Annual report 2011 - Highlights 2011

Honouring Europe's outstanding inventors

"Without a patent, this invention would have been just an academic exercise. No company would have wanted to take it to the real world."
-- Ashok Gadgil, winner of the European Inventor Award 2011,
whose team developed a simple, cost-effective UV water disinfection device
that has helped deliver safe water to millions of the world's poorest

Behind every technical breakthrough is an individual or a team of people with a passion for discovery. Every year the EPO, with the support of the EU Council Presidency and European Commission, honours Europe's pioneering innovators, and their achievements in creating jobs, wealth and better living conditions for millions of people. Launched by the EPO in 2006, the European Inventor Award gives inventors the recognition they deserve.

The 2011 awards were presented last May in Budapest to pioneers in medical research and implant technology, clean energy technologies, construction and water purification. All of the award winners benefited from the European patent system. The 2011 winners were:

• Per-Ingvar Brånemark (Sweden - Lifetime Achievement)
• Ann Lambrechts, Bekaert (Belgium - Industry)
• Jens Dall Bentzen, Dall Energy Aps (Denmark - SMEs)
• Christine Van Broeckhoven, VIB, University of Antwerp (Belgium - Research)
• Ashok Gadgil and Vikas Garud, University of California/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, WaterHealth International (Non-European countries - USA/India)

The 2012 European Inventor Award ceremony will take place in Copenhagen on 14 June.