The winner will be announced in Science, receive 25,000 USD and invited into BII’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

BioInnovation Institute (BII) has announced the launch of a new annual innovation award in partnership with Science.

The BII & Science Prize for Innovation

The “BII & Science Prize for Innovation” seeks to recognize bold researchers who are asking fundamental questions at the intersection of the life sciences and entrepreneurship, states BII. It will be awarded to scientists who can show that they have reached across field boundaries with an enthusiasm that combines outstanding basic science with an eye toward application in the marketplace.

“The new BII & Science Prize for Innovation recognizes, encourages, and celebrates the work of entrepreneurial scientists by providing support in the early stages of their careers.”

“In today’s society, entrepreneurial scientists hold the key to unlocking new life-changing solutions. I am very proud of initiating this new prize for innovation in collaboration with Science magazine, one of the world’s leading scientific journals. The new BII & Science Prize for Innovation recognizes, encourages, and celebrates the work of entrepreneurial scientists by providing support in the early stages of their careers. Through the prize, we aim to bring more ideas to life and research to market for the benefit of people and society,” says Jens Nielsen, Chief Executive Officer at BII.

A grand award show celebration in Copenhagen

The award is presented for outstanding research performed by the applicant as described in a 1,000-word essay. Award winners will receive a cash prize (USD 25,000 for the winner; USD 10,000 for the two runners-up) at a grand award show celebration in Copenhagen, Denmark, and their essay submissions will be published in Science. Winners will also be invited into BII’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The selected Grand Prize winner and runner(s)-up will have an opportunity to be paired with the business development team for evaluation of their eligibility for any of the BII programs. If eligible, they will receive assistance for submission of a proposal to BII. All processes, rules, and policies related to such programs and all obligations related to selection and granting thereof are the sole responsibility of BII.

Deadline 1 November 2021

Successful applicants will have made significant advances in producing results that were protected as intellectual property and licensed to a commercial entity—for example, proprietary drugs and biologics, diagnostics, therapeutic interventions, health care information technology, or new solutions for biobased production of fuels, chemicals, and foods. Submissions are welcome from those who take risks to address relevant and exciting questions with creative approaches, even if the outcome may be considered a negative result. Announcement of the Award Winners will take place in April 2022.

The deadline for submissions is 1 November 2021.  More details can be found at www.bii.dk/scienceprize.

Photo of Jens Nielsen: BII