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FOREWORD

Dear Participants in the Ceremony for the Innovation Award Laser Technology 2020 and 2022,

What drives people to innovative excellence in our By bestowing the Innovation Award Laser Techno-
institutions and companies? Is it the desire to solve logy, we intend to distinguish exactly those innova-
a given task as optimally as possible using the latest tors who have pursued an invention, from research
technology? The inherent power of the engineer to through development to the market launch, within
constantly improve the status quo? Internal corpo- the field of production-oriented laser technology.
rate goals? External competition? Is it the convic-
tion of providing people with better liv ing conditions Thanks to their innovative efforts each of the
thanks to innovative developments? Or is it the pure three finalist teams of the Innovation Award Laser
ambition of many technology experts? Probably Techno logy 2020 and three finalist teams of the
there is a combination of a bit of everything. Innovation Award Laser Technology 2022 has
contributed significantly to the advancement of
Innovators are usually self-motivated and ex- science and technology. They deserve our thanks
ceptionally effective people who use their crea- and recognition. Finally, we would like to thank the
tivity, skills and will to transform new ideas into jury members for their commitment to the assess-
specific products, tools, processes and services. ment process and wish you many inspiring ideas
And yet, in highly advanced fields such as laser for your own developments.
technology, the expertise and the equipment of
a single expert rarely suffices to convert an idea Dr. Alexander Olowinsky
into practice. More often, through the interaction Chairman of the European Laser Institute e.V.
of several experts in a well-coordinated team, do
relevant developments occur. When the invention Dipl.-Ing. Ulrich Berners
is rewarded because the market responds posi- Chairman of the Arbeitskreis Lasertechnik e.V.
tively, the innovation has succeeded.

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