EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Zenyth Innovations is a startup using chemically stabilized sewage sludge ash as an innovative aggregate for cement, offering a sustainable solution to the construction industry. Our proprietary chemical stabilization process transforms sewage sludge ash into a high-performance material that enhances the strength and durability of cement while reducing its environmental impact and saving costs for concrete producers.

Goal

Our vision is to become a price and sustainability leader in the cement/concrete additive industry. Providing a more sustainable form of cement to ensure that we build in the present without destroying the future is one of our core values. In an effort to achieve these ambitions, our planned roadmap involved the following steps. First, we aim to create a disruptive product by replacing 20% of cement clinker in concrete. This mix achieves a unique value proposition to our customers. On one hand, a reduction in the environmental impact of cement by approximately 20% and the price by approximately 15%. Working initially with this ratio, the process energy requirements for the entirety of the concrete produced are reduced by a staggering 91.3%. We aim to use the help of industry stakeholders, like concrete producers, sewage treatment plants, and governments and regulators. Based on their input, we will form and iterate our product to be ready for the market. After having outsourced production and logistics from start to finish, we will sell our product through direct sales to concrete producers and green construction companies.  

Methodology

We have built hypotheses around the viability and demand of our product. We have studied a huge body of research in order to establish the physical and chemical feasibility of our solution. Having established that it was theoretically possible to create our product, we have tested the demand for it through expert interviews with CEOs of Hungary and Austria’s leading concrete producers. Based on their input, we have fine-tuned the product to fit and match industry needs and expectations.

Results

We have come up with a product that we need to test in concrete. It is for these tests that we require funds, as testing is not a cheap process. We have pitched the idea at the Entrepreneurship Avenue and won second place, evoking investor interest. We have also pitched the idea at the E&I Touchdown and won the pitch battle competition. During the course of the summer, we are going to be negotiating with the Austria Wirtschaftsservice, and two other entities interested in funding our project. We will keep working and do everything we can to pave the way to a sustainable future.

Cooperation Partner

• Zenyth Innovations

Contact Person

• Ádám Dévai - adam.dominik.devai@s.wu.ac.at

• Alexander Pucher - alexander.pucher@s.wu.ac.at

• Eva-Maria Schneider - eva-maria.schneider@students.boku.ac.at

• Gábor Pintér - gabor.pinter@s.wu.ac.at

• Michael Gnannt - michael.gnannt@s.wu.ac.at

• Nikolay Khoroshev - nikolay.khoroshev@s.wu.ac.at

Student Team

• Ádám Dévai

• Alexander Pucher

• Eva-Maria Schneider

• Gábor Pintér

• Michael Gnannt

• Nikolay Khoroshev