of your shoes...: EPO Inventor Awards 2023

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.