Nominate outstanding inventors for the European Inventor Award by 12 October 2016

Dear epi members,

The 11th annual European Inventor Award in Lisbon last month was a wonderful celebration of innovation. This short film{target=_blank} summarises the emotion of the trophy ceremony and the purpose of the Award.

The fifteen finalists{target=_blank} are excellent ambassadors not just for innovation but for the patent system as a whole. In each of their films{target=_blank} they explain their inventions as well as the benefits to society and the economy, frequently mentioning the role patents play in their business models. The media coverage generated by the EPO for the Award finalists is enormous, with many hundreds of reports in journals, blogs, websites and TV shows around the world. As such, the Award reflects well on the patent system and profession as a whole, and particularly on the attorneys working with finalists to monetise or enforce their clients’ patents.

Therefore I encourage all our epi members to consider which of your inventors from around the world might meet the EPO’s high criteria for developing inventions of great social and/or economic benefit, and which have been granted European patents (at least one still in force). The application procedure{target=_blank} is simple and can be made online. With competition fierce (over 400 proposals last year for just 15 places!) I would suggest you submit suggestions well ahead of the 12 October deadline. The media success of the Award in promoting innovation and patents (and hence our profession) is dependent upon the quality of candidates – and we, the patent attorneys of Europe, know best who these candidates should be.

I would be very grateful if you could send an application and nominate an inventor.

Tony Tangena
epi President