The 2026 European Inventor Award has been announced, with Chinese inventors Yu Haijun and Xie Yinghao winning the 'Non-EPO Member States Award' and the 'Popular Prize' for their 'reverse positioning' technology in recycling spent lithium-ion batteries. This technology can directly convert spent batteries into high-performance cathode materials, enabling efficient recovery of key materials such as nickel, cobalt, manganese, and lithium. It is suitable for large-scale industrial applications and can significantly reduce mineral resource consumption and carbon emissions. Both inventors are from Guangdong Brunp Recycling Technology Co., Ltd. Yu Haijun stated that they will continue to promote battery recycling and facilitate technological cooperation between China and Europe in the new energy sector. Established by the European Patent Office (EPO) in 2006, the European Inventor Award honors individuals and teams that provide solutions to major challenges of our time. This year, the focus is on breakthroughs in fields such as food chemistry, energy, biotechnology, and environmental technology.