The OE-A (Organic and Printed Electronics Association), a working group within VDMA, looks to promote new technologies and visions in the area of organic and printed electronics through its annual OE-A Competition. There were plenty of worthy  submissions again this year, and LOPEC 2019, the international trade fair and conference for printed electronics, honored a few of these during its awards dinner.
 
The jury, consisting of representatives from international companies and institutes, rated the submissions in three categories. LOPEC visitors were encouraged to choose their favorite exhibit at the OE-A booth, where all the demonstrators were exhibited. The awards were presented during the LOPEC Dinner & Award Show to the following honorees:
 
• Best Prototype/New Product - Self-Powered Glucometer, IMB-CNM-CSIC.
• Best Freestyle Demonstrator - Project Monarch - OLED Design Kit, Fraunhofer FEP.
• Best Publicly Funded Project Demonstrator - PYCSEL H2020 - Thin Thermal Fingerprint Sensor – CEA, Holst Centre/TNO, IMEC, et al.
• Public Choice Award - Smart Windmill Blade – IPC & CEA Liten.
 
The OE-A also offers awards for newer companies at the Start-up Forum, who present their product ideas and business case. Two awards were presented:
• Best Business Case - Dr. David Forgacs, Saule Technologies.
• Most Impactful Technology Product - Daniel Strohmayr, Tacterion.
 
“Overall, we are seeing a move to even more maturity for the technology,” said LOPEC chair Wolfgang Mildner of mswTech. “The projects are now more mature, and are closer to the market and the customer.”