Exciting Innovations Unveiled at INTARG® 2024 in Katowice, Poland from May 21-23!

On 21-23 May, the 17th INTARG® 2024 International Invention and Innovation Show took place at the International Congress Centre in Katowice. This year, for the first time, the event was accompanied by INTARG® EKO International Fair for Ecology and Environmental Protection, emphasizing the importance of sustainable development and care for our planet. This year’s event was particularly significant, not only because of the prestigious support of the Ministry of Development and Technology, the Ministry of Science, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) – one of 16 UN agencies and many other high-ranking institutions, but also because it was held under the auspices of the European City of Science Katowice 2024 project. Katowice is the first city in Central and Eastern Europe to be awarded the honorable title of Katowice City of Science 2024, which is a confirmation that the location of the fair in the capital of the Upper Silesian and Zagłębie Metropolitan Area (GZM) is the most appropriate place for an event presenting the future of the world based on innovation and scientific research. The patronages obtained testify to the high reputation of the event developed over the years. INTARG is a place where representatives of science, industry, and business, inventors, and innovation enthusiasts have been meeting for many years.

One of the key tasks of science and technology is the creation of new products and solutions and their transfer to the economy as a basis for the progress of civilization. INTARG® is an international and interdisciplinary event supporting these challenges.

The Show presents research results and innovative solutions from various industries and fields, with a view to their dissemination, implementation and commercialization – from medicine and health, security, IT, to inventions useful in various industries as well as in everyday life. This year most of the solutions presented, were those with a high TRL technology readiness level – close to implementation or already implemented.

INTARG® COMPETITION:   An important and integral element of the show is the INTARG® competition, in which a group of jurors and experts assess the presented solutions, selecting the most interesting ones and awarding prizes and medals. This year, the members of the jury evaluating the presented solutions were, as always, recognized Polish and foreign scientists and experts. During the INTARG® 2024 final gala, prestigious awards were presented for the most interesting solutions presented at the show.

CONFERENCES: The Silesian University of Technology, the Substantive Partner, organized a conference – discussion panels with the participation of scientists and representatives of the business world, discussing issues from a number of thematic areas illustrating the importance of science in both social and economic terms. They were devoted to the synergy of science and industry, knowledge and technology transfer, and the protection of intellectual property. All panels were held on the Fairgrounds.

INTARG® ECO: Parallel to the INTARG® show, the INTARG® EKO trade fair was held for the presentation of ‘green technologies.

TOP POLISH INVENTIONS EXCHANGE:  Another event accompanying the Fair was the Exchange of TOP Polish Inventions Awarded at the 2023 International Invention Show, with a ceremonial presentation of awards by the Minister of Education for special activity in promoting Polish science on the international arena.

MATCHMAKING: B2B International Matchmaking Event INTARG® talks organized by the European Europe Network and the Upper Silesia Fund.  The workshop was organized by the Future Industry Platform and company “Mamy Energię”

ARTISTIC SETTING: Both the inauguration and the final gala were provided with a rich artistic setting: a performance by multi-instrumentalist Agata Zamirska and a concert during the closing gala by artists Jerzy Jarosik, Piotr Wojtasik, Bartłomiej Kalicki, Michał Barański and Kacper Kałuża. PROMOTION IN THE MEDIA, VISITORS It was with satisfaction that we observed TV, radio and press journalists who spent many hours at the Show interviewing exhibitors, resulting in numerous reports and ‘live’ reports on TV and radio, as well as articles in the press and in social media – so important for disseminating the achievements of exhibitors and promoting their innovative solutions and inventions and the event as a whole. The Show attracted a great deal of interest from visitors representing a variety of backgrounds – both professionals – entrepreneurs, as well as those interested in technical and technological innovations as a hobbyist. The visitors also included school and university students.

Among the guests of honor who graced the inauguration and the final gala with their presence were:

• Mariusz Jankowski Head of Investor Services Department of the City of Katowice
• Marco M. Alemán – Director at World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
• Alireza Rastegar – President of the International Federation of Inventors (IFIA)
• Edyta Demby-Siwek – President of the Polish Patent Office
• Joanna Kupka -Deputy Director of the Innovation and Communication Department Patent Office of the Republic of Poland
• Eva Krováková – Director at the Patent Office of the Czech Republic
• Wiparat De-ong – Director, National Research Council of Thailand
• Sirirurg Songsivilai, Ph.D., M.D., Chairman of the National Research and Innovation Promotion Commission of Thailand
• Arief Ramadhan – Economic Counsellor, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Warsaw
• Prof. Dr. Marek Pawełczyk – Vice-Rector for Science and Development of the Silesian University of Technology)
• Łukasz Łata – Deputy Director of the Department of Socio-Economic Development & Cooperation of the Upper Silesian & Zagłębie Metropolis GZM
  Eddie Shih – Director of the World Intellectual Property Association
• Agata Jasik – Director of PIE Office, Environmental Specialist
• Andrzej Pakulski – President of the Polonia International Foundation
• Marlena Miąsko – Vice-President of the Regional Chamber of Commerce in Katowice
• Piotr Wojtas – President of the Silesian Council of NOT FSNT in Katowice
• Magdalena Letun-Łątka – Director of the Centre for Incubation and Technology Transfer of the Silesian University of Technology
• Lucyna Sikora – Director of the Enterprise Europe Network Centre, Upper Silesian Fund S.A.
• Dr. Zygmunt Krasiński – President of the Polish Economic Chamber of Advanced Technologies
• Maciej Malik – President of the Management Board of the Future Industry Platform Foundation Magdalena Filipek-Marzec – Dean of the Silesian District of the Polish Chamber of Patent Attorneys Dorota Pociask-Frącek – Director of the Wojciech Korfanty Institute

Polish and foreign exhibitors included units from the scientific sphere (leading universities, research institutes, institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), institutes of the Łukasiewicz Research Network), SMEs and large enterprises, start-ups and ‘young inventors’. There were also stands of international institutions and organizations, chambers of commerce, service companies and business environment entities.

support from 27 high-profile Polish and international institutions and organizations

291 stationary and online exhibitors from 34 countries: Belgium, China, Croatia, the Czech Republic, the Philippines, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Yemen, Korea, Laos, Lithuania, Latvia, Macau, Malaysia, Morocco, Poland, Romania, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Thailand, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, the USA, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates

•  594 inventions and innovations
•  51 jurors from 18 countries, representing the worlds of science, industry, and business
•  24 conferences and panel discussions with representatives of science and business

• INTARG® Grand Prix
• Best Foreign Invention
• Best Invention INTARG® EKO
• International Jury President’s Award
• Platinum Awards
• Pro Societas Bono” Diamond Awards
• Awards for a solution with a high level of Technological Readiness TRL Gold, silver and bronze medalsPrizes and awards sponsored by institutions, patrons, and partners:
• Minister of Science
• Patent Office of the Republic of Poland
• Patent Office of the Czech Republic
• World Intellectual Property Organisation WIPO (in several categories)
• International Federation of Inventors’ Associations IFIA
• Future Industry Platform Foundation
• World Invention Intellectual Property Associations WIIPA
• Polish Federation of Engineering Associations NOT
• Polish Chamber of Ecology
• Polish Chamber of Patent Lawyer
• Polish Chamber of Patent Attorneys
• National Council of Thailand for Research
• the Polonia International Foundation of Belgium
• foreign delegations from Taiwan, Thailand, Tunisia Korea, Indonesia, Canada, France, Iran, Romania;

At www.intarg.pl you can explore all this year’s Exhibitors and their inventions along with the awards of the Jury and the Patrons and Partners of the Show Catalog, list and description of inventions and innovations, results of INTARG®, LEADER OF INNOVATION® and YOUNG INVENTOR 2024 competitions as well as videos of the entire event are available on the website: www.intarg.pl

Eurobusiness – Haller®   &  Fundacja Haller pro Inventio street Obroki 133, 40-833 Katowice, GSM.: +48 626 144 60 28 tel./fax:  +48 32 355 38 00   e-mail: intarg@haller.pl