European Patent Office awards 26-year-old Filipino inventor who just made global aviation a more sustainable industry

Mark Kennedy Bantugon, a 26‑year‑old aeronautical engineer from Batangas, just landed in the top 10 of the Young Inventors Prize 2025, hand‑picked by the European Patent Office. He’s the only finalist from the Philippines and Southeast Asia, and he’s earned his place with a homegrown invention that is cleaner and more sustainable than conventional aviation sealants, the Pili Seal®.

Mark’s invention is an eco‑friendly, aircraft-grade sealant and adhesive made from agricultural waste of the Pili tree resin. It’s tough enough to handle fuel tanks and heat, matches industry standards, and is biodegradable. Most importantly, it’s built without the toxic chemicals typical in traditional sealants.

Mark explains: “My journey is not just about recognition. This invention can showcase an advocacy of sustainability. I see this as encouragement to the next generation to follow a path of innovation and sustainability as well as leverage on opportunities to collaborate with the public and private sectors.”

Mark refers to leveraging opportunities provided by agencies like the Philippine Department of Science and Technology. However, he also collaborates with the private sector. After completing his internship with Lufthansa Technik Philippines, Mark developed the sealant through 84 formulations, tested it in labs, and is now pioneering adhesive sustainability with global partners like Deutsche Lufthansa AG, BlueScope Company of Australia, Airbus SE, and The Boeing Company.

“We are advocating environmental sustainability. We are not only creating an eco‑friendly product but we also want to create impacts—social impact, environmental impact, economic impact. I want to highlight the social impact, this can create new streams of income and create jobs. We have around 15,000 local Pili farmers. I see the invention as not only for my own business growth but also to give back to the farming community especially that I myself have a humble background in farming coming from a family of farmers,” said Mark who is also the Co-Founding CEO of Pili AdheSeal Inc.

From a global perspective, Mark sees even more opportunities not just to showcase Filipino ingenuity to the world but also to inspire sustainability in other countries:

“Yes, we are manifesting that our impact is not only in the Philippines but to the world as well. Pili Tree is not only endemic in our country but other tropical countries like Southeast Asia, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. We have partnerships already with global companies like Lufthansa in Germany and Blue Scope Company in Australia. Pili Seal will not only build a legacy in the Philippines but also inspire other countries to create a change especially to their farming communities.”

Mark began by patching leaky roofs with chewing gum. Now, he’s closing the loop with a circularity sealant whose residuals become fertilizer.

“Right now, we already have the certifications for Pili Seal from aviation regulatory bodies and also major aviation players like Airbus and Boeing. We are on our way to replacing conventional sealants in the industry because Pili Seal is the more sustainable option. One of the key features of our product is circularity because even the residuals of our product can be converted to fertilizers. We are not adding disposal issues because we try to circulate our residuals into other useful products,” said Mark.

He leaves us with an inspiration for the next generation of youth:

“I want to impart the message that it is important not just to live life but also use it as a catalyst for change. I learned in my journey that success is best experienced when shared. It is important that your technology or invention become an instrument of blessing not only to yourself but also to your family and your community. The Young Inventors Prize is a prestigious international award given by the European Patent Office (EPO) to innovators aged 30 and under who use technology to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Launched in 2021, the prize recognizes not only technical excellence but also the social and environmental impact of young change makers from around the world. Finalists are selected by an independent international jury from hundreds of applicants. Past honorees have gone on to collaborate with global organizations and influence public policy in sustainability and innovation.”

This year’s winners were announced and livestreamed from Reykjavík, Iceland.