Brussels, 21 February 2024
Yesterday, the winners of this year’s EIT Awards, as well as the ten finalists for the European Prize for Women Innovators were announced at the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Summit. The EIT Awards reward Europe’s most promising and ground-breaking innovations in four categories. The Changemaker Award winner is Mohamed Elamir, the co-founder of Woamy (Finland), which specializes in cellulose-based biofoams, offering a sustainable alternative to plastic foams. The Innovation Team Award goes to Altris (Sweden), a team specializing in sodium-ion batteries. The Venture Award winner is Enline (Portugal), a sensorless Digital Twin technology that provides forecasts and predictive monitoring for vegetation and landslides. The Public Award winner is HiQ-CARB, who produces sustainable and resource-efficient nanomaterials for high-performance batteries. The EIT Awards also showcase how efficiently the EIT supports innovators at every stage of their journey, from providing them with access to additional skills and grants through finding a partner, via helping commercialise their products and services, to supporting their start-ups. The European Prize for Women Innovators will be awarded by EIT and the European Innovation Council (EIC) at the R&I Week opening on 18 March 2024. Together the EIT and EIC are giving visibility to an even larger pool of women candidates, offering more opportunities to more innovators and more inspiring role models for women and girls.
Vice President for our European way of life, Margaritis Schinas, said:
“The EIT Awards celebrate the brightest entrepreneurs and innovators within the EIT’s vibrant ecosystem. Their groundbreaking work contributes to finding solutions to our most pressing societal challenges. I would like to express my warmest congratulations to all winners and nominees. As we celebrate these achievements, let us recognize the pivotal role of the EIT in nurturing innovation in Europe in line with the EU’s policy priorities. It paves the way for a brighter future and creating more prosperous economies and more cohesive societies. My congratulations and best wishes also go to the excellent finalists of the European Prize for Women Innovators.”
Iliana Ivanova, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:
“My heartfelt congratulations to the winners of this year’s EIT Awards and the finalists of the European Prize for Women Innovators! You are shining examples of the talent and determination that we need in Europe to make innovation happen. Your contribution to solving pressing global challenges helps build a better future for all.”
The EIT is an EU independent body and an integral part of Horizon Europe, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. More information on the EIT awards and on the European Prize for Women Innovators is available here and here.
Source – EU Commission