Even before the European Inventor Award and the Young Inventors Prize are presented in Reykjavik, Iceland, on 18 June 2025, we would like to tell you about one of our favourite finalists from last year, 2024:

Valentyn Frechka and his invention ‘Sustainable paper from autumn leaves’ in the technical field: textile and paper machines.

Frechka, the founder of Releaf Paper, developed an innovative process for making paper from autumn leaves that would otherwise be composted or burned while he was still at school. The process uses gentle chemicals to extract cellulose and is significantly more resource-efficient than conventional methods: instead of 17 trees, only 2.3 tonnes of leaves are needed to produce 1 tonne of cellulose. The start-up that emerged from the school project now works with major companies such as L'Oréal and Chanel and is planning to expand across Europe. Releaf Paper contributes to the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals SDG 9 and SDG 12 by reducing waste, lowering CO2 emissions and promoting sustainable packaging.