Leuven, Belgium, October 1, 2007. Materialise NV, world leader in software development for medical image processing rewards top level research conducted with the assistance of Mimics with a money prize up to 5,000 EUR. Winners in each category will be announced at the Medical Innovations Conference 2008, May 30-31, in Vienna, Austria.

Mimics Innovation Awards reward and help top level researchers who use Mimics to assist them in their work. The most innovative cases in three categories are awarded a money prize:

• Category 1: Innovative implant design systems and the development of innovative medical procedure
• Category 2: Innovations in computer aided engineering
• Category 3: Open category

The winner in each category receives a 5,000 EUR money prize.

Research cases can also be submitted in poster format. The winner in this fourth category receives a 2,500 EUR money prize.

An independent, international jury, consisting of experts in advanced 3D medical image processing, evaluates each participating case on pre-defined criteria. Only the most innovative case per category wins the award. Winners of the 2008 edition are invited to present their project at the international Medical Innovations Conference 2009.

Deadline for abstracts is November 30, 2007. Research cases should be submitted before March 1, 2008.

Wilfried Vancraen, CEO Materialise and driving force behind the Mimics Innovation Awards: "Many promising research projects never get further than the planning stage, due to lack of funds. The reason we launched these awards is to give innovative research much-needed financial support. Mimics Innovation Awards are becoming a prestigious prize in 3D medical image processing. This pleases us more than we can say. The more these awards are known, the more we can lift research to a higher level, resulting in a better and healthier world." The third edition of the Mimics Innovation Awards, in 2007, incited 32 researchers, from 16 different countries to submit their top level research case. Materialise believes this fourth edition will be even more successful.

About Materialise
With its headquarters in Leuven, Belgium and branches all over the world, the Materialise Group is best known for its activities in the field of rapid industrial and medical prototyping. Apart from having the largest capacity of rapid prototyping equipment in Europe, Materialise enjoys a worldwide reputation as provider of innovative software solutions. As such, Materialise has acquired the position of market leader for 3D printing and Digital CAD software in addition to being a major player in medical and dental image processing and surgery simulation. Its medical and dental products are used worldwide by famous hospitals, research institutes and clinicians. The group has several subsidiaries in Europe, Asia and the USA, and employs over 500 people in its 4 divisions.

More information on www.materialise.com/mimics_innovation_awards and www.materialise.com/mimic

Feel free to contact Catherine Cober, the person responsible for medical software marketing, if you have any further questions.