DI Armin Winter and Dr. Marco Beaumont win the first prize of the tecnet-accent Innovation Award 2018
The Innovation Award focuses on possible commercialization of scientific knowledge and inventions, to demonstrate how “valuable ideas can be brought into the market”. The first prize in 2018 was awarded to DI Armin Winter (Institute of Wood Technology and Renewable Materials) and Dr. Marco Beaumont (Division of Chemistry of Renewable Resources) for their presentation "Residual Macrophytes from the Danube Region - Two Step Market Penetration Strategy: Packaging Applications and Biorefinery". The two scientists have developed a concept to create a marketable product out of macrophytes. In addition, they have already been able to create packaging prototypes and prove the technical feasibility. Those macrophytes have been growing excessively in Danube river systems, mainly boosted through warmer summers, and represent both an unused waste product and a threat to the ecosystem balance. Their utilization in packaging thus offers a double benefit.
The tecnet-accent Innovation Award was awarded on Wednesday, October 3rd, during the IFA Herbstfest.