The 2009 awards and showcase of the European Women Inventors and Innovators Network celebrated women's ingenuity with entries from across Europe. The event was hosted in Helsinki in October, and fittingly the coveted prize of European Inventor of the Year was awarded to Eija Pessinen, a midwife from Finland. Read about her and the other award winners 

European Inventor of the Year 2009, Eija Pessinen, is the developer of the relaxbirth®, a Specialist SRN and Midwife. She has had a long history of nursing and consulting nursing in different countries.

Eija has worked with the innovation and the method since 2003. At the preliminary phase of the 

Eija Pessinen, with her relaxbirth®, aimed at helping mothers and midwives

innovation, the Innovation Ombudsman of the Uudenmaan TE-center and the Patent Engineer of the FinnishPatent and Registration Office played important supporting roles. The prototypes were tested by physiotherapists, a work-ergonomy physiotherapist, women with several children and women giving birth.

The innovation was further developed according to their feedback. An educational video for professionals and expectant women was produced and directed by Tertta Saarikko, filmed by Jukka Mustonen and edited by Antti Lehikoinen.

A team of several specialists of various professional fields have been working together on the design of the innovation. Erja Holgeri, a work-ergonomy physiotherapist, who has a vast experience in working for various professionals, including midwives and women in labour, was involved in the design work at all stages of it's development. Mikko Anttilainen as Design Engineer, Mika Ihanus as Industrial Designer and Jari Koskinen as Brand Manager were also involved. The consultant on intellectual property rights has been Master of Law, Timo Kivi-Koskinen.

In addition various medical, obstetrical and gynaecological and perinatal specialists along with experienced midwives have been consulted during the development process of the innovation.

Full Listing of the EUWIIN 2009 Award Winners

 
The European Union Women Inventor & Innovator of the Year 2009 - EIJA PESSINEN – inventor of THE RELAXBIRTH SYSTEM from FINLAND – for her revolutionary system for childbirth which increases the well-being of the mother and child as well as the personnel in charge of the delivery.

Innovation Winner - MAIJA ITKONEN - inventor of POWERKISS from FINLAND for developing an integrated wireless charging solution, which converts basic furniture into smart energy platforms. Finland FINLAND for developing an integrated wireless charging solution, which converts basic furniture into smart energy platforms.

Exceptionally Creative Winner - EMANUELA UGHI for "BHASKARA"- innovator FROM ITALY whose mission is to disseminate an approach through activities and services for schools and institutions through new mathematical tools.

THE EUWIIN GOLD INNOVATION IN SCIENCE AWARD 2009 - ALESSANDRA LUCHINI inventor HYDROGEL NANOPARTICLES from ITALY with the product responsible for the early detection of diseases such as cancer, heart disease, neurodegenerative disease and infectious disease and sports medicine.

THE EUWIIN SILVER INNOVATION IN HOME AND LEISURE AWARD 2009 to GUÐRÚN GUÐRÚNARDÓTTIR FROM ICELAND - inventor of PLASTERPLUG a product responsible for resealing holes in walls.

ALSO SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARDS WERE PRESENTED TO

FROM ICELAND - FOR LIFE-NAVIGATION - AGUSTINA THORGILSSON

FROM – SWEDEN -- THE NEW MAGNIFYING GLASS - ANNIKA WINELL

FROM - ICELAND – THE INNOVATIVE, ARTIST, ACTRESS AND SINGER - ARGUNOVA KJUREGEJ

FROM – UNITED KINGDOM FOR HER HEALING HARP PRODUCTIONS, BETHAN HUGHES

FROM FINLAND FOR REGEA - BETTINA LINDROOS & SUSANNA MIETTINEN AND RIITTA SUURONEN –

FROM ITALY FOR HER SCHOOL ENERGY CENTER - DANIELA RADER

FROM ITALY FOR DISTRICT OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INFORMATION FOR INNOVATION - ELISABETTA DURANTE –

FROM PORTUGAL FOR HER RESEARCH IN EXPLORING NOVEL PROPERTIES FROM CONVENTIONAL MATERIALS TO UNCONVENTIONAL ELECTRONIC APPLICATIONS - ELVIRA FORTUNATO

FROM - ESTONIA REPRESENTING THE CO-INVENTORS, SCIENTIFIC GROUP DEVELOPERS OF TENSIA - EPP SONGISEPP

FROM - ICELAND – THE INNOVATIVE TEACHER, AUTHOR AND DESIGNER - HERDIS EGILSDOTTIR

FROM - ICELAND – FOR HER KEILIR HEALTH PILLOW - HULDA SVEINSDOTTIR

FROM - ESTONIA THE INNOVATIVE TEXTILE ARTIST AND EDUCATOR FOR KADIPUU - KADI PAJUPUU

(13) FROM ICELAND FOR HER HJALLI PEDAGOGY - MARGRÉT ÓLAFSDÓTTIR -

(14) FROM FRANCE FOR HER STRATEGIC PROGRAM “EVE-OLUTION - NANCY V. GOMEZ –

(15) FROM UNITED KINGDOM – FOR HER ROAD REFRESHER BOWL - NATALIE ELLIS –

(16) FROM TURKEY – FOR OYADESIGN - OYA AKMAN

(17) FROM - ITALY – THE CO-INVENTOR OF CUSTOM BONE SERVICE - ROBERTA MARTINETTI

(18) FROM – ICELAND FOR HER ROSA DESIGN - ROSA HELGADOTTIR

(19) FROM – FINLAND FOR HER FIMART GLOBAL, - TUULA ALLÉN

Chairman's Award – presented to Frank Landamore for Inventique Magazine

About EUWIIN

The European Women Inventors and Innovators Network is an arm of GWIIN, the global network for women inventors and innovators, headed up By Bola Olabisi, which aims to increase the number of innovative women embracing enterprise. The organisation works with government departments, leading industry experts, voluntary organisations, enterprises and educational institutions in finding effective ways of bringing the support, assistance, tools, advice and information that assist women in achieving significant growth in their businesses.

More info on EUWIIN