Nomination period for the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize begins - Searching for innovations that improve quality of life

Nominations for candidates for the next Millennium Technology Prize are now being accepted. The world’s largest technology prize is awarded for an innovation which improves the quality of human life and encourages sustainable development.

A new element in the 2008 award will be publicity for a selection of the technological innovations that are improving quality of life and have been nominated for the prize. Both the names of the Finalists and their inventions will be announced before the Winner is declared.

Candidates for the Millennium Technology Prize can work in any technological field and anywhere in the world. The nomination period ends on 1.10.2007. The names of the Finalists and details of their innovations will be announced in April 2008. The Winner will be announced and awarded at an award ceremony in Helsinki on 11.6.2008, where also the Finalists will be awarded.

Nominations for the Millennium Technology Prize can be submitted by scientific academies, universities, research institutions and high technology companies and organisations. Both individuals and groups engaged in research and development activity can be nominated. Detailed instructions on the nomination procedure can be found on the Millennium Prize Foundation’s website at www.millenniumprize.fi. Nomination documents should be posted using conventional mail and must be received by the Foundation no later than 1st October 2007.

Decisions concerning the Finalists and the winner of the Millennium Technology Prize are made by the Board of the Millennium Prize Foundation on the basis of recommendations made by an International Selection Committee. The eight members of this committee are Professor Marja Makarow, Vice-Rector of the University of Helsinki (chair), Professor Jean-Claude Charpentier (France), Professor Bengt Nordén (Sweden), Chancellor Henry T. Yang (U.S.A.), Professor V. S. Ramamurthy (India), and Professor Mikko Hupa, Professor Risto Nieminen and Dr. Bob Iannucci (all from Finland).

The Millennium Technology Prize is awarded every second year. In 2004, the first-ever prize was awarded to Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web. The 2006 prize was won by Professor Shuji Nakamura, who invented new, energy-efficient sources of light.

The Millennium Technology Prize aims to steer technological progress in a humane direction by rewarding innovations and research and development activity that improve quality of life and are sustainable. Established and funded by the Finnish private and public sectors in partnership, the Millennium Technology Prize is administered by the Millennium Prize Foundation, an independent organisation based in Helsinki.

Further information:
Secretary General, Dr. Tapio Alvesalo
Mobile: +358 400 341 497
[email protected]

Communications Manager, Ms. Tanja Ikonen
Mobile: +358 40 701 5757
[email protected]

Millennium Technology Prize(Link to another website.) (Opens New Window)