The German Innovation Award has been initiated in 2008 by twelve technology-focused German companies and the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (GCCIJ) under the patronage of the Federal Minister of Education and Research Professor Dr.Annette Schavan to promote cooperation between Germany and Japan in industry and academia. This project wants to encourage and support young researchers in Japan, enhance internationalization in academia-industry partnerships and build networks of R&D departments of German companies with Japanese universities and research institutions. These activities are expected to provide a basis for joint development projects.

The prize is awarded for application-oriented research work in the areas of Environment & Energy, Healthcare, and Safety & Security. In addition to the prize money, the awardees will be granted a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) or the German Research Foundation (DFG) for a short-term stay at a German research institution or university of their choice. 

Following a round of pre-selection by technical experts dispatched by the awarding companies, a jury composed of permanent and expert members will evaluate and select the awardees. Prof. Dr. Masuo Aizawa, Executive Member of the Council for Science and Technology Policy and the former President of Tokyo Institute of Technology is the chairman of the Jury. 

The prize was named after the German mathematician Gottfried Wagener, who came to Japan in the Meiji era and was a professor for physics at various institutes in Kyoto and for chemistry at the University of Tokyo. He was also a founding member of Tokyo Institute of Technology. In Japan Wagener's excellent education and natural abilities secured him a position in the Japanese ministry of the interior giving important impulses in the process of restructuring the educational system. He played an influential role concerning the improvement of traditional handicrafts production of Japanese ceramics.

You can find the GIA's website here...