According to the press release, a dominant evaluation aspect was the economic results achieved through innovation in 2020. The jury selected the winner of the Innovation Grand Prix through a secret vote.
The 2020 Hungarian Innovation Grand Prix was awarded to Richter Gedeon Nyrt. for the development of a new Hungarian biosimilar drug, Terrosa. The market entry of Terrosa developed for the treatment of osteoporosis (a bone disease) proves the success of the biosimilar concept as it yielded EUR 27.237 million in income already in the first full year making the “invented and made in Hungary” economy development concept come true.
The 2020 Industrial Innovation Prize (Ministry for Innovation and Technology - MIT) was awarded to Additive Manufacturing Technologies Hungary Kft. for the development and manufacturing of an automated post-processing solution for 3D printed parts.
The 2020 IT Innovation Prize (MIT) was awarded to Tungsram Operations Kft. for re-utilising the traditional skills of the company on innovative areas (such as wolfram filament development, sustainable and safe food production).
The 2020 Industrial Innovation Prize (National Research, Development and Innovation Office - NRDI Office) was awarded to TEQBALL Kft. for the development of the mass-producible Teqball folding table.
The 2020 Agricultural Innovation Prize was awarded to KITE Zrt. for developing a Precision Farming System that aims to have precision solutions adapted to the widest possible range of technological elements.
The 2020 Environment Innovation Prize (AM - Ministry of Agriculture) was awarded to MOL Nyrt. for its Co-Processing procedure whereby wastes of biological origin and fossil wastes are transformed together into gas oils.
The 2020 Innovation Prize of the Hungarian Intellectual Property Office (HIPO) was awarded to Hagyó Kereskedelmi és Szolgáltató Kft. for its multi-patented computer-controlled distillation apparatus developed for aroma profiles.
The 2020 Innovation Prize of the Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) was awarded to Graboplast Padlógyártó Zrt. for its developments of flooring structures of special characteristics (self-disinfecting commercial flooring, solid sports flooring having multiple foam layers).
János Pakucs who created the Hungarian Innovation Grand Prix system 29 years ago and continues to organise it today, said in his press release: “last year, company innovation activities promoting economic growth saw a significant, 50 percent increase mainly resulting from the transformation of the domestic innovation control system, its elevation to government level and a considerable increase in state R&D funds”.
At the same time, the Hungarian Association for Innovation announced the 2020 Startup Innovation Prize that was awarded to Femmetex Hungary Kft. founded in 2019 for its ‘this is Redy’ period panties. Their product innovation offers women a new, environmentally friendly personal hygiene alternative absorbing up to 2.5 normal tampons worth of blood. In 2020, they generated over HUF 100 million in income, the Hungarian Association for Innovation informed. The 29th Hungarian Innovation Grand Prix contest was funded by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office from the NRDI Fund.
Zoltán Birkner, President of the NRDI Office and co-patron of the contest said in the press release: “there is even a greater need for research and development and the power of innovation in the pandemic as these may be the main drivers of economic relaunch and sustainable development. The Innovation Grand Prix moves not only the stakeholders of the ecosystem through recognising the most outstanding Hungarian achievements year after year, but it also has a considerable impact on the public acceptance of innovation”.
The information sheet on the winners and further 52 applications recognised as innovation can be opened by clicking on the link at the website of the Hungarian Association for Innovation, the innovation association informed.
Source: MTI