2008 Press Releases
26.08.2008
Spinverse makes share donation to the Millennium Technology Prize
The board of Spinverse has decided to make a donation in the form of company shares to the Millennium Technology Prize. The board members of Spinverse, a company which specialises in the commercialisation of emerging technologies, include Matti Packalén, Lars Gädda, Matti Kleimola, and Yrjö Neuvo. The board members have decided to donate their compensation, in the form of Spinverse shares, to support the Millennium Technology Prize.
11.06.2008
2008 Millennium Technology Prize Awarded to Professor Robert Langer for Intelligent Drug Delivery
The 2008 Millennium Technology Prize was presented to Professor Robert Langer today in Helsinki for developing innovative biomaterials for controlled drug release. The world’s largest technology prize is awarded by Technology Academy Finland for a technological innovation that significantly improves quality of human life and promotes sustainable development. President of the Republic of Finland Tarja Halonen handed Professor Langer the prize of EUR 800,000 and ”Peak”, the prize trophy, at the Grand Award Ceremony on Wednesday afternoon.
09.06.2008
Millennium Technology Prize Laureates meet in Helsinki
Representing the four groundbreaking innovations shortlisted for the world’s biggest technology award, the six Laureates for the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize are meeting each other for the first time today at a Millennium Technology Week press conference in Helsinki City Hall. The winner of the prize will be announced at a ceremony in Helsinki on 11 June.
12.05.2008
Work by the International Selection Committee continues
The International Selection Committee held a meeting in Finland after the announcement of the 2008 Laureates. The Committee is currently preparing a recommendation concerning the winner of 2008 Millennium Technology Prize for presentation to the Board of Technology Academy Finland.
08.04.2008
Biotech and IT innovations compete for 2008 Millennium Technology Prize
The finalists for the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize have been announced by the Technology Academy Finland. Those competing for the world’s largest technology prize are:
Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys
Professor, Department of Genetics, University of Leicester, UK“For his invention of DNA fingerprinting used in identification of criminal suspects and in paternity and immigration disputes. No other development in modern genetics has had such a profound impact worldwide on the lives of many millions of people.”
Professor Robert Langer
Institute Professor, MIT, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, USA“For his inventions and development of innovative biomaterials for controlled drug release and tissue regeneration that have saved and improved the lives of millions of people.”
Dr. Andrew J. Viterbi
President, Viterbi Group LLC, Professor Emeritus, University of Southern California, USA“For the invention of the Viterbi algorithm, the key building element in modern wireless and digital communications systems, touching lives of people everywhere.”
Professor Emmanuel Desurvire
Director, Physics Research Group, Thales Corporate Research & Technology, FranceDr. Randy Giles
Director, Optical Networks, Bell Laboratories, Alcatel-Lucent, New Jersey, USAProfessor David N. Payne
Director, Optoelectronics Research Centre, University of Southampton, UK“For their outstanding contributions to telecommunications through the invention of the erbium-doped fibre amplifier (EDFA) which made possible the global high-capacity optical fibre network, serving as a backbone of the global information superhighway.”
WHEN: 8 April 2008 at 1.45 p.m. GMT
WHERE: www.millenniumprize.fi
Please join us for the live webcast of a press conference at which the four Finalists for the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize will be revealed. The names of the Finalists and details of their innovations will be announced at 2.00 p.m. GMT. Announcements will be made simultaneously at press conferences in Helsinki, London, Paris and New York and a live webcast of the event will be available at www.millenniumprize.fi starting at 1.45 p.m. GMT.
15.02.2008
€ 1.15 million to be awarded in connection with the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize
The Board of the Foundation has decided that the total sum to be awarded in connection with the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize is € 1.15 million. The Winner of the Millennium Technology Prize will be awarded € 800,000, and the other Laureates will each be awarded € 115,000. Four Millennium Technology Prize Laureates will be announced on 8 April and the identity of the ultimate Winner will be announced on 11 June.