The European Patent Office (EPO) revealed the winners of its European Inventor Award during a ceremony streamed live from Berlin. Now in its 19th edition, the Award celebrates the ingenuity, creativity and determination of inventors who are changing the world around us. As such, this year's Award honours groundbreaking advancements in the key fields of food chemistry, energy, biotechnology and environmental technology. The show also delivered a memorable moment, with one inventor team taking home trophies for both their category and the Popular Prize. If you missed the ceremony or would like to relive the moment, watch the recording via the links below.

And the Award goes to…

• Industry: Angeliki Triantafyllou (Greece/Sweden), enzymatic process used to prepare oat drinks

• SMEs: Franck Zal (France), unlocking the therapeutic potential of marine worms

• Research: Adrian V.S. Hill (Ireland, United Kingdom), highly effective malaria vaccine

• Non-EPO Countries: Yu Haijun and Xie Yinghao (China), smart battery recycling

• Lifetime Achievement: Rainer Marquardt (Germany), Modular Multilevel Converter and its industrial application

• Popular Prize: Yu Haijun and Xie Yinghao (China), smart battery recycling

The EPO hosts its two innovation prizes in alternating years. The Young Inventors Prize will take centre stage again in 2027, with the ceremony to be held in Vienna. The European Inventor Award is set to return in 2028.

Nominations are now open for Young Inventors Prize 2027

The Prize celebrates exceptional young talent tackling the world's biggest sustainability challenges. If you know someone aged 30 or under making a difference through work aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, nominate them today. There are no geographical restrictions, no requirement for a granted European patent and you may propose as many candidates as you like. Self-nominations are welcome, as are those from intellectual property professionals and members of the public.

Remember to submit your proposals via the online platform by 30 September 2026.

(Further information: profiles of the winners, the ceremony recording, the nomination portal and an introduction to the Young Inventors Prize – the relevant links are available on the original page.)

Source: European Patent Office (EPO), original release date: 2026-07-02, original link: https://www.epo.org/en/news-events/news/european-inventor-award-2026-winners-revealed