European Inventor Awards 2024 (5) – The Winners

Copyright © Françoise Herrmann

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