Three Irish winners at the European Inventor Award 2023 in Valencia

Irish inventors Rhona Togher and Eimear O’Carroll are the winners in the ‘SMEs’ category of the European Inventor Award 2023.

Selected from over 600 candidates, these inventors created an advanced acoustic material that reduces noise to address chronic sleep issues. The duo’s invention can be integrated into household appliances, as well as in the automotive, construction, and aerospace industries. 

The award ceremony took place in early July in the Spanish city of Valencia. Awards were presented to the winners of each of the five categories (Industry, Research, SMEs, Non-EPO countries, and Lifetime achievement), selected by an independent international jury. 

In addition, the Young Inventors Prize honours young innovators who have developed ingenious technological solutions in the area of sustainability. There is another Irish connection among its winners this year. Irish environmentalist Fionn Ferreira won third place in the Young Inventors Prize. Ferreira, a 22-year-old chemistry master's degree student and teaching assistant at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands, created a way to remove microplastics from water using a unique mixture. 

More information:

EPO press release: Irish physicists win European Inventor Award 2023 with their advanced acoustic material to tackle noise pollution

EPO press release: Irish environmentalist Fionn Ferreira (22) comes third in Young Inventors Prize 2023 for drawing microplastics out of the ocean