Young Chinese inventor among top 10 innovators for 2025 EPO prize

BERLIN, May 7 (Xinhua) -- A young Chinese inventor and her collaboration partner have been named among the top 10 innovators of the Young Inventors Prize 2025, standing out from more than 450 candidates, the European Patent Office (EPO) announced on Tuesday.

Chinese inventor Wen Roujia and Alisha Fredriksson co-founded a startup to develop a retrofittable carbon capture system to help shipowners cut emissions without needing to replace their fleets.

"We bind the CO2 in solid form using calcium-based materials, making storage as simple as carrying cargo. No specialized equipment, no extreme conditions, just a stable, scalable way to reduce emissions at sea," explained Wen.

Aimed at individuals aged 30 and under, the EPO said that the Young Inventors Prize showcases the transformative power of youth-driven solutions and recognizes the remarkable young people paving the way to a more sustainable future.

According to the EPO, the top 10 innovators for this year's prize span five continents. They contribute to multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and provide solutions in areas such as e-waste, rare earth element recovery, aviation, artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, carbon capture, food security, and environmental protection.