News, 12.11.2007

Almost one hundred candidates for the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize

A total of 99 individuals have been nominated for the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize, with candidates being proposed by 88 organisations in 27 countries. The world’s biggest technology award will be presented by Tarja Halonen, President of Finland, in June 2008.

Millennium Prize Foundation Press release
23 Oct 2007

Helsinki, Finland, 23 October 2007

Almost one hundred candidates for the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize
A total of 99 individuals have been nominated for the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize, with candidates being proposed by 88 organisations in 27 countries. The world’s biggest technology award will be presented by Tarja Halonen, President of Finland, in June 2008.

The nomination period for the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize, Finland’s tribute to life-enhancing technological innovation, closed on 1 October 2007. “The quality of the nominated candidates and their innovations is high. The task of the Selection Committee will not be easy,” said Dr. Tapio Alvesalo, Secretary General of the Millennium Prize Foundation.

Both distinguished innovators and new, emerging researchers feature among the candidates. “Criteria for awarding the prize do not focus on lifetime achievements or purely academic work. The primary criterion is an innovation’s impact on the quality of human life and sustainable development. This is how the Millennium Technology Prize differs from many other awards for scientific endeavour,” said Dr. Alvesalo.

The number of nominations received was at the same level as in 2006, the last prize round. In terms of individual countries, the largest numbers of nominations came from the USA (20), Germany (7) and France (7). “Professors Tim Berners-Lee and Shuji Nakamura, winners of the two first rounds, have set a very high standard,” said Dr Alvesalo.

Selection process has now started

The nominations received are now being evaluated by a team of science and technology experts. This pre-selection group prepares a list of candidates recommended for further consideration.

In the next phase, the results of the pre-selection process are passed to the eight members of the International Selection Committee. Chaired by Professor Marja Makarow, Chief Executive of the European Science Foundation, this committee then prepares a recommendation for finalists and presents this to the board of the Millennium Prize Foundation. The names of the three or four finalist candidates will be announced on 8 April 2008.

The name of the winner of the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize will be announced on 11 June 2008 at an award ceremony in Helsinki. The winner is awarded the Millennium Technology Prize of one million euros, the other finalists are each awarded sums of EUR 50,000.

Millennium Technology Prize

The Millennium Technology Prize is Finland’s tribute to life-enhancing technological innovation. The prize is awarded every second year for a technological innovation that is significantly improving the quality of human life today and in the future. The world’s biggest technology prize is awarded by the Millennium Prize Foundation, an independent fund established by Finnish industry and the Finnish state in partnership.

Further information

Dr. Tapio Alvesalo
Secretary General of the Foundation
Secretary to the International Selection Committee
Tel: +358-400-341 497
E-mail: [email protected]
www.millenniumprize.fi(Link to another website.)