Widuz Wins €250,000 Prize for Bamboo Innovation

Built by Nature recently announced the winners of its global Prize, which aims to promote the use of innovative biobased construction materials. The first prize of €250,000 was awarded to Widuz, a Singapore-based company, for its groundbreaking bamboo product solutions.

Widuz's winning product, BVL™, is a range of structural biocomposite products made from bamboo fibers and biobased adhesives. These products offer superior strength, durability, and environmental benefits compared to traditional materials like concrete and steel.

With a carbon footprint up to 40% smaller than conventional materials, BVL™ by Widuz is engineered to be three times stronger than typical engineered timber and 20% lighter. Bamboo's rapid growth cycle of around four years makes it a more renewable option than most timber species, helping address the demand for sustainable materials while capturing and storing carbon as it grows.

In addition to its environmental benefits, Widuz also focuses on local socio-economic development by partnering with FSC-certified bamboo plantations and factories that adhere to fair compensation practices.

Three runners-up in the Prize will receive €50,000 each, with an additional €100,000 allocated for a support program of mentoring and networking for all winners and selected finalists.

The Prize received nearly 300 submissions from around the world, showcasing a variety of biobased materials such as seaweed, mycelium, sheep's wool, hemp, sugarcane, coconut waste, secondary timber, seashells, and invasive water weeds.

Through the Built by Nature Fund, grants are provided to projects that promote the use of biobased materials and sustainable timber, addressing key challenges in the industry. Built by Nature aims to accelerate the adoption of biobased materials and sustainable timber in construction to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment.

For more information, visit the Built by Nature website at builtbn.org.