EIC-funded innovations among the European Inventor Award 2023 finalists

The European Patent Office announced the finalists for the European Inventor Award 2023 and three organisations that have received support from the European Innovation Council are on the shortlist. The ceremony is scheduled in Valencia on 4 July 2023 at 12.00 CEST and will be livestreamed. The European Inventor Award is intended to highlight technological breakthroughs and the inventors behind them across several categories. The presence of EIC-backed projects on the shortlist illustrates the intersection of EU innovation funding and patent-level recognition, though nomination does not by itself confirm commercial or societal impact.

How the European Inventor Award works and what the shortlist means

The award recognises inventors across multiple categories. The event highlights inventors and teams that have produced notable advances in technology, research or industrial application. Categories in 2023 include Industry, Research, Non-EPO countries, SMEs, Lifetime achievement and a Young Inventors prize. The organisation also runs a Popular Prize decided by public online voting. Finalist status signals peer recognition at the patent office level but it is not a guarantee of market uptake or of validated real world outcomes.

The three EIC-backed finalists

Three nominees on the EPO shortlist received funding from different strands of the European Innovation Council. They represent research and SME-led innovation supported through EIC Pathfinder and EIC Accelerator instruments. Below are the finalists and the technologies for which they were nominated.

What each finalist is proposing

CNRS and k-NET: emulating neural network dynamics in reciprocal space

The CNRS appears as a partner and coordinator in multiple EIC Pathfinder projects and is the coordinating partner for k-NET. The project aims to explore new computing architectures that mimic brain neural networks. The proposal centres on the idea that dynamical hyperconnectivity a property of some neural systems can be implemented not in physical real space but in reciprocal or k-space. That is a mathematical representation commonly used in physics and signal processing where patterns and interactions can be treated in the domain of wavevectors rather than positions. The approach is experimental and theoretical and it sits within the EIC Pathfinder remit of high-risk, potentially high-reward foundational research. Achieving neuromorphic computing advantages at scale will require reproducible hardware, energy efficiency and demonstrable gains over existing architectures. These milestones remain to be seen in subsequent development and validation stages.

D-Orbit and controlled decommissioning: closing an orbital lifecycle gap

D-Orbit was nominated for work linked to the D-3 project for a smart propulsive device intended to enable controlled decommissioning and re-entry of satellites. The EU and industry face an increasing need for reliable end-of-life solutions to limit the growth of orbital debris and to ensure safer access to space. D-Orbit provides a range of space logistics and orbital transportation services and positions controlled deorbit devices as operational tools to reduce long-term collision risk. However the regulatory, insurance and operational frameworks for mass adoption remain evolving. The technical efficacy of deorbit devices must be matched by clear standards and cooperation across launch providers, satellite operators and regulators to realise measurable debris mitigation at scale.

Lios and SoundBounce: acoustic metamaterials for lighter, smaller noise control

Lios was nominated after EIC support for the TANDEM project which focused on developing an acoustic insulation metamaterial. The company positions SoundBounce as a thin, lightweight material that can deliver high sound absorption performance and thereby enable smaller and lighter acoustical solutions for industry sectors such as construction, aerospace, energy and vehicles. Acoustic metamaterials are engineered structures that manipulate sound in ways not possible with conventional porous absorbers. Early pilots and partnerships are promising but claims of order-of-magnitude improvements require independent validation across real world operating conditions, manufacturing scale and lifecycle environmental impacts before broad sectoral adoption can be assessed.

EIC support context and what finalist status indicates

The European Innovation Council supports projects at different stages. The EIC Pathfinder backs early stage, high risk research aimed at establishing scientific foundations for breakthrough technologies. The EIC Accelerator targets single companies or small consortia to scale up market-ready deep tech, often combining grants with equity financing. Being funded by the EIC indicates that projects passed a competitive selection process for research quality or commercial potential. Finalist recognition from the EPO adds visibility at the intellectual property level. Nonetheless nomination is not a substitute for independent technical validation or proof of sustained market traction.

Ceremony details and next steps

The European Inventor Award ceremony will take place on 4 July 2023 in Valencia, Spain and will be livestreamed for a wider audience. Sixteen finalists across the categories plus nominees for the Young Inventors prize will be recognised during the event. The Popular Prize will be awarded based on public online voting ahead of the ceremony. Registration for the livestream was open through the European Inventor Award registration page.

For observers of European innovation policy and technology transfer the intersection between EIC funding and EPO recognition is worth noting. Funding and patent-level nominations can raise visibility for projects but policymakers and industry stakeholders should look for subsequent independent validation, regulatory alignment and transparent evidence of environmental and safety benefits before extrapolating broader impact.