WIPO NATIONAL AWARD FOR INVENTORS

mag. Karin Žvokelj, director of Slovenian Intellectual Property Office, Nejc Novak for izr. prof. Franc Majdič

Justification: WIPO 2025 award goes to assoc. prof. dr. Franc Majdič, professor at Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, the co-inventor of six currently patented inventions, with one of the most important – “Modular hydraulic rotary motor”. This invention enabled the series production of a special hydraulic motor (rotator) in the company KGL d.o.o. This breakthrough invention opened a new production line for KGL, which had previously been limited to supplying parts for the automotive industry. By doing so, it provided the company with greater independence from fluctuations in the automotive market and ensured long-term strategic resilience. The invention has already delivered tangible industrial and economic benefits: it has enabled serial production for domestic and international markets, created new jobs, and strengthened KGL’s position as an innovative Slovenian manufacturer with global competitiveness. This achievement exemplifies the values of the WIPO Award: transforming inventive knowledge into real-world industrial application, generating measurable economic impact, and enhancing the international visibility of Slovenian innovation.

About the Prize
The goal is to award inventive and innovative activity of Slovenian public researchers and to recognize their contribution to national wealth and development.

Researchers from Slovenian public research organisations can apply via this link latest by 8 September.

Info about the eligibility criteria and rating is available here.

Recipients of the WIPO awards from previous years can not apply again.

Evaluation commission members:
Alojz Barlič, Slovenian Intellectual Property Office (SIPO)

Nina Urbanič, Slovene Enterprise Fund

M. Sc Annika Bastian, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)

More info about the WIPO Award Program

Past awards: 2020, 20212022, 2023, 2024