The Ljubljana-based company Aerosol is one of the six recipients of this year's WIPO Global Awards for SMEs that use intellectual property rights to make their business ideas a reality and contribute to a better future by applying innovation and creativity.

Aerosol is a leading developer and manufacturer of air quality measurement instruments. Its products are patented and trademarked, which helped the company to become a global leading innovator in this market niche. They are considered pioneers and world-leading experts in the measurement and research of black carbon and other carbonaceous aerosols.

Carbonaceous aerosols are small airborne particles that have a negative impact on people's health and the environment.

The six winners were selected by an expert jury among 548 applicants from around the globe, with the awards handed out on 11 July on the sidelines of the 2023 WIPO Assemblies taking place at the WIPO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

The other five winners come from China, France, Kenya, Mexico, and Singapore.

The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is a specialized agency of the UN and their Global Awards programme was launched last year.

The criteria that determined the winners were how successful the commercialisation of their intellectual property was, both at home and abroad, and the potential positive contribution they do or might have at the economic, social and cultural levels, including environmental, inclusion and gender issues.

Each of the winning companies will benefit from a customized mentoring program, in areas such as accessing finance, establishing business partnerships, and strengthening their intellectual property strategies.

Aerosol CEO Mateja Forštnarič said the accolade is proof and recognition of the team's efforts and work regarding intellectual property as well as successful commercialisation in recent years.

"The award will help our company gain recognition, visibility and added value. It boosts the image and the recognizability of our brand and our mission to raise awareness about the negative impact of black carbon and other carbon aerosols on the climate and human health," Forštnarič was quoted as saying by the Intellectual Property Office.

The office's director Karin Žvokelj said "Slovenia can be very proud to have companies that are pushing the boundaries on a global scale and are an example of best practice in the commercialisation of intellectual property."