Evergreen Prize for Innovation 2025: Event in Vienna awards sustainable wood innovations
Under the patronage of the Evergreen Privatstiftung, Austria’s HS Timber Group is making a strong statement for research and innovation in the forestry and timber sector with the Evergreen Prize for innovation. With a total prize fund of 300,000 Euro, the award supports pioneering scientific projects that develop new materials and products made from wood, forest biomass, or reclaimed timber.
"Europe is a leader in wood research. With the Evergreen Prize, we aim not only to provide financial support for top-level research but also to increase its public visibility," says Hannes Plackner, Head of Research & Development at HS Timber Group. "We are thrilled by the diversity and high scientific quality of the submissions."
38 submissions from 12 countries – five finalists competing
The submission phase for this year’s competition took place in autumn 2024, receiving an impressive 38 research project entries from 12 European countries. A panel of experts selected five finalists, who will present their work to an international audience in Vienna on 26 May 2025, competing for the Evergreen Prize.
The finalists come from prestigious research institutions across five countries:
- University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Austria: Research on bonding coarsely fibrillated hardwood branches into new composite materials.
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany: Development of an innovative material combining fungal mycelium and sawdust.
- University of Copenhagen, Denmark: A method for impregnating wood with lignin to enhance durability and longevity.
- ETH Zurich, Switzerland: Investigating the potential of piezoelectric salts in wood to generate electrical voltage under pressure.
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden: Production of transparent wood using quantum dots.
Information on all submitted projects, including the finalists, is available at www.evergreen-prize.com.
Grand finale in Vienna – award ceremony and international expert audience
On the morning of the final event, the finalists will present their research projects to the internationally renowned jury in a scientific pitch session. These presentations will be streamed live.
In the evening, the award ceremony will take place and the research teams will present their projects to an audience of over 800 key representatives from the forestry and wood industry, business, research, and politics, representing more than 40 countries. The audience will also evaluate the innovation potential of the submissions.
The winning project will receive funding of 100,000 Euro per year for three years to further advance research and drive innovation in sustainable wood processing.
This event in Vienna provides a unique platform for exchange between science and industry, making a significant contribution to promoting sustainable wood innovations. With the Evergreen Prize for innovation, HS Timber Group and the Evergreen Privatstiftung reaffirm their commitment to the future-oriented use of wood as a sustainable material.