On September 10, Vivien Madi from Holzforschung Austria (HFA) took part in the European pitching competition Falling Walls Lab Vienna, held as part of the FFG Austrian Research Promotion Agency Forum. Out of many young researchers registered to attend, only 14 candidates were selected to present their 3-minute pitch live.
In her pitch, Vivien presented how SuperBark develops bio-based coatings for outdoor transport applications, using nanocellulose and tannins extracted from tree bark as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based coatings. These innovative coatings are designed to meet demanding standards of hardness, scratch resistance, and weather durability. As bark represents around 10–15% of wood, it holds great potential as a valuable natural resource contributing to climate neutrality and environmental protection.
You can learn more about her work in the self-produced video that qualified her for the competition:
Falling Walls Lab is an international pitch competition that invites students and early-career professionals to share breakthrough ideas in just three minutes. Organized by leading institutions worldwide, the competition highlights innovative minds across disciplines and regions. Top finalists advanced to the global finale in Berlin on 6 November, where they presented their ideas on an international stage.
For further information on HFA’s work within the SuperBark project, please contact Vivien Madi at V.Madi@holzforschung.at or the project coordinator Marc Borrega at marc.borrega@vtt.fi.