Midlothian company selected as finalist for prestigious EU prize

The EU Prize for Women Innovators celebrates the women responsible for Europe’s most groundbreaking innovations, from tackling climate change to treating the world’s deadliest diseases. 

This year there was a record breaking 227 applications from across the EU and Horizon Europe associated countries.

Dr Alicja Dzieciol, originally from Poland, and SilviBio, the Midlothian-based company she co-founded have been selected as finalists for a prestigious European Union-backed innovation prize. SilviBio designs biobased, biodegradable products that help foresters adapt to climate change and reduce their water, fertiliser and peat use to minimise the harmful effects of water scarcity on tree seeds and seedlings.

Having narrowed the pool down to just 14 finalists, Dr Alicja Dzieciol is now competing for one of the three €50,000 prizes in the “Rising Innovators” category and is the only Scottish nominee in the running.

The €50,000 Rising Innovator prize seeks to recognise women entrepreneurs aged 35 or under who are 'behind game changing innovations' and can 'be role models to women and girls everywhere'.

“Supporting Europe’s women entrepreneurs is good for growth, is good for people, and is good for our planet. This year’s finalists are pioneering ground-breaking innovations that could help revolutionise healthcare, develop more human-centered artificial intelligence and contribute to a more sustainable future.”

Mariya Gabriel, the EU’s Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth

The winners of the EU Prize for Women Innovators and its €50,000 Rising Innovator category will be announced on 7th and 8th December 2022 in Brussels at the European Innovation Council Summit.

This contest is funded by the European Innovation Council, under Horizon Europe, the EU’s research and innovation framework programme. Three prizes worth €100 000 each will be awarded to the most inspiring women innovators. In addition, to mark the European Year of Youth, the EU will award three further prizes worth €50 000 euros each to promising emerging innovators under 35.