#Composites

2025-03-06

JEC Composites Startup Booster 2025 winners

In just eight years, JEC Composites Startup Booster has established itself as a global reference for entrepreneurship in the composites industry in 2025. Over a hundred entrepreneurs, startups, and university spin-offs submitted their applications, with 20 selected as finalists. From March 4 to 6, these finalists have the opportunity to present their projects before an expert jury on the JEC World stage.

This contest gives a unique opportunity to the participating startups as well as the international audience of JEC World to get some inspiration, network and foster business collaboration. Two exciting pitches sessions took place on March 4th and, after deliberation of the jury, 3 winners have been announced:

+ + + Category “Products & Materials” + + +

Tree Composites (Netherlands)

"Composite Joints for Offshore Structures"

Tree Composites aims to accelerate the energy transition through the innovative use of composite materials for joints in offshore wind foundations. As offshore wind parks move into deeper waters with larger turbines, traditional steel welding methods fall short. Our patented composite joint technology replaces welded steel connections, offering over 5,000 times longer lifetimes, reducing steel use by 50%, cutting CO2 emissions by 35%, and doubling production efficiency. After an extensive testing campaign with well-known partners, we are preparing for scale-up.

+ + + Category “Process, Manufacturing & Equipment + + +

Perseus Materials (USA)

"3D Printing Meets Pultrusion: Freeform Continuous Molding"

The design of composites fabrication methods and equipment are constrained by the modes and kinetics of resin cure. Revolutionary new methods require resins with novel curing behavior. Perseus develops a new class of continuous molding with the speed of pultrusion and the adaptability of 3-d printing, enabled by proprietary resins and their unique curing behavior.

+ + + Sustainability Prize + + +

Strong by Form (Spain)

"High-Performance Timber-Based Structural Composites for a Sustainable Future"

Strong by Form is a pioneering composite company shaping the future of wood. Drawing inspiration from nature’s optimization processes, we’ve developed Woodflow, an advanced timber composite technology that replaces concrete, steel, and aluminum at a fraction of their weight and environmental impact. As the only biocomposite capable of scaling to millions of square meters for construction while meeting the weight-to-strength demands of automotive applications, we are driving a sustainable future in collaboration with industry leaders like BMW, VINCI, and Dassault Systèmes.

The jury who deliberated on March 5th included representatives from major manufacturers and investors:

• Jelle BLOEMHOF, Head of Composite Manufacturing Technologies, Airbus

• Karl-Heinz FUELLER, Manager Future Exterior & Materials, Mercedes-Benz

• Chris HSIEH, Assistant VP, Swancor Holding

• Smita KACKER, Opportunity Development Manager New Market Development, ExxonMobil

• Claude-Sebastien LERBOURG, Investment Director, Supernova Invest

• Chris SKINNER, Vice President of Strategic Marketing and R&D, Owens Corning

JEC World 2026 reveals the list of finalists for the Innovation Awards

Each year, the JEC Composites Innovation Awards recognize collaborative, innovative, and ambitious projects that illustrate the potential of composite materials. Created in 1998, this benchmark program aims to identify, promote, and reward the most innovative composite solutions worldwide. In 28 years, the JEC Composites Innovation Awards have attracted more than 2,200 participating companies from around the world. A total of 269 companies and 811 associated partners have been recognized for the excellence of their innovations.

Launch of the first JEC Forum Middle East

JEC is proud to announce the signature of a strategic collaboration agreement with the OSP and IFC Promosalons, the representative of JEC in the region. The major agreement aims to organize a series of events dedicated to Composite Materials held in Saudi Arabia for the first time in the Middle East starting in June 2025. The events will facilitate the creation of opportunities for local and international companies and accelerate the adoption of sustainable materials across multiple industries in the region.

JEC World 2025: a record-breaking 60th edition driven by innovation and circularity

After 3 dynamic days of intense business interactions, expertise sharing, and knowledge exchange, the 60th edition of JEC World 2025 has reaffirmed the pivotal role of the composites industry in building a more sustainable future. Under the unifying theme “Pushing the Limits,” the event showcased the extraordinary versatility and innovation of composite materials that continue to redefine lightweighting, performance, and design possibilities for an increasing number of applications.

KARL MAYER at JEC: Multiaxial reinforced CFRP pultrusion profiles are picking up speed in the mobility sector

KARL MAYER Technical Textiles will be showcasing exciting new application potentials for multiaxial non-crimp fabrics in combination with the pultrusion process at the upcoming JEC in Hall 5, Booth C 46. The advancement of the tried-and-tested pultrusion process enables the cost-efficient production of complex CFRP multi-chamber profiles, which are used in the CETROVO high-speed metro. The world's first carbon-intensive lightweight rail vehicle of this type is designed for speeds of up to 140 km/h.

Engineering depth and diversity for composites

Airbond is the latest member of the British Textile Machinery Association (BTMA) to receive recognition for contributions to the composites industry. The engineering firm based in Pontypool, South Wales, has just received the Make UK Energy and Sustainability Award for its Lattice 3D Printing project.

Esquel Group adds two new extra-long staple cotton varieties approved

Esquel Group’s Xinjiang Research & Development Center has successfully developed two new Sea Island cotton (Extra-Long-Staple cotton, ELS cotton) varieties named “Yuan Loong 37” and “Yuan Loong 42,” which have been officially approved and granted registration numbers. Both varieties have also obtained Plant Variety Rights certificates, marking another significant breakthrough for the Group in cotton breeding and commercial application.

Itema America acquires Palmetto Loom Reed, strengthening local manufacturing and service in the U.S.

Itema America, the U.S. subsidiary of Italy-based Itema Group, has acquired – through an Assets Purchase Agreement – Palmetto Loom Reed, a Greenville, South Carolina-based manufacturer of weaving reeds and one of the last remaining domestic producers of these precision components in the United States.

Reju announces site selection for French Regeneration Hub in Lacq advancing Europe’s circular textile infrastructure

Reju, the textile-to-textile regeneration company based in France, announces the site selection for an industrial sized Regeneration Hub, in Lacq, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, on the Induslacq platform. Reju, a Technip Energies owned company, is deepening its roots in France through the development of this new Regeneration Hub.

lululemon introduces Unrestricted Power™ — A new sensation for strength training

lululemon (NASDAQ: LULU) has unveiled Unrestricted Power™, a new innovation platform engineered for heavy lifts and demanding gym sessions. The assortment, which launches in North America, is backed by thousands of hours of research and development, providing secure support without compromising comfort and mobility, enabling a distraction-free fit built to match every move.