A team of researchers at the University of Maryland has made a groundbreaking discovery that transforms ordinary wood into a material stronger than steel. The breakthrough, led by materials scientist Liangbing Hu, took over five years to develop and refine.
Initially met with skepticism by InventWood CEO Alex Lau, Hu’s technology was licensed to the startup, which plans to produce its first batches of “Superwood” this summer. The company aims to use Superwood for skin applications, such as facade materials for commercial and high-end residential buildings.
According to Lau, Superwood has several advantages over traditional building materials. It boasts 50% more tensile strength than steel, a 10 times better strength-to-weight ratio, and is Class A fire rated. The material can also be used outdoors without staining or finishing.
The production of Superwood requires the use of “food industry” chemicals to modify its molecular structure. By compressing the result, the company creates extra bonds between cellulose molecules, increasing the material’s strength. This technology has significant potential for reducing the carbon impact of buildings, with concrete and steel being responsible for 90% of the construction’s environmental footprint.
InventWood has raised $15 million in its first close of a Series A round to build its commercial plant and develop its Superwood product. The company plans to use wood chips to create structural beams of any dimension that won’t need finishing, further expanding the material’s applications.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/05/12/inventwood-is-about-to-mass-produce-wood-thats-stronger-than-steel