EU will offer €20m in prizes for innovators

The European Commission is planning to offer €20m in prizes for researchers to offer innovative solutions to specific problems.

A first pilot prize has been awarded this year to a company having delivered solutions to store vaccines without need for refrigeration. Another prize, for which submissions are now closed, has been launched with the aim of supporting the creation of apps for running local public services.

Next in line is a similar prize offering €7,238 for the best ideas for the promotion of technology-enabled growth and job creation in the EU. Funded by Horizon 2020, more prizes will be announced in 2015 and are expected to cover the areas of health, transport, energy and materials, and renewable biological resources.

In 2016 and 2017, more prizes will be included in annual work programmes.