Welcome to PowdrIQ
The international metal powder university challenge by Höganäs, inviting students worldwide to explore new and innovative applications for metal powders.
By participating, you will help push the boundaries of traditional applications and propose solutions that improve efficiency, performance, and sustainability across any industry where metal powders can make a difference.
Background:
Metal powder technology is transforming industries by enabling sustainable, high-performance, and resource-efficient solutions that enhance efficiency, durability, and cost-effectiveness.
Today, metal powders are already used in gears and sprockets, brake pads, turbine blades, medical implants, oxygen barriers, and fuel cells, see more at hoganas.com.
www.hoganas.com
As industries shift toward sustainability and resource efficiency, metal powders open opportunities to replace conventional materials, like stainless steel, with lighter, stronger, and more sustainable alternatives.
At Höganäs, we believe metal powder technology enables our customers to:
- Lower total costs
- Reduce environmental impact → less energy consumption, less waste, and use of recycled materials
- Extend product life cycles → reducing overall material usage
- Improve production efficiency → fewer process steps, less machining, and minimal waste
- Enable smarter designs → lighter weight and more compact components
Yet, the true potential of metal powders remains largely untapped across many industries. And this is where you come in.
The challenge is simple but bold:
Can you identify new, untapped applications where metal powders are not currently used but could be?
Scope of the challenge:
Participants are tasked with identifying new applications of metal powders in underutilised or untapped industries, with a focus on:
- Sustainability – replacing conventional materials, reducing waste, and enabling a circular economy
- Performance & efficiency – developing stronger, lighter, or more cost-effective solutions
- Market needs – exploring industries where metal powders are underutilised or have untapped potential, including both new sectors and existing industries where metal powders are not yet widely used but could offer a competitive advantage.
Participants must conduct research, analyse the market, and propose applications where metal powders promote sustainability, efficiency, and performance, while clearly demonstrating the industry relevance on how the proposed application addresses a real market need or opportunity.
Evaluation criteria:
Submissions will be assessed based on:
- Innovation – how novel is the application?
- Feasibility – can the idea be realistically implemented?
- Sustainability impact – does it contribute to environmental and resource efficiencies?
- Industry relevance – how well does it address a market need?
Prizes:
- 1st place: €5000* + study trip to a Höganäs site
- 2nd place: €2500*
- 3rd place: €1000*
*) Any applicable taxes on the prize are the sole responsibility of the participant.
