https://www.epo.org/en/service-support/faq/events/european-inventor-award/industry-research-smes-non-epo-countries-and-3
What are the requirements for inventors nominated for the European Inventor Award?
Any inventor of any nationality who has at least one European patent can be nominated. Inventors from one of the EPO’s 39 member states are eligible for the Industry, SMEs, Research and Lifetime Achievement categories, even if they are currently living outside Europe. Inventors from outside the EPO’s member states can only be nominated for the Non-EPO Countries category.