The Millennium Technology Prize – More Crucial Than Ever

The 2020 Millennium Technology Prize and the Millennium Innovation Forum. 18-19 May 2021. In cooperation with Vaisala.
Published:
Innovations and Inspirations

The 2020 Millennium Technology Prize, to be awarded on 18 May 2021, is now more topical than ever: it reminds us of the opportunities for building a healthier and more sustainable world with technology and science-based innovations. As a partner of the Millennium Technology Prize, we are part of the international innovation community, contributing to a more responsible and prosperous world.

Technology and science play a fundamental role in solving the great challenges of the world: combatting serious illnesses, providing adequate food supplies, sustainable energy and materials, mitigating climate change and maintaining a clean environment are all matters we cannot take for granted. The role of the Millennium Technology Prize is to celebrate innovations that revolutionize our lives and promote general well-being.

Winners of the Millennium Technology Prize have had the courage and curiosity to examine and explore the world from new perspectives. Among the winning innovations are LEDs, the World Wide Web, the innovation enabling smart devices and innovations that have improved our physical well-being for example by enabling regulated drug release and use of ethical stem cells.

The Winners of the Prize have all made scientific knowledge flourish in the form of concrete innovations and new technologies. As stated in the selection criteria, the Prize highlights the development of technology that responds to the greatest global challenges of our time.

In his message, the Patron of the Prize and President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinistö calls attention to the sustained effort that underlies breakthrough innovations: “Globally, technology has changed our lives in numerous, often positive ways and has expanded our world. However, at the same time, we tend to forget what lies beneath it. Commitment, persistence and a great amount of pioneering research work is hidden in the technological applications we use every day to learn, to do business, to travel and to communicate.”

Because strong expertise and know-how are needed both in scientific research and in transforming the research findings into commercial applications, future innovations will increasingly emerge from collaboration. As a partner of the Millennium Technology Prize, we are dedicated to consolidating frontier research, development, and innovation. 

Watch the story of the Millennium Technology Prize!

The 2020 Millennium Technology Prize will be awarded on 18 May 2021. The announcement and award ceremony will be streamed online.  

The following day, on 19 May 2021, we will celebrate the Millennium Technology Prize at the virtual event Millennium Innovation Forum that offers inspiring speakers, high-profile networking opportunities and new, exciting ideas. The futuristic Forum connects people from numerous fields and disciplines to discuss the core challenges and emergent solutions shaping the future of humankind. As a part of the Forum program we welcome you to a virtual visit Vaisala's newly opened R&D center and in-house cleanroom and see how we turn silicon wafers and artificial intelligence into actionable insight. ​More information about the virtual visit here.