Logitech has announced the winners of its annual Future Positive Challenge, a technology and engineering initiative that identifies “disruptive sustainable solutions in electronics.”
Now in its third year, the challenge invites entrepreneurs, startups, and researchers from around the world to propose solutions that make engineering and process design more sustainable. The focus at present is on areas like battery technology, printed circuits, materials, waste management, and sustainable manufacturing with a view to reduce environmental impact.
Prakash Arunkundrum, President of Logitech for Business, commented on this year’s challenge and why it was initially set up. “The Future Positive Challenge was created to uncover breakthrough innovations capable of transforming how we reduce carbon impact in our product portfolio. This year, we saw incredibly disruptive solutions to address the urgent challenges of carbon reduction in consumer electronics. The ideas shared represent bold steps forward in rethinking materials and processes.”
“The next phase is collaborating with these teams to investigate the scalability of their solutions in Logitech products and in the broader industry,” Prakash said.
2025 Future Positive Technology Challenge winners
Jiva Materials Ltd
Jiva Materials is a Hampshire based startup and developer of Soluboard, the world’s first fully-recyclable and biodegradable substrate for printed circuit boards (PCBs). When the circuit board reaches the end of its use, the material can dissolve in hot water, making it easier to separate and recover electronic components and valuable metals. Therefore, these parts can then be reused instead of wasted.
Soluboards have a carbon footprint up to 67% lower than traditional glass-fibre + epoxy PCB laminates, providing an environmental advantage. By dissolving in hot water under a controlled environment, the substrate enables the recovery of copper, natural fibres, and electronic components, creating end-of-life recycling opportunities, and reducing waste.
It is compatible with standard PCB manufacturing methods such as drilling, plating, etching, routing, and curing, and supports double-sided, plated-through-hole (PTH) designs. By switching to Soluboard, Jiva Materials claim it can save an estimated 11.42 kg of COâ‚‚ per square metre of PCB compared to conventional materials, and reduce plastic waste by 590 g per square metre at hardware’s end-of-life.
Traditional PCB manufacturing and disposal contributes substantially to carbon emissions and e-waste, as they rely on materials like glass fibre, epoxy, and the need for incineration to extract materials. Jiva has recognised the value and material lost in this process, alongside the pollution generated, and is striving to combat issues with a recyclable and biodegradable substrate.
Flint Labs Pte
A tech startup headquartered in Singapore, Flint Labs Pte develops rechargeable paper low carbon batteries that are cleaner, safer, more cost-efficient, and flexible than standard lithium-ion and alkaline batteries.
According to Flint Labs, its mission is to “build the world’s most sustainable battery,” with a belief that nature holds the answers to achieving this. The company uses renewable materials and bio-mimicry to produce batteries that are sustainable and functional. Flint Labs’ paper battery is water-based and rechargeable, and made with renewable and non-toxic materials. It delivers high performance with a low carbon footprint and “reduces the green premium” – it is essentially more affordable and yet environmentally friendly than traditional batteries.
Use cases for Flint’s paper battery include energy storage systems (homes and businesses), space technology (satellites or space-tech applications), consumer electronics, wearables, medical technologies, and remote sensors and IoT devices.
Suzhou CIYI Electronic Technology
Suzhou CIYI Electronic Technology is a Chinese high-tech enterprise that develops and produces a range of magnetic products and solutions, including its Samarium Iron Nitride (SmFeN) magnet, designed to replace Neodymium (NdFeB) for low and medium grade applications like sensors and motors.
Samarium Iron Nitride is a type of permanent magnet, made from the rare-earth element, samarium. This is a highly-valued magnet which boasts significant magnetic power and can work well at high temperatures. It also resists rust and corrosion, and can withstand extreme conditions for longer lifespan.
When compared to other rare-earth materials used in magnets, like neodymium, samarium is more accessible and available and cost-effective, and easier to recycle. It’s proving to be a more sustainable and affordable choice for magnetic applications.
CIYI has won the Logitech Future Positive Technology Challenge for its SmFeN magnets research and development, by reducing environmental impact, securing supply chains, lowering costs, and supporting more sustainable manufacturing practices.
Special recognition
Besides the main winners of this year’s challenge, GRST Holdings was given special recognition for its innovative approach to battery recycling. The green technology company is based in Hong Kong, and specialises in water-based manufacturing, PFAS-free binders, and recycling solutions for lithium-ion batteries.
Logitech collaboration
All three winners of the Logitech Future Positive Challenge will now have the chance to collaborate directly with Logitech on projects to test and scale their technologies. The aim is to support Logitech’s sustainability goals, including reducing the company’s carbon footprint and improving recycling and circularity.
Previous winners include Elephantech, a startup in the electronics manufacturing sector. After winning in 2023, the company worked with Logitech to develop a sustainable inkjet-based additive printing method for circuit boards, resulting in more eco-friendly manufacturing processes.
2024 winner, Bin-e, an AI-based, auto-sorting bin, partnered with Logitech and tested an AI-powered e-waste recycling bin, improving electronic waste management.
Together with Logitech, 2025’s Future Positive Challenge winners are driving sustainable innovation with solutions that reduce environmental impact. With Logitech’s support, these technologies can be scaled for real-world applications, potentially driving change.
(Source: “Battery Recycling” by moria is licensed under CC BY 2.0.)
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