Innovation Award

St. Pölten, April 27, 2026 – The tecnet accent Innovation Award was presented for the sixth time at Campus Krems. The awards ceremony took place in the Millennium Hall of the Landhaus St. Pölten. The award recognized outstanding research projects with significant economic and social potential.

The award is presented by tecnet equity, the accent Incubator, and the University for Continuing Education Krems, and is open to all scientific institutions on the Krems Campus. The goal is to foster an entrepreneurial mindset among young researchers at an early stage and to promote the transfer of research results into practical applications.

The winning projects once again demonstrate the wide range and high quality of research in Krems - from innovative applications in medical technology and new approaches in regenerative medicine to forward-looking nanotechnology with diverse potential applications.

The prizes were presented by Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner, who emphasized the importance of innovation for the state’s further development: “Innovation arises where bright minds come together and have the courage to think and implement new ideas. This is precisely the dynamic we need to further develop Lower Austria as a strong hub for science and business. Our goal is for research to lead to concrete applications—and from there, to new value creation and jobs.”

First prize went to Youbin Zheng from Danube Private University. He developed a special patch that can simply be applied to the skin. This patch has tiny needles that are barely noticeable and are completely painless. It allows for the continuous monitoring of sodium ions in the body—without the need for a blood draw. The new technology has already been patented and can help detect diseases early or better guide treatments.

The University for Continuing Education Krems also views the award as an important catalyst: “Research at the Krems campus makes a significant contribution to solving current societal challenges.

The Innovation Award highlights these achievements with a special focus on young, up-and-coming researchers and helps to bring research results into practical application in a targeted manner,” emphasizes Viktoria Weber, Rector of the University for Continuing Education Krems.

Second prize was awarded twice. Sophie Roffeis (University for Continuing Education Krems/AC2T research). With “SparePlug,” she has developed a new cartilage implant designed to help treat joint damage. This implant is made from materials sourced from the ocean and is particularly environmentally friendly. Markus Rothammer (University of Applied Sciences Krems) was honored for “Printsicles.” This involves a novel process that allows cartilage to be produced using a 3D printer. This is intended to help people with joint problems heal their damaged cartilage.

Third prize went to Yolanda Salinas Soler from the IMC University of Applied Sciences Krems. Her team has developed nanomachines (nanomolecules) that can move on their own and dissolve after a certain period of time. In the future, this could help in the targeted treatment of diseases such as cancer or in removing harmful substances like microplastics from water. The invention thus has the potential to be very beneficial for both our health and the environment.

At the same time, the award provides an important impetus for spin-off development and the targeted translation of research into marketable applications in line with the “Science to Business” strategy.

Doris Agneter, Managing Director of tecnet equity, emphasizes the strategic importance of the award: “Our goal is to encourage young researchers to engage with the commercialization of their research at an early stage. The Innovation Award raises awareness of this and highlights concrete opportunities for turning ideas into reality.”

Michael Moll, Managing Director of the accent Incubator, also sees great potential in the winning projects: “The submitted projects impressively demonstrate the wealth of innovative potential on the Krems campus. We are delighted to support these developments with our expertise and thus help guide them from concept to implementation.”

The tecnet accent Innovation Award was established in 2009 and has been presented at the Krems Campus since 2017. A total of around 100 early-career researchers have already been honored. The goal is to strengthen the transfer of science into commercial applications and thereby provide new impetus for innovation and business start-ups in Lower Austria.