#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 opens: Paris becomes the World Capital of composites

JEC World 2026 opens tomorrow, March 10, at Paris Nord Villepinte, bringing together the entire composites ecosystem for three days of exhibitions, conferences, technical sessions, strategic industry gatherings, and business meetings. As the “festival of composites”, JEC World is also a destination for a broad spectrum of other professional visitors, eager to discover how these advanced materials can offer sustainable solutions to their industries.

JEC World 2026 returns with an unprecedented content program

Recognized worldwide as the leading trade exhibition for composite materials and their applications, JEC World returns on March 10-12, 2026, at Paris Nord Villepinte as the most ambitious edition to date, in line with its motto “Pushing the limits”. As the must-attend event for the composites industry, JEC World will offer an unprecedented program, blending conferences, markets insights, technical sessions, awards, and above all, a unique experience and invaluable connections.

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.

Teijin Carbon advances sustainability leadership with EcoVadis, CDP reporting and expanding Tenax Next™ sustainable carbon fiber portfolio

As the composites industry intensifies its focus on measurable environmental, social and governance (ESG) progress, Teijin Carbon announces significant milestones that advance its position among the sector’s most sustainability-driven material suppliers. Teijin Carbon Europe achieved an EcoVadis score of 72/100 in the 2025 assessment, ranking among the top 15% of evaluated companies in its industry.

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.

Knowledge that drives progress: Techtextil and Texprocess forums strengthen the global textile industry with a future-oriented programme

From AI-supported production optimisation and digital manufacturing solutions to circular technologies and bio-based high-performance materials: the Techtextil and Texprocess forums provide answers to the key challenges of the global textile industry with a curated content programme. As hubs for innovation and knowledge, they enhance competitiveness and offer orientation in changing markets. From 21 to 24 April 2026, Frankfurt is once again the global meeting point for thought leaders from industry, research and business.

Enhanced protection without added weight: Innovative technology for flame-retardant textiles doubles reaction time and ensures high wearing comfort

Flame-retardant textiles have long faced the same dilemma: the higher the level of protection, the greater the compromise in comfort, weight and breathability. This is especially important for workwear and protective clothing worn for long hours, where comfort is crucial to wearer acceptance and satisfaction. At Techtextil 2026 in Frankfurt, Swiss company Textilcolor AG will unveil pyroshell™, an innovative flame-retardant technology designed to tackle this challenge. Protection is provided by a graphite-based functional layer integrated into the textile structure, which doubles the reaction time before burns occur while significantly enhancing comfort. The material does not release any toxic fumes and offers textile manufacturers entirely new opportunities to design and produce protective and functional garments. It is also durable enough to withstand up to 50 industrial washes.

Barmag presents the next generation of POY production – energy-efficient and partial-automated

With POY 2.0, Barmag is introducing a completely redesigned spinning concept that takes the production of partially oriented yarn (POY) to a new level in terms of technology and economy. The solution, which was presented to a selected audience of experts for the first time at ITMA Asia + CITME 2025, was met with great enthusiasm: several yarn producers worldwide immediately expressed their interest in a pilot plant.