At the Saxon Innovation Conference 2021, Dr. Agnes Schulze was awarded the Saxon Transfer Award as runner-up for her transfer performance with model character in the project "Refined membrane filters for sustainable purification of drinking and waste water". The technology of subsequent and permanent modification of polymer membranes in a roll-to-roll process was transferred to the market in May 2019 with the IOM spin-off qCoat GmbH.

The special award for technology mediators was given to Yvonne Bohne, a scientist at the IOM, for her commitment to technology transfer in this project.

The hybrid event took place on July 14, 2021 under the motto "Idea. Transfer. Innovation." took place at Messe Dresden and online and was hosted by futureSAX, the innovation platform of the Free State of Saxony. The Saxon Innovation Conference focused on the best business ideas and start-up concepts, exemplary transfer projects and outstanding Saxon innovations. Martin Dulig, Saxony's Minister of State for Economic Affairs, Labor and Transport, symbolically presented the Saxony State Awards for Start-ups, Transfer and Innovation, worth a total of 110,000 euros. 700 interested parties attended the conference.