The European Patent Office (EPO) held its annual European Inventor Award in June 2021. For the first time in the history of the event, the ceremony was entirely digital and open to the public, who tuned in from around the world as the winners were revealed. You can watch the full recording online.
Each winner now has a coveted trophy on their shelf and during the ceremony, the EPO also made a major announcement: the establishment of the new Young Inventors prize.
Nominations for the 2022 Award are now open and the EPO invites you to propose candidates in the categories and prize below.
Industry, Research, SMEs, Non-EPO countries, and Lifetime achievement
Inventors must have been granted a European patent, have achieved significant technological progress in their field, and benefitted the economy and society through their work.
Young Inventors prize
To inspire the next generation of inventors, the EPO introduced the Young Inventors prize. From students to entrepreneurs, the global prize is open to innovators aged 30 and under and will recognise initiatives across all technical fields. Any idea, project or product in any field of technology may be proposed, as long as these initiatives use technology to solve a problem within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Each proposal must be accompanied by supporting information that is already in the public domain.
For more details on criteria, eligibility as well as the nomination process, please visit the EPO’s website.
For more information, contact the European Inventor Award team at: European-inventor@epo.org