EPO Inventor Award winners announced
The European Patent Office has unveiled the winners of the European Inventor Award, honouring inventors from Austria, Japan, France, and the Netherlands following a ceremony in Vienna.
Klaus Feichtinger and Manfred Hackl from the EREMA Group in Austria were awarded the prize in the Industry category for their contribution to a higher-performance plastic recycling method.
Their Counter Current technology allows for the more efficient separating of plastics, which can then be turned into recyclable materials.
French scientist Jérôme Galon’s Immunoscore cancer test earned him the prize in the Research category.
His invention involves the digital imaging of tumour samples in order to detect the number of positive immune cells. The test allows for a clearer and more accurate cancer prognosis, which in turn assists medical staff in treating the disease.
The EPO also recognised Japanese scientist Akira Yoshino with the prize for Non-EPO Countries, in recognition of his pioneering work in developing the lithium-ion battery (LIB). The rechargeable LIB battery is the power source for nearly five billion mobile devices, including phones, laptops and electric vehicles, the EPO said.
Rik Breuer, of the Material Innovation Centre in the Netherlands, won the prize for Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) for his contribution to a marine antifouling technology.
Breur’s nylon-based wrap prevents the growth of marine foul, such as algae, barnacles and mussels on ships. According to the EPO, the wrap has saved ships 40% of their fuel consumption. The technology is also more eco-friendly than the toxic paint commonly used on ships to prevent marine fouling.
Portuguese geneticist Margarita Salas Falgueras was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement award, which was selected by public vote.
The award recognised Falgueras for her work in advancing the genomic testing of DNA. She isolated the phi29 DNA polymerase enzyme, which is widely used across a number of disciplines, including medicine, forensics and archaeology.
António Campinos, EPO president, said: “The imagination, intellect and expertise on display at this year's European Inventor Award are inspirational; all of the finalists and winners are pushing boundaries and achieving new heights in their respective disciplines.”
He added that the inventors' stories also show how patent protection can help turn innovation into market success.
“What's more, IP rights are fuelling the European economy—industries that make high use of patents, trademarks and design rights contribute significantly to gross domestic product, trade and job creation in Europe,” concluded Campinos.
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