The future is in good hands: Young Inventors Prize 2024 finalists
After months of keeping their identities secret, the EPO is thrilled to reveal the 2024 Young Inventors Prize finalists. With visionary approaches to environmental sustainability, healthcare and accessibility, the finalists address critical global issues set out in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
Meet the 2024 finalists
- Khaoula Ben Ahmed, Ghofrane Ayari, Souleima Ben Temime and Sirine Ayari, a group of 27-28 years old women inventors from Tunisia, have created an advanced wheelchair control system that uses brain signals, voice commands, eye movement and facial movement recognition to steer the wheelchair. The four friends are also business partners and play leading roles in the start-up they founded to bring their invention to market.
- Ukrainian Valentyn Frechka, at just 23 years old, is already making significant strides in environmental innovation by developing a method to convert fallen leaves into recyclable paper. He continually refines this process through the company he founded, offering a more efficient alternative to traditional paper production.
- Rochelle Niemeijer, a 29-year-old scientist from the Netherlands, has developed a portable test kit that uses artificial intelligence to rapidly identify bacterial infections, which is crucial in the fight against antibiotic resistance. She founded a company to commercialise her invention and leads a team of scientists towards the next breakthrough.
We will announce the Lifetime Achievement laureate on 25 June and reveal the winners at the livestream European Inventor Award ceremony on 9 July.
About the Young Inventors Prize
Celebrated for the first time in 2022, the Young Inventors Prize encourages the inventive prowess of the younger generation across technical fields and geographical regions. Unlike the European Inventor Award, the Young Inventors Prize does not require candidates to have a granted European patent. The Prize includes a financial incentive to support the winners’ ongoing projects.
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