Upper Austria honours ideas using wood, larvae and cleaner brakes

Projects turning wood into high-performance ceramics, reusing organic waste and reducing brake dust were among the winners of Upper Austria’s Innovation Award, ORF reported. The state recognised projects from research institutions and businesses, selected from 61 entries.

The awards were presented on Wednesday evening at the ORF regional studio in Linz. This was the 33rd year the state had honoured innovations from business and research. Entries included 33 projects from small and medium-sized companies, 20 from large companies and eight from research institutions. A panel chaired by Johannes Kepler University Linz rector Stefan Koch assessed the projects.

In the research category, the Holzkompetenzzentrum, a wood research centre in Linz, took first place. Its researchers have developed a way to make high-performance ceramics, a highly durable material, from wood. Johannes Kepler University Linz came second for research into using entangled quantum light to detect eavesdropping on digital communications.

REPLOID Group AG of Wels won the small and medium-sized companies category. Its automated facilities use insect larvae to process organic waste, producing proteins, fats and fertiliser. The larvae of the black soldier fly can also be used as animal feed or fertiliser. Linz-based iono FlexCo took second place for developing human-like robots designed to work safely and reliably alongside people in industrial workplaces.

Miba AG won the large-company category for its Zero Emission Brake, a technology designed to significantly reduce brake wear and the resulting fine dust. GE HealthCare Austria came second for ultrasound technology intended to help doctors see very small blood vessels and blood flow in the womb more clearly, supporting more precise assessments of unborn babies’ development.

Miba, GE HealthCare Austria and Bosch were also nominated for the 2027 State Prize for Innovation. Bosch was additionally nominated for the VERENA special award for energy innovation. M-A-S Maschinen- und Anlagenbau Schulz was nominated for the ECONOVIUS special award for small and medium-sized companies.