Lumitech wins Burgenland innovation award for germ-killing light

Lumitech has won the overall 2026 Burgenland Innovation Award for white-light technology that reduces germs on fruit and vegetables, ORF reported. The Jennersdorf company’s lighting slows spoilage and can also clean the shelves where goods are displayed.

The technology emits a wavelength that is unpleasant for certain pathogens and kills them, Lumitech founder and chief executive Stefan Tasch said. The Burgenland Chamber of Commerce and Wirtschaftsagentur Burgenland gave the company the top award.

Software developer ETM, based in Eisenstadt, won the digitalisation category. Its system uses artificial intelligence to turn written requirements for software and equipment into web interfaces and dashboards, saving customers from manually programming control panels, for example those used in underground trains.

Peischl, a commercial vehicle manufacturer in Stegersbach, won the sustainability category for a specialised truck body. The company says its solution is one tonne lighter than competitors’ models, allowing operators to use less fuel and carry an additional tonne. It can also transport loose material on one leg of a journey and palletised goods on another.

Thirty companies entered this year’s awards, with sustainability and digitalisation among the judging priorities.