FSK Innovation Award – new ideas from the world of foams and polyurethanes

Honouring ideas and innovations, supporting the next generation, encouraging with examples, actively shaping the future – these are the tasks to which the FSK Innovation Award is dedicated. New ideas lead to new products. Innovations set new impulses, inspire competition and give an idea of what the future can bring.

Apply now! The FSK Innovation Award for Foamed Plastics and Polyurethanes will be presented at the FSK International Conference in November 2026.

The application deadline is 15 July 2026.

 

Once a year, the FSK Innovation Award honors innovative ideas related to materials in the areas of design and creation, technology, process and chemical engineering as well as in the category of sustainability. Young talents, companies and specialists have the opportunity to submit projects for the FSK Innovation Award in the FSK’s key areas of foamed plastics and polyurethanes. Traditionally, the submissions are awarded prizes in a ceremony at the FSK symposium.

Application form

The FSK presents the Innovation Award Polyurethane, alternating with the Innovation Award Foamed Plastics, to:

  • Apprentices and students from the fields of design or processing/technology/chemistry and sustainability*
  • Graduates and researchers from universities and technical colleges for design or from technical universities and technical colleges with a focus on production technology or materials science*
  • Freelancers (designers etc.)
  • Junior employees from design studios (maximum 6 months after completion of training)
  • Junior employees from architectural offices (maximum 6 months after completion of training)
  • Young engineers from technical companies (maximum 6 months after completion of training)
  • Other junior staff with a focus on materials (maximum 6 months after completion of training)
  • Skilled workers, professionals, companies
    . Architectural offices, design engineers
    . Chemical-technical companies
    . Design studios, designers
    . Processing companies
    . Other companies

*first training/studies/work in this area, without previous professional experience in the field

What are the evaluation criteria?

  • the idea must be creative and match the properties of the material
  • the idea must be novel
  • the idea must be marketable and competitive
  • the idea must be technically viable and feasible (Category II – Technology, Processing and Chemistry)
  • the combination of design and functionality must be considered (Category I – Design and Layout)
  • the applicant must have acquired or acquire a certain expertise in the materials (PUR, XPS/EPS or thermoplastic foams)
  • the idea submitted by a student must not yet exist on the market and must be feasible
  • the product or product idea of a company must have been successfully launched on the market for at least a few months or at most a year

The FSK honours particularly interesting ideas from students and junior staff from very different disciplines with the FSK Innovation Award Polyurethane and since 2011 also with the Award for Foamed Plastics. For this, there are not only prize money and certificates for creative junior staff, but also company contacts and advertising for the future career path.

Another goal is the recognition of interdisciplinary activities of companies and universities: Together with award-winning ideas from companies and new products from the industry, the FSK honours young scientists and designers for their creative product ideas made of polyurethane and foam each year in turn.