Innovation award finalists revealed
Nine researchers have been shortlisted for the 2016 EU Prize for Women Innovators.
The announcement was made by the European Commission, which added that all contestants have benefitted from EU research and innovation funding during their careers. The entrepreneurs have also recently founded or co-founded a successful company based on their innovative ideas, bringing their breakthrough ideas to market.
Commenting, European Research Commissioner Carlos Moedas said: “While there can only be three Prize winners, the remarkable achievements of all the women who entered the contest deserve great recognition.
“They worked very hard, took risks and may sometimes have faced setbacks, but they got back up again and persevered to fulfil their visions. This is the kind of spirit we need more of in Europe. These outstanding women are an inspiration to other researchers and entrepreneurs, female and male alike.”
The contestants include Dr Sarah Fredriksson, whose innovative products are used by the global pharmaceutical industry for analysis of complex biological drugs; Professor Sirpa Jalkanen who discovered unique targets for drug development for harmful inflammations and cancer treatment; Professor Sylviane Muller, who discovered a novel way to treat auto-immune diseases, currently evaluated in a clinical trial for Lupus; and Dr Susana Sargento, whose invention turns vehicles into Wi-Fi hotspots and builds city-scale vehicular networks that collect terabytes of urban data.
The finalists were selected by a high-level jury consisting of independent experts from business, venture capital, entrepreneurship and academia. 64 applications were submitted for the 2016 edition of the prize and more information, including a full list of candidates, can be found here.
