Formnext Awards 2026 recognise developments in metal AM, powders and advanced ceramics
Mesago Messe Frankfurt has announced the finalists for the Formnext Awards 2026, ahead of the Formnext exhibition in Frankfurt, Germany, from 17-20 November. These awards recognise outstanding achievements in six categories, with the selection below focusing on metal Additive Manufacturing, metal powders and technical-ceramic AM.
The winners will be announced and the awards presented on Thursday,
19 November 2026, starting at 4:10 p.m. at the Industry & Application Stage (Hall 11.0, booth D72). Voting is open for all categories until Thursday, 19 November 2026, at 12:00 p.m., with the public online vote counting as an additional jury vote.
AMbassador Award: Metal AM in construction
The AMbassador Award recognises outstanding individuals or organisations that make a unique impact on the industry and its users through innovative training and educational approaches or through personal advocacy for Additive Manufacturing.
Professor Leroy Gardner – Steel Structures Research Group at Imperial College London
Professor Leroy Gardner and the Steel Structures Research Group at Imperial College London are advancing the use of metal AM in construction. Their work combines experimental research, structural optimisation, design development, robotic metal AM, and full-scale testing. According to Mesago Messe Frankfurt, among their achievements are the world’s first AM-made steel bridge, developed together with MX3D, and a hybrid steel truss structure featuring additively manufactured nodes.
Design Award: Titanium implants and rocket engines
Levin Center of the Tel Aviv Sourasky University Medical Center
At the Levin Center of the Tel Aviv Sourasky University Medical Center, a monolithic,
anatomy-conformal titanium implant was developed and successfully used in surgery. Combined with point-of-care 3D surgical planning, the implant, produced from medical-grade Ti-6Al-4V titanium, has applications including the treatment of bone cancer in children and adolescents, according to Mesago Messe Frankfurt.
Agnikul Cosmos
Indian space-tech start-up Agnikul Cosmos has developed a single-piece semi-cryogenic rocket engine manufactured in Inconel using AM. Designed specifically for Additive Manufacturing from the outset, the engine has already been successfully deployed as part of the Agnibaan SOrTeD Mission 2024.
Rookie Award: Recycled copper powder and metal AM technologies
The Rookie Award recognises individuals with promising business ideas who have either not yet founded their company or have done so within the last year.
FlexCycle Solutions
FlexCycle Solutions produces copper powder for Additive Manufacturing and powder
metallurgy from electronic industry waste. The powder is manufactured entirely through a mechanical process, resulting in a spherical-rough particle morphology that improves laser absorption in PBF-LB applications. FlexCycle Solutions is also a finalist for the Sustainability Award, supported by Renishaw.
Spaceform’s Vacuum Atomised Suspension Printing (VASP)
Spaceform develops Vacuum Atomised Suspension Printing (VASP), a new architecture for metal Additive Manufacturing. During the process, a metal-powder suspension is vacuum-dried before laser processing, creating a stable and cohesive powder layer. Initial applications include RF components, advanced thermal management, and precision fluidics.
Start-up Award: Metal and ceramic AM technologies
The Start-up Award recognises young AM companies with sustainable business models and market-ready products. This year’s finalists focus on new Additive Manufacturing concepts.
Hydra Manufacturing
Hydra Manufacturing develops hybrid manufacturing technologies for challenging-to-process materials, including advanced ceramics and cemented carbides. According to Mesago Messe Frankfurt, by combining paste extrusion, green-state machining, and in-process inspection in a single machine, the company significantly expands the range of processable materials, including silicon carbide and hardmetals.
additiveStream4D
Berlin-based start-up additiveStream4D follows a similarly hybrid approach with retrofit technologies that enable standard metal PBF-LB machines to manufacture precisely on existing geometries. Potential applications include advanced cutting tools and the repair of high-value parts such as turbomachinery components.
QH Build
With its simulation software, QH Build aims to make Additive Manufacturing more efficient. According to QH Build, in one WLAM application, implementation was completed 72% faster and with 64% lower cost per part. QH Build combines industrial robotics, multiphysics simulation, and a controller-aware digital twin to reduce costly trial-and-error in metal DED.
Further information, online voting, and the full list of finalists across all six award categories are available at formnext.com/awards
