Graz Universities Celebrate their Inventors

In the past two years, a total of 186 patent applications have resulted from activities of the universities in Graz. The researchers behind the applications were honoured at Congress Graz.

Three smiling men and three women stand together, four of them holding certificates

Minister of Science Eva-Maria Holzleitner and Graz University of Technology Rector Horst Bischof with (from right) Clemens Arth (Graz University of Technology), Wiktoria Teresa Rajewicz (University of Graz), Sharmaine Reintar (Medical University of Graz), and Lukas Gölles (University of Music and Performing Arts Graz), four of the honored inventors from Graz universities. Source: Lunghammer - TU Graz

Honour those to whom honour is due. In a joint ceremony yesterday evening, the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, the Medical University of Graz, Graz University of Technology and the University of Graz honoured especially inventive researchers. A total of 235 academics were invited to Congress Graz on the fifth occasion of this celebration – the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz also took part for the first time. Between July 2023 and June 2025, their ingenuity resulted in 143 invention disclosures and 186 patent applications. In total, the four universities in Graz have recorded almost 1,500 inventions over the past 20 years.

In the presence of Federal Science Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner and State Minister for Research Willibald Ehrenhöfer, Rectors Andrea Kurz (Medical University of Graz), Horst Bischof (Graz University of Technology) and Georg Schulz (University of Music and Performing Arts Graz) unanimously emphasised the great importance of the “third mission” of universities. In addition to research and teaching, this third mission essentially comprises the purposeful and practical utilisation of scientific findings as well as the transfer of knowledge and the promotion of start-ups.

Holzleitner emphasises: “Behind every invention is curiosity, courage and the passion to make something better. This spirit of research is an important core of our universities and the basis for progress in our country. When knowledge is shared and applied, innovation is created that benefits everyone. After all, research not only strengthens our economy, but also our democracy – it makes our society more resilient and sustainable. I would like to congratulate and thank all the researchers and their teams, whose work demonstrates on a daily basis what science can achieve for our future.”

Exemplary success stories

Three success stories were presented at the ceremony as illustrations of the universities’ inventive strength.

RESET: Handbikes for every application
True to the motto “The mountain treats everyone the same, and so should we”, Simon Walch and Thomas Mayr are developing adaptive mountain bikes for people with walking impairments. Simon Walch has been paralysed since a motorbike accident. Giving up mountain biking was not an option for him. The first handbike prototype was created out of a very personal interest. As a spin-off of TU Graz, RESET quickly left the initial workshop-tinkering behind and now offers a high-tech product with two models: “RANGER” for downhill rides in the forest and “SCOUT” as an adaptive mountain bike suitable for everyday use that can even carry a wheelchair or crutches.

ProtectLiB: Battery recycling
As a spin-off from the University of Graz, ProtectLiB is developing an automated and safe process for recycling lithium-ion batteries. The patented shredder system enables fully charged batteries to be disassembled and the individual materials to be safely separated and recovered. ProtectLiB was founded by Tobias Kopp, Jürgen Abraham and Chris Pichler. The team is currently working on applying the same process to other critical raw materials, such as manganese, nickel and cobalt.

TIL-DER: Highly effective cancer therapy
Ana Santiso, Oliver Kindler and Julia Kargl from Med Uni Graz have developed a method for identifying tumour-reactive T cells using the “TIL-DER” technology. This should make personalised immunotherapy, in which the patient’s own immune cells fight the cancer, much more precise and cost-effective. In addition to improving the fight against cancer, the aim is also to improve patients’ quality of life.

Eleven patents: Clemens Arth from TU Graz receives Nikola Tesla Medal
Five patents independent of each other which have been granted in the last five years is the minimum requirement for being awarded the Nikola Tesla Medal. As a way of celebrating its inventors, TU Graz presents this award every two years to persons within the university who have shown outstanding inventive activities. Telematics engineer Clemens Arth exceeds this requirement by far. He was granted eleven independent patents between 2020 and 2024. Born in Styria in 1979, he has already registered a total of 24 patents. Clemens Arth sees engineering as a craft: “I repair everything I can get my hands on”. Modifying and repurposing hardware and using it with newly programmed software components for various research questions and innovation ideas in the extended reality (XR) spectrum is in his blood.

Incidentally, the Austrian Patent Office reported the following figures for 2024: There were 1,835 patent applications and 876 patents granted throughout Austria. Styria was in second place with a total of 430 patent applications (Upper Austria: 448 patent applications). Universities already account for 10.2 per cent of all patents registered from Europe with the European Patent Office. (Sources: Annual report 2024 and Statistics 2024 (german only)).