Key Takeaways
1. InventWood is expanding production of Superwood, a wooden-based material that is nearly ten times stronger than steel and significantly lighter.
2. The technology for Superwood was developed by Dr. Liangbing Hu, who created a method to make wood up to 12 times stronger and reduced production time dramatically.
3. InventWood has raised $15 million in Series A funding and over $50 million in total to support manufacturing and partnerships for material adoption.
4. Superwood is engineered through molecular manipulation, enhancing its strength and resistance to fire, water, rot, and pests compared to regular wood.
5. Initial production focuses on architectural facades, with long-term goals of replacing structural components to reduce construction’s carbon footprint.
InventWood, a spin-off from the University of Maryland, is getting ready to expand its production of a wooden-based material called Superwood. This innovative product boasts a strength-to-weight ratio nearly ten times greater than that of steel, all while being significantly lighter and renewable. The first commercial shipments are expected to leave a new facility in Frederick, Maryland, in the third quarter of 2025.
Groundbreaking Research
The technology behind Superwood stems from research conducted by Dr. Liangbing Hu, a materials scientist. In 2018, he introduced a method that converts regular wood into a material that is up to 12 times stronger and 10 times tougher than its natural state. Instead of keeping this breakthrough confined to the lab, he worked on refining the process, reducing production time from more than a week to only a few hours, and then licensed the patents to InventWood.
Funding and Partnerships
Since then, InventWood has secured $15 million in the initial closing of its Series A funding round, led by the Grantham Foundation and supported by investors focused on climate solutions. The startup has accumulated over $50 million, which will be used to finance the new manufacturing line and a strategic partnership with distributor Intectural, aimed at accelerating the material’s adoption throughout North America.
Innovative Material Properties
Superwood’s exceptional performance is a result of molecular engineering. Regular lumber, mainly composed of cellulose and lignin, is treated with food-grade chemicals to alter its structure, selectively remove certain components, and increase the density of the remaining cellulose. This is followed by a compression process that enhances hydrogen bonding between the fibers, resulting in a material that InventWood claims is 50 percent stronger in tensile load than steel and is also resistant to fire, water, rot, and pests.
The initial production is focused on creating architectural facades for commercial and premium residential projects. In the long run, InventWood plans to replace structural components like beams and columns, helping to reduce the heavy carbon footprint of construction by offering a domestically sourced renewable alternative to steel and concrete.
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