Efficient battery recycling, mountain bikes for people with walking disabilities and the basis for personalised cancer therapy: these are three successful projects that received awards on 11 November. 235 scientists from the four universities in Graz were invited to the Congress. Their innovative spirit has resulted in 143 inventions and 186 patent applications since July 2023. Among them were Tobias Kopp, Jürgen Abraham and Chris Pichler, the founders of ProtectLiB, a spin-off from the University of Graz. They have developed an automated and safe process for recycling lithium-ion batteries. The patented shredder system makes it possible to cut up fully charged batteries and safely separate and recover the individual materials. The team is currently working on using the same procedure for other critical raw materials - manganese, nickel and cobalt.
"Spin-offs like this show the important role that basic research plays in the development of innovations", emphasised Rector Peter Riedler. Andrea Kurz (Med Uni), Horst Bischof (TU) and Georg Schulz (Kunstuni) also emphasised that the targeted application of scientific findings and the promotion of business start-ups is an essential task of universities. Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner added: "Behind every invention there is curiosity, courage and a passion to make something better. This is the basis for progress in our country."
Every two years, the universities in Graz honour their most innovative researchers in a joint ceremony. In the last ten years, just under 1500 inventions have been registered.