On 4 September 2025, the winners of the first edition of the Ingenias LATAM AwardThe event, an initiative of Component 3 for Intellectual Property Rights implemented by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), was held at the headquarters of the National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) in Santiago, Chile, which acted as co-organiser and host of this inaugural edition. The emotionally charged ceremony took place at the headquarters of the National Institute of Industrial Property (INAPI) in Santiago de Chile, which acted as co-organiser and host of this inaugural edition.
The award honours four women inventors from Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay, recognised by a specialised jury for the innovative nature of their projects and the social or sustainable impact of their contributions. All of them have inventions protected by intellectual property rights in force in their respective countries, an essential requirement for participation, and symbolise excellence in different professional fields.
The Ingenias LATAM 2025 awardees reflect the breadth of female talent in the region, with projects spanning agricultural biotechnology, health, industrial design and creative industries:
Dr. Alessandra Alves De Souza (Brazil)geneticist and developer of the agricultural use of the molecule N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) and its analogues to prevent and treat bacterial diseases in citrus fruits.
Silvana Herrera Leiva (Chile)product designer and inventor of a sensory band that allows visually impaired people to detect obstacles in their field of vision.
Dr. Gladys Antonieta Rojas de Arias (Paraguay)biologist and inventor of 2,5-dihydroxybenzyl compounds to treat Chagas disease and leishmaniasis.
María Inés Costa Saravia (Uruguay)graphic design technician and inventor of a hand crochet tool that automatically retracts after each stitch and keeps the yarn tension stable.
The event brought together the Chargé d'Affaires of the Delegation of the European Union in Chile, as well as the highest authorities of the national intellectual property offices: INAPI (Chile), INPI (Brazil), DINAPI (Paraguay) and DNPI (Uruguay), partners in the organisation of the award, in addition to representatives of the EUIPO and members of the jury from the private sector who participated in the evaluation of nominations.
One of the most awaited moments was the presentation, for the first time, of the mini-documentaries dedicated to each inventor, audiovisual pieces that narrate their trajectories, creative processes and the impact of their inventions. The aim is to motivate new generations of women to venture into innovation and the use of intellectual property as a tool for development.
The initiative, in line with EUIPO's Strategic Plan SP2030, reinforces the commitment to build a more inclusive and representative IP system. In a scenario where women are still underrepresented - only 18% in international patent applications in 2024 (WIPO) and 24% in designs registered before the EUIPO in 2022 - the Ingenias LATAM Award is a milestone to make female talent visible and strengthen the strategic cooperation between Latin America and the European Union.