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Finland's Millennium Technology Prize Open to the U.S.
World's Largest Technology Prize of One Million Euros Given to 'Life-Enhancing' Technology Innovators; Tim Berners-Lee, Shuji Nakamura are Past Winners
(NOMINATIONS DEADLINE CLOSED)
Santa Clara, Calif. – August 8, 2007 – FinNode is actively encouraging U.S. individuals to enter the prestigious Millennium Technology Prize competition, which is now open for nominations. The international prize is the world‘s largest technology award with a purse of one million Euros (approximately 1.4 million U.S. dollars) given to an individual whose innovation promotes quality of life, contributes to humane values, or encourages sustainable development. Past winners of the biannual award include Professor Tim Berners-Lee, who revolutionized electronic communications by inventing the World Wide Web.
“The Millennium Technology Prize is very famous internationally, but not well known inside the United States,” commented Pekka Parnanen, Director of FinNode in Silicon Valley. “Since our office is located here at the epicenter of innovation, we are encouraging U.S. companies and individuals to enter the competition and we are here to answer questions about it.”
The Millennium Technology Prize was inaugurated in 2004 by the Government of Finland as a way to encourage meaningful technology development. In a message from Tarja Halonen, President of the Republic of Finland, she explained, “Technological innovations have reduced inequality, improved our environment, and accelerated sustainable development. In meeting the challenges of the future we will need new technologies that are not yet born. New technologies are essential in the search for solutions to global problems such as achieving sustainable energy supplies, the availability of clean water, control of climate change and a number of health related issues. These solutions touch every one of us.”
How to Enter
The nomination period for the 2008 Millennium Technology Prize is now open CLOSED. The deadline to receive entries was October 1, 2007. Nomination guidelines and forms can be downloaded from http://www.millenniumprize.fi/index.php?m=2&s=3&id=37. The Millennium Prize winner and finalists will be announced during the week of June 9-11, 2008 during the official Millennium Technology Week in Helsinki, Finland.
FinNode staff in Silicon Valley can answer additional questions about the prize and can be reached by calling Thuong Tan, (408) 748-7400, or sending eMail to thuong.tan@finnode.com.
About the Millennium Prize Foundation
Established and funded by the Finnish private and public sectors in partnership, the Millennium Technology Prize is administered by the Millennium Prize Foundation, an independent fund with 14 member organizations.
About FinNode
Comprised of members of the business and technology community, FinNode is a network designed to help Silicon Valley companies connect with partners in Finland and the U.S. With domain expertise in more than 20 different industries, FinNode provides resources for business development, internationalization, R&D, outsourcing, intellectual property licensing, venture funding and university partnerships. The FinNode community offers executive-level contacts and expertise relevant to Fortune 1000 companies, start-ups and universities. For more information, please visit www.finnode.com.
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U.S. Media Contact:
Juliet Travis
Rocket Science PR, for FinNode
+1 415.464.8110 x 5
juliet@rocketscience.com