- Xavier Damman was named Innovator of the Year 2016 for his entrepreneurial background and his latest and most visionary project, Open Collective
- Steven Vercammen received the special mention as Social Innovator 2016 for his project EVapp, which aims to save millions of lives.
MIT Technology Review, the prestigious magazine bestowed by Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), awarded yesterday the new generation of Innovators Under 35 Belgium 2016. The award ceremony took place in Brussels, organized with the support of the European partner L’Atelier BNP Paribas and the Belgian partner BNP Paribas Fortis. “As CEO of BNP Paribas Fortis, I am proud to be partner of such a prestigious award as MIT Innovators under 35. With this award young people who give proof of innovative spirit, entrepreneurship, perseverance and genuine social engagement are recognised. These are all key ingredients for a sustainable future” says Max Jadot, CEO of BNP Paribas Fortis.
8 Belgian laureates were selected from more than 180 applications in several sectors such as: biotechnology, medicine, software & hardware, telecommunications, smart materials and energy. A jury panel made up of experts in innovation such as Peter Hinssen, Chairman and co-founder of Nexxworks and Erick Brethenoux, Director of IBM Data and Analytics Strategy, evaluated the laureates’ profiles.
Among the 8 winners, two received a special mention: Xavier Damman, Innovator of the Year 2016 and Steven Vercammen, Social Innovator 2016. The Innovators Under 35 were joined on stage by the winners from the edition 2015, such as Sébastien Deletaille, Master of Ceremonies and Yves Van Ingelgem, Innovator of the Year.
The Innovators Under 35 Belgium 2016:
Xavier Damman – Open Collective
Platform that enables groups to quickly set up a collective, raise funds and manage them transparently.
Allison Derenne – Spectralys Biotech
Innovative analytical solutions to develop the next generation protein-based biodrugs faster and more accurately.
Charles Fracchia – BioBright
Interoperable tools to change the process of biomedical research for a more open science.
Geert Houben – Cubigo
Platform to empower elderly people to live independent and healthy.
Geert Slachmuylders – Turbulent
Small hydro-power plants based on biomimicry to provide reliable and affordable energy for even remote communities.
Jill Vanparys – Ava & Trix
Story-driven app for boys and girls to experiment in a fun way with science and technology.
Steven Vercammen – EVapp
Emergency Volunteer Application that bridges the time between an emergency call and the arrival of the paramedics.
Guillaume Wegria – Fyteko
Bio-stimulant that increases the resistance of plants to droughts.
These 8 laureates join the global community of Innovators Under 35, composed of more than 200 young innovators, pioneers and change-makers that the MIT Technology Review have awarded since 1999 in the USA and since then has grown around the world.
As part of the community, the winners from all the European editions (France, Belgium, Poland, Italy, Germany, and Spain) will meet on November 24th at the European Summit, which will entail of two days of discussion and activities centered around innovation and entrepreneurship. The Innovators will share ideas, find new solutions for the challenges of today’s Europe and create ways of impacting their regions and the world.
@Innovators35 #Innovators35EU
Press Contact:
Innovators Under 35 Belgium: Vaiana Lopez (vaiana.lopez@opinno.com)
BNP Paribas Fortis: Pamela Renders (pamela.renders@bnpparibasfortis.com)
About MIT Technology Review
MIT Technology Review is the oldest tech magazine of the world, published by the Technology Review Inc., an independent company property of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Founded in 1899, it’s the leader of its sector and a world authority on the future of telecommunications, energy, information technology, materials, biomedicine and internet. Its objective is to promote the knowledge of emerging technologies and analyze its commercial, political and social implications. Its perspective on innovation is to help and guide the leaders of the world of technology (entrepreneurs, researchers and investors) to improve the global economy.
About the Innovators Under 35
For more than a decade, the MIT Technology Review recognizes, annually, the young innovators and most talented entrepreneurs of the world, through Innovators Under 35, the global edition takes place in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States. The objective of these awards is to recognize innovation, the development of new technologies and the creative application of the already existing innovations in order to solve current problems, and stimulate the progress in global issues.