Tomorrow’s tech leaders take centre stage at Young Inventors Prize 2025

When nan European Patent Office (EPO) hosts nan Young Inventors Prize 2025 successful Reykjavik connected 18 June, it will people a milestone infinitesimal – not only for nan 10 scientists being honoured, but for nan prize itself. For nan first clip since its inception arsenic portion of nan European Inventor Award successful 2022, nan prize has surgery retired arsenic a standalone event, offering a world shape for immoderate of nan brightest young minds utilizing invention to reshape our world.  

The ceremony, group for 18 June and livestreamed worldwide, will bring world attraction to 10 singular individuals and teams – each aged 30 aliases nether – whose activity aligns pinch nan United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Selected from much than 450 candidates by an independent jury, these young innovators, dubbed “Tomorrow Shapers,” are utilizing subject and exertion to respond to immoderate of nan planet’s astir pressing challenges, from ambiance resilience and information economies to healthcare equity and nutrient security.  

Watch nan arena unrecorded connected 18 June and meet nan adjacent procreation of inventors connected nan subordinate above. 

Recognising nan young innovators moving to build a amended world

While nan arena successful Reykjavik will showcase each 10 “Tomorrow Shapers”, it will besides uncover 3 typical prize winners. The “World Builders” prize will recognise those driving sustainability and assets accessibility; “Community Healers” will observe innovations ensuring equality and entree to life’s essentials; and “Nature Guardians” will item those protecting ecosystems and biodiversity. One further finalist will beryllium crowned nan People’s Choice winner, selected by an online nationalist vote. All finalists will person €5,000, pinch typical prize winners taking location an further €15,000. The People’s Choice grant besides includes a €5,000 prize.  

EPO President António Campinos described nan awards arsenic a ceremony of possibility. “Young inventors are nan architects of a brighter tomorrow, bringing caller perspectives and bold solutions to nan world’s astir daunting challenges,” he said, “By celebrating their achievements, we not only honour their ingenuity but besides underline nan transformative powerfulness of technologies and subject successful shaping a sustainable early and inspiring generations to come.”  

Finding science-based solutions to world challenges

The innovations being honoured are arsenic divers arsenic they are ingenious. In Uganda, Sandra Namboozo and Samuel Muyita person developed a biodegradable sachet that slows nan ripening of fruit, helping to trim nutrient discarded and widen nan support life of nutrient – a captious support for smallholder farmers. Meanwhile, successful Austria, Franziska Kerber is taking connected nan world e-waste situation pinch her creation of paper-based physics parts that dissolve easily, making it simpler to extract valuable metals from discarded devices specified arsenic WiFi routers.  

From nan Philippines, aeronautical technologist Mark Kennedy Bantugon has created a sustainable craft sealant derived from discarded Pili Tree resin – offering a cleaner, little toxic replacement to modular petrochemical sealants. In France and nan United States, chemist Marie Perrin is rethinking uncommon world recycling by processing a safer method for extracting europium from aged fluorescent lamps, a assets captious to lighting and electronics.  

And from Slovenia, Teja Potočnik is pioneering a much businesslike way for nan early of electronics. Her automated level supports nan manufacture of nanomaterial-based semiconductor devices, a important measurement successful enabling nan adjacent procreation of microchips.  

Exploring caller frontiers successful smart creation and cleanable tech

Biotechnology is different standout area this year. Lithuanian researchers Laurynas Karpus, Vykintas Jauniškis, and Irmantas Rokaitis person harnessed artificial intelligence to create a level that designs civilization enzymes, perchance transforming everything from pharmaceutical manufacturing to business bioprocesses.  

Food information besides features connected nan agenda, acknowledgment to Spanish inventors Pilar Granado, Pablo Sosa Domínguez, and Luis Chimeno. Their smart, biodegradable nutrient labels alteration colour based connected freshness, allowing consumers and retailers to trim nutrient discarded and debar spoilage-related illnesses.  

In nan maritime sector, Swedish-Canadian technologist Alisha Fredriksson and Chinese technologist Roujia Wen person addressed 1 of shipping’s biggest problems: emissions. Their modular c seizure strategy binds CO₂ from ships’ exhausts pinch a lime-based sorbent to shape coagulated limestone pellets – an innovative solution that could importantly trim maritime emissions without nan request to switch full fleets.  

Over successful nan United States, copy sisters Neeka and Leila Mashouf person developed a measurement to person discarded CO₂ into cellulose pulp, a worldly that tin beryllium utilized for sustainable textiles and packaging. Their process holds committedness for reducing c emissions while producing biodegradable materials to meet increasing business demand.  

Air contamination has met a worthy challenger successful Colombian entrepreneur Mariana Pérez, who has designed a Direct Air Capture strategy tin of extracting CO₂, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide from nan atmosphere. Her creation besides enables captured pollutants to beryllium converted into biodegradable materials, turning aerial contamination into thing productive.  

When you deliberation of world invention powerhouses, your mind mightiness jump to Silicon Valley aliases Shenzhen – but connected 18 June, each eyes will move to Reykjavik and nan 10 trailblazing young minds honoured there.