Two winning teams: Hackathon of leading German activated carbon producer AdFiS concluded

The goal was clear. Challenge international teams to rethink the production of activated carbon, a material used in everything from biogas purification to industrial air treatment. The manufacturing process is highly energy-intensive and demand is only growing, making innovation both urgent and impactful.

The hackathon wrapped on the 20th and 21st of May at Gut Gremmelin in Germany, where two standout teams were selected as winners: LuMiB, a Swedish-Italian group and Bio4Act, led by the University of Kassel.

LuMiB’s idea involves using lignin-based nanomaterials to enhance biochar porosity and functionality, making the final product more effective and sustainable.

Bio4Act proposed using bio-oil and tar byproducts of biomass pyrolysis as alternative binders for more energy-efficient production of activated carbon pellets. This could reduce the need for external chemical inputs while simultaneously increasing the pellets’ carbon yield.

For AdFiS, this was more than a competition. The company saw the hackathon as a pilot to explore new ideas quickly and collaboratively. And the outcome exceeded expectations.

“The proposed solutions are of such high quality that they could become the basis for new technologies in the field of activated carbon production. Initial trials, feasibility studies, and projects will follow,” said Thomas Stifft, CEO of AdFiS products GmbH.

Participants echoed the value of the format. “The BioBoosters Hackathon provided a unique and truly valuable space for bringing together diverse, complementary perspectives to collaboratively solve a well-defined challenge – something that would be difficult and time-consuming to achieve through conventional routes” said the Bio4Act team. LuMiB added: “Participating in the AdFiS Hackathon was a unique opportunity for LuMiB to compare its concept with those of the other participants, all of whom are known for their scientific excellence.”

From the organizer’s side, the experience was equally positive. “Seeing how satisfied both the challenger and the participating teams are with the hackathon’s results is very

valuable to us. It was an incredibly trusting collaboration and wonderfully tailored to the needs of AdFiS. And of course, we are delighted to contribute our share to make activated carbon production in Germany and Europe more sustainable and independent.” said Dr. Gudrun Mernitz from WITENO GmbH.

This pilot project is already informing next steps. With early development underway, AdFiS sees this kind of open innovation as a model worth repeating, combining industry know-how with fresh perspectives to tackle complex challenges.

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