Latest news with #YoungInventorsPrize2025
Euronews
a day ago
- Business
- Euronews
How the Mashouf sisters are turning CO₂ into textiles
Every year, the global textile industry contributes billions of tonnes of CO₂ to the atmosphere. In response, twin sisters Neeka and Leila Mashouf, 28, have developed an innovative process that transforms carbon emissions into biodegradable fibres, creating a sustainable alternative to traditional manufacturing. Their startup, Rubi, is built around a proprietary enzymatic system that mimics how trees absorb CO₂ and turn it into cellulose – only here, the process happens in a chemical reactor. Their breakthrough has won them a place among the Tomorrow Shapers of the Young Inventors Prize 2025, awarded by the European Patent Office. 'Our invention uses a special sequence of enzymes, which are like nature's chemical engineers, to transform CO₂ into stringy polymers like cellulose, which we use to make fibres, yarns and fabrics,' says Neeka. 'We developed this technology to solve what we saw as the most important global problem.' Unlike conventional carbon conversion technologies that rely on fermentation or thermochemical systems – both of which are energy intensive and costly – Rubi's method is scalable and low-impact. The enzymes operate under ambient conditions and require ten times less energy, enabling CO₂ to be converted into material inputs with minimal environmental strain. These inputs can then be integrated into existing textile supply chains, helping brands lower their carbon footprints without overhauling their infrastructure. The company is already piloting its materials with Walmart, Patagonia, and H&M, demonstrating a market-ready application that could transform not just fashion, but multiple industries reliant on cellulose-derived products. Raised in California's San Francisco Bay Area, the sisters grew up surrounded by nature – and entrepreneurship. Their early exposure to the fashion industry, combined with a deep passion for science, laid the foundation for Rubi. By the age of 15, they were already publishing scientific research and working in university labs. Neeka pursued materials science and business, while Leila earned a medical degree from Harvard, focusing on bioengineering and enzymatic systems. In 2021, they brought their disciplines together to found Rubi, with the mission of making manufacturing compatible with the planet. 'Rubi is creating a new paradigm where manufacturing can thrive while preserving natural resources and advancing climate goals,' Leila explains, adding that, at a basic level the enzymes are 'like a little Pacman'. 'They eat molecules and spit them out into something a little bit different,' she describes. The impact of Rubi doesn't stop with the fashion industry. The potential for CO₂-derived cellulose reaches across sectors – packaging, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food applications, and even building materials – where carbon-intensive methods dominate. By licensing their technology, the Mashouf sisters aim to scale rapidly and empower other manufacturers to shift toward sustainable production. 'We've proven that CO₂ can be a valuable resource rather than a harmful waste product,' says Neeka. 'I'm honoured to work together with my sister as we pioneer the next era of abundance with reinvented manufacturing systems.' In the hands of the Mashouf sisters, carbon is no longer just a challenge, but a raw material for change. In 2022, the world made the groundbreaking commitment to protect at least 30 per cent of all land and sea by 2030. But, as the vital role of oceans in fighting climate change becomes clearer, a pressing question remains - how much of our marine environment still needs safeguarding to reach that goal? According to new research from Dynamic Planet and National Geographic Pristine Seas, far more than governments are currently prepared to commit. For the first time, experts have quantified the vast gap between the roughly 8 per cent of global oceans currently under some kind of protection and the 30 per cent target. To close this gap, they say 85 new coastal marine protected areas (MPAs) would need to be established every day until 2030. The study estimates the world needs around 190,000 small MPAs in coastal areas, plus 300 large MPAs in remote offshore waters to meet the 30x30 target. 'Our analysis, which covers over 13,000 MPAs worldwide, quickly revealed how far behind the world really is,' says Juan Mayorga, a co-author of the study and marine data scientist at National Geographic Pristine Seas. 'The exact number of additional MPAs needed depends on their size and the standards for what counts as truly protected, but the scale of the challenge is undeniable.' Marine Protected Areas, or MPAs, are sections of the ocean where human activity is more strictly managed to protect natural or cultural resources. Similar to national parks on land, they aim to conserve marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and cultural heritage, while sometimes also supporting the sustainable use of marine resources within their bounds. MPAs vary in purpose and level of protection. Some are fully protected, prohibiting fishing, drilling, or other extractive activities, allowing marine life to thrive without human interference. Others may allow limited, sustainable use of resources such as small-scale fishing or tourism under regulation. But the primary goal is to preserve important habitats and fragile ecosystems like coral reefs, seagrass beds, and breeding grounds for fish, turtles, and other species. According to the study's authors, coastal MPAs are especially crucial, as most biodiversity and human activity concentrate near the shore. Reaching the target, they say, will require massive commitments from countries with extensive coastlines and marine territories such as Indonesia, Canada, Russia and the United States. The highest need is in East Asia and the Pacific, where 102 large and 75,000 small MPAs are required. A total of 65 large and 33,000 small MPAs are needed across Europe, South Asia, and the Coral Triangle - a biodiverse region encompassing Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, and others. On paper, it appears that some countries have already met the target, but far more action is needed to ensure these areas are truly protected. Nations like Australia, Chile, France and the UK have already surpassed the 30 per cent protection threshold for their waters. But France and the UK accomplished this with a heavy reliance on creating MPAs in their overseas territories. This raises concerns over effective enforcement and impacts on local communities. Many existing protected areas aren't effective either. In the EU, 80 per cent of MPAs lack proper management and offer minimal protection from damaging human activities. So widespread is the problem that many individual country governments and even the EU itself are facing legal action for allowing damaging fishing practices like bottom trawling in these areas. The creation of protected areas has accelerated as concern over ocean health grows. A slew of commitments have been made at the UN Ocean Conference this week, with many governments using the opportunity to unveil new MPAs on the international stage. Colombia, another country that has already surpassed the 30 per cent target, announced the protection of two of the most remote coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea. Together, the new Serranilla and Bajo Nuevo MPAs encompass 3,800 square kilometres, home to a dazzling array of sealife. The Government of Tanzania announced the designation of two new MPAs in highly biodiverse waters off Pemba Island. The North-East Pemba Conservation Area and the South-East Pemba Conservation Area together span over 1,300 square kilometres and protect vital coral reefs, seagrasses, mangroves, and the habitat of threatened sharks and rays. And President Moetai Brotherson of French Polynesia announced the creation of the world's largest MPA, covering almost 5 million square kilometres. Once implemented, the designation will safeguard 220,000 square kilometres near the Society Islands and 680,000 square kilometres near the Gambier Islands. In addition to these fully protected areas where all activity is prohibited, additional artisanal fishing zones will expand the overall protection to 1,086,000 square kilometres, an area around twice the size of continental France. While these are landmark commitments, experts warn that progress remains far too slow. Most countries have not even outlined how they plan to meet the 30x30 target. 'The pace of implementation of marine protected areas is totally inadequate for what the world needs,' says Enric Sala, co-author of the study and founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas. 'We've had too many conferences full of speeches and good intentions; now we need leadership and real action. Without more effective protection now, the ocean won't be able to continue providing for us, especially for coastal communities in the Global South who are already suffering from overfishing and global warming.'
Euronews
2 days ago
- Science
- Euronews
Spanish innovators tackle food waste and safety with smart labels
Food waste is a critical global problem, costing billions annually and contributing significantly to environmental damage. In the European Union alone, over 59 million tonnes of food are discarded every year – a staggering 132 kilograms per person – while millions suffer from foodborne illnesses. Addressing these challenges, three young Spanish entrepreneurs, Pilar Granado, Pablo Sosa Domínguez, and Luis Chimeno, have developed smart biodegradable labels that detect bacterial growth on food and signal freshness in real time. This breakthrough has earned them a place among the top 10 selected innovators in the Young Inventors Prize 2025. Their company, Oscillum, embeds intelligent biosensors into a biodegradable polymer matrix that reacts to bacterial compounds released as food spoils, triggering a visible colour change. 'We place the biosensor in contact with the food, and with a simple colour change it indicates whether it is safe to eat or should be thrown away,' Granado explains. This innovation gives consumers and retailers accurate, real-time information about food safety, unlike traditional expiry dates or time-temperature indicators that can be unreliable. By directly detecting bacterial activity, Oscillum's labels help reduce unnecessary food waste and lower the risk of food poisoning. The idea originated from a memorable experience in their university days at Universidad Miguel Hernández de Elche. Chimeno recalls: 'The idea started because Pablo had a piece of meat in the fridge that had a very strange look and smell. He decided to eat it against our advice. Nothing happened, and that's when the spark came. We thought: how many people would have thrown this away?' This moment inspired the team to design a solution that provides clear, easy-to-understand information about the product's freshness, helping consumers make safer decisions. Oscillum's smart labels work across a variety of foods, from fresh produce to meat and fish, and even packaged goods. The labels also indicate ripeness on fruits and vegetables, preventing premature disposal of perfectly edible products. For retailers, the technology offers a way to optimize stock management and cut losses, while consumers gain confidence in the food they buy. Since officially launching in 2019, Oscillum has grown through partnerships, accelerator programmes, and funding from innovation centres. The company is now expanding into active packaging solutions that interact with food to extend shelf life. Early intellectual property protection has been crucial to securing their place in the competitive food-tech sector. Their work advances several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including Zero Hunger, Good Health and Well-being, Responsible Consumption, and Climate Action. 'We understand sustainability as a balance between environmental, economic and social factors,' says Sosa Domínguez, underlining the trio's holistic approach. Chimeno highlights the particular potential benefits for vulnerable communities, explaining that the 'technology can reduce food waste and its environmental impact while also preventing food poisoning, especially in regions with limited food safety infrastructure.' Oscillum's smart labels offer a practical, scalable response to the global challenge of food waste and safety – offering a tool that benefits both consumers and the planet. 'If you know a young person who you think is taking opioids, you need to take action'. That's the key message Denmark wants parents to keep in mind as part of its new campaign to get them to talk with their teenage children about the risk of opioids, a small but growing public health threat in the Nordic country. The Danish health authority and the city of Copenhagen launched the campaign this week after discovering in a February survey that 47 per cent of parents do not know enough about opioids to talk to their children about them. The campaign offers advice from teenagers and experts on how to talk to young people about opioids, which include some types of prescription painkillers as well as heroin and fentanyl, an ultra-potent synthetic opioid. It says parents should broach the subject in a casual way, set clear expectations, and avoid becoming preachy or upset. 'With the new campaign, we will better equip parents and other adults around young people to talk about opioids – and show them how important a role they play for young people,' Jonas Egebart, director of the Danish health authority, said in a statement. Parental outreach is one plank of a government plan announced last year to prevent young people from abusing opioids, which has been a growing public health problem in Denmark in recent years. While some people take opioids legally – for example, cancer patients who are prescribed painkillers – they can quickly lead to addiction, which in turn can have deadly consequences. From 2018 to 2023, the number of Danes aged 25 or younger who were hospitalised because of an opioid overdose rose from 142 to 239 – a 68 per cent increase. In 2023, the country reported 116 opioid-related deaths, mostly tied to methadone and heroin, government data shows. Denmark's new approach to opioids includes a range of measures. People caught in possession of or selling the drugs were previously slapped with a fine, but under the government plan they could be sent to jail. The country is also boosting its drug surveillance and will take steps to improve treatment options for people struggling with addiction.
Euronews
2 days ago
- Business
- Euronews
The engineers cleaning up the high seas by trapping ship emissions
The shipping industry moves over 80% of global trade – but it's also responsible for more than 800 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. And while new fuels and ship designs may chart a greener course for the future, they do little to help the vast fleet of existing vessels still on the water today. That's the challenge UK-based engineers Alisha Fredriksson and Roujia Wen set out to solve – and their breakthrough innovation has now earned them a place among the top 10 global selected scientists for the Young Inventors Prize 2025, awarded by the European Patent Office (EPO). Together, Fredriksson, a Swedish-Canadian climate tech entrepreneur, and Wen, a Chinese engineer with a background in AI and applied mathematics, co-founded in the UK Seabound—a startup that has developed a compact, retrofittable carbon capture system for ships. Unlike most industrial carbon capture systems, which require complex onboard storage or high-pressure tanks, Seabound's device captures CO₂ directly from ship exhaust and binds it with a lime-based sorbent, transforming it into solid limestone pellets. The process is simple, safe, and designed to operate on any commercial cargo vessel. 'If you picture a little rock, it's basically like a sponge for CO₂,' explains Fredriksson. 'When the CO₂ passes over the pebble, it soaks it up – and then it's trapped inside that pebble.' The system is modular and scalable. It can be installed in standard shipping containers and powered using heat from the ship's exhaust, requiring minimal additional energy. Once captured, the limestone pellets can be offloaded as ordinary cargo, avoiding the need for specialised port infrastructure. The material can either be sold for use in construction or post-processed to release and reuse the CO₂, allowing the lime to be recycled for future capture cycles. Fredriksson and Wen first met at university and launched Seabound in 2021. Fredriksson had worked in maritime e-fuels, where she saw firsthand the scarcity of captured CO₂ needed for production. Wen's expertise in systems engineering helped them develop a working prototype. 'Initially, people thought it was crazy that we were taking on such a big challenge,' says Wen. 'Until they saw our six-metre-tall prototype actually built. Then they started seeing that it's real – and it's happening.' Their system has since been tested at sea on a commercial cargo vessel, capturing CO₂ at 78% efficiency and sulphur emissions at 90% efficiency, according to Seabound. The technology not only meets environmental targets, but also offers shipowners a cost-effective alternative to replacing entire fleets – a critical bridge solution for the industry. 'Sustainability means building a world that works for both people and the planet,' says Wen. 'Not just for today but for generations to come.' The duo's innovation directly supports UN Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action), offering a scalable way to slash emissions in one of the hardest-to-abate sectors. Their innovation shows that cleaning up the high seas doesn't have to wait for the future: It can start with the ships already on the water. Ministers and representatives from more than 95 countries called for an ambitious agreement from global plastics treaty negotiations at the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) on Tuesday. Negotiations for the UN plastics treaty collapsed in late 2024 with nations unable to agree on how best to stop millions of tonnes of plastic from entering the environment each year. The next round of negotiations is due to resume in Geneva, Switzerland, in August. The declaration, dubbed the 'Nice Wake-Up Call', identifies five elements that the signatories say are key to achieving a global agreement that is 'commensurate with what science tells us and our citizens are calling for'. They include a full lifecycle approach, including: plastic production, phasing out chemicals of concern and problematic products, improvements to product design, effective means of implementation, and incorporating provisions that will allow for a treaty that can evolve. 'A treaty that lacks these elements, only relies on voluntary measures or does not address the full lifecycle of plastics will not be effective to deal with the challenge of plastic pollution,' the Nice Wake-Up call reads. French Minister for Ecological Transition Agnes Pannier-Runacher told the ocean summit in Nice that the declaration sends a 'clear and strong message'. More than 200 nations met in South Korea last year for what was meant to be a final round of talks on a landmark agreement to tackle global plastic pollution. But following two years of negotiations, these talks ended without a final treaty after deep divisions formed between countries calling for plastic to be phased out and oil-producing nations. One of the most contentious points was whether there should be a commitment to cut how much plastic is produced or whether waste can be reduced through recycling efforts. Pannier-Runacher told journalists at UNOC on Tuesday that comprehensive measures covering the full lifecycle of plastics are needed. 'Better waste management and recycling will not help solve the problem. This is a lie.' The declaration represents a united front from those countries pushing for an ambitious treaty ahead of the resumed negotiations. Jessica Roswall, EU Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, urged countries to approach the resumed negotiations in August 'through dialogue and with willingness to find common ground'. With talks in Nice centred around ensuring oceans are protected, an ambitious plastics treaty is key to this goal. "Every year, over 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced worldwide – one-third of which is used just once,' Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said as UNOC opened on Monday. 'Every day, the equivalent of over 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic is dumped into our oceans, rivers, and lakes.' Plastic production is expected to triple by 2060, but currently, just 9 per cent is recycled around the world. Around 11 million tonnes of plastic waste finds its way into the ocean each year, and plastic waste makes up 80 per cent of all marine pollution. Andres del Castillo, senior attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law, says the Wake-Up Call should be a 'floor, not a ceiling'. 'For the Global Plastics Treaty to succeed, Member States must move beyond vague promises and define how they are going to deliver, including through clear, legally binding measures and a human rights-based approach. 'Come August in Geneva, political statements will not be enough. We must see Member States stand up to petrostate and fossil fuel interests on the floor of the negotiations. Their actions will speak louder than words.'
Euronews
2 days ago
- Science
- Euronews
The Filipino engineer bringing sustainability to flight
At just 26, Filipino aeronautical engineer Mark Kennedy Bantugon is already changing how we think about aviation maintenance. With his invention Pili Seal®, a sustainable aircraft sealant made from agricultural waste, he's offering a safer, biodegradable alternative to conventional adhesives used in the aerospace industry – many of which contain hazardous petrochemical ingredients. His innovation has earned him a spot among the top 10 global winners of the Young Inventors Prize 2025, awarded by the European Patent Office (EPO). For over half a century, polysulfide-based sealants have been standard in aircraft manufacturing and repair, particularly for sealing fuel tanks. But these products often pose serious health and environmental risks. They can cause skin and respiratory irritation, and their disposal requires special handling due to their chemical composition. Pili Seal® challenges this norm by using the resin of the Pili tree, a substance that is normally discarded as waste by the food and perfume industries in the Philippines. "I am addressing two different pain points," Bantugon explains. "The first one is the drawbacks of commercial sealants and adhesives. The second one is the 155 million kilograms of annual Pili resin waste. With my Pili Seal, it tackles two different problems with one solution." Made from this naturally sticky resin, combined with a solvent and hardening agent, Pili Seal® performs under extreme conditions – withstanding fuel exposure, heat, and pressure. It has already passed multiple industry-standard flammability tests, proving its potential for aviation use. But Bantugon sees far wider applications. 'This product is effective in various material applications – metals, wood, glass, ceramic. For example, if you have roof holes, you can use it to prevent leakages,' he says. Raised in Batangas, a rural province in the Philippines, Bantugon grew up watching his father work the land and his mother teach in the local school. Early memories of patching leaky roofs with chewing gum sparked his fascination with adhesives. That curiosity followed him into his studies in aeronautical engineering and later during an internship at Lufthansa Technik Philippines, where he encountered firsthand the health risks posed by traditional aircraft sealants. Determined to find a safer, greener alternative, Bantugon spent years experimenting with six types of tree resin before selecting Pili. He refined 84 different formulations before landing on the one that worked. The result: a bio-based sealant that supports a circular economy and could offer a new revenue stream for Philippine farmers. In 2024, Bantugon founded Pili AdheSeal Inc. to bring the product to market. His work directly contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation & Infrastructure) – but it's also deeply personal. 'Success,' he says, 'is best experienced when shared.' Bantugon hopes that Pili Seal® will soon achieve international certification, opening doors for global aviation partnerships. He's also exploring collaborations with construction and automotive industries, aiming to scale production and create sustainable jobs in rural Filipino communities. Two of Denmark's biggest municipalities are ending their use of Microsoft systems in the latest move by European governments away from US Big Tech companies. Henrik Appel Espersen, the chairman of Copenhagen's audit committee, told newspaper Politiken that the council is making the decision to move away from Microsoft Office programmes due to the economy and the "monopoly-like" control of the company. Plus, the foreign policy situation with US President Donald Trump has made the problem "more topical," Espersen added. The same decision was made in Aarhus, Denmark's second-biggest municipality, where, according to the newspaper, a German system has already replaced Microsoft technology. Euronews Next contacted both municipalities to independently verify local reporting. The reported moves from local governments in Denmark follows a public debate in the Netherlands that saw the Dutch parliament approve a series of motions earlier this year to build a digital cloud and reduce its dependence on US cloud technology. There are concerns from experts who previously told Euronews Next that the Trump administration could either compel tech companies to provide the US with Dutch data or force them to no longer provide cloud services to Europe, which could cause massive disruptions to public services. The debate on US Big Tech influence has been going on for some time in Denmark, based on the results of an expert panel looking into their influence. The Danish expert group on tech giants released a report in December 2024 that called for Big Tech alternatives in Europe to "be able to emerge and grow large". "No one should be forced to use the services of tech giants to get information and participate in social, cultural, and democratic communities," the report said. It also asked for an "overview" of the tech giants' influence on digital infrastructure in Denmark, saying that the public sector and education systems should not be "dependent" on the services of tech giants. "We need to fence in the tech giants," Morten Bodskov, Denmark's minister of business and industry, said in a statement at the time. "If we only use their solutions, it makes our society extremely vulnerable in a world that is changing with pressure from great powers, geopolitical tensions, and a technology race. That is why we must develop our own solutions". Euronews Next followed up with the panel of experts and the Danish government to see whether this inquiry has been started or promised but did not receive a reply at the time of publication. Another alternative for Denmark, the Netherlands, and other states concerned about the influence of US Big Tech companies is EU-wide initiatives that are in the works. The European Commission is holding public consultations until July 3 on the future of cloud legislation in the bloc to "address Europe's gap in cloud and AI infrastructure capacity". The act will eventually address research and innovation to accelerate data centres for cloud and AI, private investment in sustainable cloud and AI capacity, and increasing the "secure processing capacity" of EU-based cloud providers. Mario Draghi's 2024 report on the state of Europe's competitiveness noted that the bloc has to "enhance technological infrastructure and reduce dependencies" on non-EU cloud service providers.
Euronews
3 days ago
- Science
- Euronews
Who will take home the Young Inventors Prize 2025 in Reykjavik?
When the European Patent Office (EPO) hosts the Young Inventors Prize 2025 in Reykjavik on 18 June, it will mark a milestone moment – not only for the ten scientists being honoured, but for the prize itself. For the first time since its inception as part of the European Inventor Award in 2022, the prize has broken out as a standalone event, offering a global stage for some of the brightest young minds using innovation to reshape our world. The ceremony, set for 18 June and livestreamed worldwide, will bring international attention to ten remarkable individuals and teams – all aged 30 or under – whose work aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Selected from more than 450 candidates by an independent jury, these young innovators, dubbed 'Tomorrow Shapers,' are using science and technology to respond to some of the planet's most pressing challenges, from climate resilience and circular economies to healthcare equity and food security. Watch the event live on 18 June and meet the next generation of inventors on the player above. While the event in Reykjavik will showcase all ten 'Tomorrow Shapers', it will also reveal three special prize winners. The 'World Builders' prize will recognise those driving sustainability and resource accessibility; 'Community Healers' will celebrate innovations ensuring equality and access to life's essentials; and 'Nature Guardians' will highlight those protecting ecosystems and biodiversity. One additional finalist will be crowned the People's Choice winner, selected by an online public vote. All finalists will receive €5,000, with special prize winners taking home an additional €15,000. The People's Choice award also includes a €5,000 prize. EPO President António Campinos described the awards as a celebration of possibility. 'Young inventors are the architects of a brighter tomorrow, bringing fresh perspectives and bold solutions to the world's most daunting challenges,' he said, 'By celebrating their achievements, we not only honour their ingenuity but also underline the transformative power of technologies and science in shaping a sustainable future and inspiring generations to come.' The innovations being honoured are as diverse as they are ingenious. In Uganda, Sandra Namboozo and Samuel Muyita have developed a biodegradable sachet that slows the ripening of fruit, helping to reduce food waste and extend the shelf life of produce – a vital support for smallholder farmers. Meanwhile, in Austria, Franziska Kerber is taking on the global e-waste crisis with her design of paper-based electronic parts that dissolve easily, making it simpler to extract valuable metals from discarded devices such as WiFi routers. From the Philippines, aeronautical engineer Mark Kennedy Bantugon has created a sustainable aircraft sealant derived from discarded Pili Tree resin – offering a cleaner, less toxic alternative to standard petrochemical sealants. In France and the United States, chemist Marie Perrin is rethinking rare earth recycling by developing a safer method for extracting europium from old fluorescent lamps, a resource critical to lighting and electronics. And from Slovenia, Teja Potočnik is pioneering a more efficient path for the future of electronics. Her automated platform supports the manufacture of nanomaterial-based semiconductor devices, a crucial step in enabling the next generation of microchips. Biotechnology is another standout area this year. Lithuanian researchers Laurynas Karpus, Vykintas Jauniškis, and Irmantas Rokaitis have harnessed artificial intelligence to create a platform that designs custom enzymes, potentially transforming everything from pharmaceutical manufacturing to industrial bioprocesses. Food safety also features on the agenda, thanks to Spanish inventors Pilar Granado, Pablo Sosa Domínguez, and Luis Chimeno. Their smart, biodegradable food labels change colour based on freshness, allowing consumers and retailers to reduce food waste and avoid spoilage-related illnesses. In the maritime sector, Swedish-Canadian engineer Alisha Fredriksson and Chinese engineer Roujia Wen have addressed one of shipping's biggest problems: emissions. Their modular carbon capture system binds CO₂ from ships' exhausts with a lime-based sorbent to form solid limestone pellets – an innovative solution that could significantly reduce maritime emissions without the need to replace entire fleets. Over in the United States, twin sisters Neeka and Leila Mashouf have developed a way to convert waste CO₂ into cellulose pulp, a material that can be used for sustainable textiles and packaging. Their process holds promise for reducing carbon emissions while producing biodegradable materials to meet growing industrial demand. Air pollution has met a worthy challenger in Colombian entrepreneur Mariana Pérez, who has designed a Direct Air Capture system capable of extracting CO₂, nitrogen dioxide, and sulphur dioxide from the atmosphere. Her design also enables captured pollutants to be converted into biodegradable materials, turning air pollution into something productive. When you think of global innovation powerhouses, your mind might jump to Silicon Valley or Shenzhen – but on 18 June, all eyes will turn to Reykjavik and the ten trailblazing young minds honoured there.
