Revolutionary SUPERWOOD Technology Named to Fast Company's 2025 World Changing Ideas for Transforming Wood at the Molecular Level

Yahoo

10-06-2025

SUPERWOOD is stronger than steel with the soul of wood, transforming the built environment while addressing wildfire, climate, and supply chain crises
FREDERICK, Md., June 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- InventWood's SUPERWOOD has been named to Fast Company's prestigious 2025 World Changing Ideas list for its breakthrough molecular transformation of wood that fundamentally reimagines one of humanity's oldest building materials. The patented technology (with 144 patents filed and 41 granted) represents the first successful manipulation of wood's nano-cellulose structure to unlock extraordinary performance while maintaining its character and enhancing its beauty.
The Innovation: Molecular Architecture Meets Ancient Material
SUPERWOOD represents a fundamental reinvention of wood at the molecular level. Through InventWood's proprietary process, the wood is compressed, creating incredibly strong hydrogen bonds between the fibers, and yielding a material with:
Up to 10x higher strength-to-weight ratio of steel while being 6x lighter
Class A fire resistance that self-extinguishes and resists ignition
90% lower process emissions than steel production
Natural resistance to insects, rot, and degradation
"Bing and his incredible team of scientists discovered how to unlock the incredible strength hidden in wood's cellulosic matrix," said Alex Lau, co-founder and executive chairman of InventWood. "By manipulating the nano-architecture of cellulose, nature's most abundant polymer, we've now brought into the world a material that outperforms steel while maintaining everything people love about wood: its warmth, beauty, and connection to nature."
The Science: From Lab Discovery to Commercial Reality
The innovation journey began in 2013 at the University of Maryland, where Dr. Liangbing Hu's research team began exploring a simple question: Could we make wood better in terms of a broad range of properties (e.g., optical transparency, ion and fluidic transport, mechanical strength)? This initial curiosity unlocked a decade of discoveries, leading to a breakthrough: by removing lignin and hemicellulose while preserving and densifying the cellulose structure, wood could be transformed into something extraordinary. This wasn't an incremental improvement. It was a paradigm shift.
Key technological breakthroughs protected by InventWood's patent portfolio include:
Controlled molecular modification technology that preserves structural integrity
Nano-cellulose densification achieving unprecedented mechanical properties
Scalable manufacturing methods enabling commercial production
Fire-resistant formulations meeting stringent safety standards
Real-World Impact: Three Crises, One Solution
Fast Company recognized SUPERWOOD for addressing multiple interconnected global challenges:
1. Wildfire Resilience: As communities face increasingly destructive wildfires, SUPERWOOD's Class A fire resistance offers hope. Unlike traditional wood that fuels fires, SUPERWOOD resists ignition and self-extinguishes, potentially saving lives, homes and communities.
2. Warmth by Nature, Strength by Science: SUPERWOOD offers a unique package combining biophilia—human's built-in affinity for the organic qualities of true nature—with the unprecedented strength enabled by the latest science and technology.
3. Climate Action: With construction responsible for over 15% of global CO₂ emissions, SUPERWOOD provides a carbon-sequestering alternative. Each SUPERWOOD beam stores carbon while replacing emissions-intensive materials like steel and concrete.
4. Domestic Supply Chain Security: By transforming domestically sourced wood into high-performance materials, SUPERWOOD reduces dependence on imported tropical hardwood, steel, and aluminum and creates resilient supply chains based on a broad variety of locally available wood and waste wood.
From Innovation to Implementation
InventWood has achieved critical milestones validating both its technology and market potential:
$50+ Million in Capital: Including a recent $15 million Series A first close led by prominent climate tech investors
Government Validation: Numerous government awards, including a $20 million SCALEUP award from U.S. Department of Energy recognizing transformative potential
Manufacturing Scale: First commercial facility in Frederick, Maryland now being commissioned, which will ultimately provide 1 million square feet annual capacity
Market Partnerships: Strategic distribution partnerships to accelerate North American adoption
Looking Forward: Scaling Molecular Innovation
With its first manufacturing facility entering production and commercial shipments beginning later this year, InventWood is positioned to scale rapidly. The company envisions regional production facilities worldwide, each transforming local wood resources into SUPERWOOD while creating jobs and strengthening communities.
"Fast Company's recognition validates what we've known since our first lab breakthrough: that molecular innovation can solve civilization-scale challenges," added Lau. "SUPERWOOD proves that the path to a sustainable future doesn't require choosing between performance and planet. By reimagining materials at their most fundamental level, we can have both."
Learn more about InventWood and its technology at www.inventwood.com.
About InventWood
InventWood transforms nature's oldest building material into something extraordinary. With SUPERWOOD, we've reinvented wood itself, delivering a building material that's superstrong, superdurable, and engineered to outperform conventional alternatives. Our technology creates beautiful, biogenic buildings using domestically sourced wood, directly supporting the health and longevity of American forests. SUPERWOOD's nano-cellulose-based innovation retains wood's countless natural qualities, from its organic warmth and tactile feel to its intrinsic connection to natural environments, while providing unmatched performance. InventWood has received significant recognition and support, including a $20 million SCALEUP award from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2022, as well as funding from prominent organizations including Grantham, Builders Vision, JLL Foundation, and Baruch Future Ventures. With over $50 million in total capital secured, the company is poised to revolutionize the construction industry. Learn more at www.inventwood.com.
About Fast Company
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.
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