12 finalists named for €100,000 EU women innovators prize

25 Jan 2017

Image: Tomertu/Shutterstock

With significant winnings on offer, the dozen finalists for the EU Prize for Women Innovators 2017 have been named.

Three cash prizes of €100,000, €50,000 and €30,000 await the winners of the EU Prize for Women Innovators 2017 after the shortlist for next March’s finale was revealed.

In addition to the top three prizes, €20,000 will also be on offer for a rising star, the first time the competition has recognised such a category.

Each member of the shortlist is a founder or co-founder, with the awards there to recognise “innovative ideas”.

“The 12 finalists are all talented innovators with interesting stories to tell about breaking through barriers, taking risks and succeeding,” said Carlos Moedas, EU commissioner for research, science and innovation.

“Their stories can inspire other women and men to become innovators. In this new edition of the contest, we also want to encourage the next generation and give special recognition to the achievements of young, innovative entrepreneurs.”

The nine finalists in the Women Innovators category are:

  • Gema Climent: Co-founder of the company Nesplora, which combines neuroscience and virtual reality to cure mental illnesses
  • Prof Barbara Demeneix: Co-founder of WatchFrog, which provides novel solutions to screen water quality and environmental pollutants affecting health
  • Gemma Galdon Clavell: Founder of Eticas Research and Consulting, which promotes applied and responsible research and innovation in data-intensive technologies.
  • Dr Claudia Gärtner: Founder of Microfluidic ChipShop, providing “lab-on-a-chip” systems for better diagnostics
  • África González-Fernández: Co-founder of NanoImmunoTech, pioneering with innovative products at the crossroads of biosensing and nanotoxicology
  • Michela Magas: Co-founder of Stromatolite, a design innovation lab building a new generation of incubation and technology tool kits for creativity
  • Dr Kamila Markram: Co-founder and CEO of Frontiers, a digital-age scholarly publishing company providing open access publishing and open science IT
  • Prof Isabel Trillas Gay: Co-founder of Biocontrol Technologies, which provides biopesticide products to minimise pesticide impact on health and the environment
  • Petra Wadström: Founder of Solvatten, provider of a portable water purifier and water heater powered solely by solar energy

The three finalists for the new Rising Innovators Award are:

  • Dr Mary Franzese: Revolutionising the treatment of brain damage with her company Neuron Guard
  • Sandra Rey: Creates bioluminescent light without electricity with her biotech company Glowee
  • Kristina Tsvetanova: Provides the first ‘tablet’ for blind users with her company Blitab

Gordon Hunt was a journalist with Silicon Republic

editorial@siliconrepublic.com