Richard Turere, known to the world as the man of ‘lion’s light, has put Kenya on the map as the world’s youngest outstanding inventor.
The 22-year-old received special recognition in the under-30 inventor category for creating a system that uses light sequencing to keep lions and other predators away from livestock in order to safeguard his community’s livestock without endangering the critically endangered lions.
Turere bought the solar-powered Lions Light when he was 11 years old to protect his father’s livestock, livelihood, and wildlife.
The invention has since been adapted for use in a number of African countries, as well as in India and Argentina.
The Lions light system is typically powered by solar energy, but it can also be supplemented by wind power when the weather is cloudy or there is little sunlight.
Turere dedicated his victory to all hardworking Africans in his acceptance speech. “I am very happy, and this is for Africans who work hard every day and never give up.”Turere said as he fought back tears.
Turere’s invention could not have come at a more opportune time. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the African lion population has declined by 43% in the last 20 years, with an estimated 20,000 lions roaming the entire continent.
The young man was named the winner, with Filipa and Fionn coming in first and second place, respectively, for the second edition of the Young Inventors Prize, which was established by the European Patent Office (EPO) to inspire the next generation of inventors.
The prize honors young innovators under the age of 30 who have developed technological solutions to combat global poverty and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Turere’s invention contributes to UN SDG 15: Life on Land, which includes the conservation, restoration, and promotion of terrestrial ecosystems.
The EPO also announced the winners of various categories and prizes at the awards ceremony, including Industry, SMEs, Research, Non-EPO Countries, lifetime achievement, the Young Inventors Prize, and the Popular Prize (decided by public vote).
The winners of the European Patent Office’s annual European Inventor Award were announced on Tuesday, July 4, 2023, in Valencia, Spain.
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