EIT Awards go to innovation in cancer, Alzheimer’s research and more

The European Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT) announces the winners of its INNOVEIT awards on the institution’s 10th anniversary.

On Thursday the EIT Awards celebrated the most talented entrepreneurs and innovators in Europe during INNOVEIT, the annual innovation forum of the EIT.

The EIT Awards went to distinguished entrepreneurs tackling everything from new cancer treatment options and Alzheimer’s research to energy data automation and atrial fibrillation detection for prevention.

Dirk Jan van den Berg

“The EIT Awards celebrate excellence in innovation. Promoting the outstanding achievements of our entrepreneurs here in Budapest shines a bright light on the talent powered by the EIT Community,” said Dirk Jan van den Berg, Chairman of the EIT Governing Board.

“In just 10 years, the EIT has grown from a start-up organisation to become Europe’s strongest innovation network. This years’ winners are not just proof that the EIT is on the right course, but that it is a mature organisation ready to advance further. Europe needs more ambition for its innovative economy; it has the skills, the EIT has the thriving network to make innovation happen,” he added.

Five awards were announced:

• CHANGE AWARD – Recognises top graduates from EIT education programmes and the winner is awarded €20,000.
• INNOVATORS AWARD – Recognises teams with high impact products and services and is awarded €50,000.
• VENTURE AWARD – Recognises successful entrepreneurial start-ups and scale-ups and is awarded €50,000
• WOMAN AWARD – Recognises outstanding women innovators and is awarded €20,000
• PUBLIC AWARD – Recognises the public’s top innovation with thousands of votes cast across Europe

The winners were chosen from among 38 nominees by an international jury. Each finalist was selected for driving European innovation through ground-breaking products, services and processes that address global challenges in the fields of energy, food, health and raw materials.

Change Award Winner

This year’s winner is Simone Accornero (supported by EIT InnoEnergy), CEO and co-founder of FlexiDAO (based in Barcelona, Spain), a software that automates energy data processing and exchanges, while combining traceability and transparency for the first time.

Innovators Award Winner

This year’s winning team is led by Ioannis Tarnanas (supported by EIT Health), President and CSO of Altoida (based in San Diego and Lucerne). The Alzheimer’s Disease Prediction Service (ADPS) is one of the first validated solutions able to predict the risk of Alzheimer’s for people over 50.

Venture Award Winner

This year’s winner is Bieke Van Gorp, Chief Business Development Officer and co-founder at Qompium NV (supported by EIT Health). Qompium (based in Hasselt, Belgium) developed FibriCheck, a mobile application that enables users to detect atrial fibrillation and take preventive action.

Woman Award Winner

This year’s winner is Isabel Hoffmann, CEO of Tellspec LTD (supported by EIT Food) that has developed a rapid, portable and affordable sensor to test for the quality and decay of raw white fish, and the fraudulent use of excess water in frozen fish.

Public Award Winner

This year’s winner is Laura Soucek, founder and CEO of Peptomyc S.L. (supported by EIT Health and based in Barcelona, Spain) a peptide-based solution that can serve as a new treatment option for cancer patients.

Tibor Navracsics

The full list and profiles of the 2018 EIT Awards winners can be found here.

“Through the EIT, the EU has invested in entrepreneurs all over Europe, building a unique network, helping to create an entrepreneurial culture and providing critical support as ventures expand globally,” said Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, responsible for the EIT.

“The EIT Awards are a celebration of this, and the nominees and winners ambassadors of Europe’s innovative talent – my congratulations to them all!” he added.